2025 Fantasy Baseball: 60 Undervalued Players, from Jasson Domínguez to Bo Bichette
2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft Prep: Rankings, strategy, sleepers, mock draft results
Your one-stop-shop for Rotoworld's preseason fantasy baseball content.
Rotoworld Staff,
Rotoworld Staff,
Willson Contreras - 72nd in Top 300 - 118 in Yahoo - 67 in NFBCGabriel Moreno - 274th in Top 300 - 40% undrafted in Yahoo - 175 in NFBCIván Herrera - 297th in Top 300 - 69% undrafted in Yahoo - 213 in NFBC
As always, the caveat here is that NFBC is a two-catcher format, whereas my rankings and Yahoo drafts are set for one-catcher leagues. In spite of that, I actually have the elder Contreras awfully close to his NFBC ADP. I've been guilty in the past of overrating catchers moving to easier positions, thinking it would give them a performance boost not to have to deal with the catcher grind. With Contreras, though, I'm not doing that; I'm projecting him for an .806 OPS that would be lower than any of his marks from the last three years. But I am expecting him to remain healthy and play in 150 games.
On those rare occasions that I've failed to land Contreras in drafts, I've been waiting until the very end to get a catcher, probably Moreno. One other name to keep in mind here is Oakland's Tyler Soderstrom; it looks like he could gain five-game catcher eligibility by the end of April, and he might spend the rest of the year as a top-five fantasy catcher.
Triston Casas - 89th in Top 300 - 117 in Yahoo - 118 in NFBCSpencer Steer - 96th in Top 300 - 148 in Yahoo - 169 in NFBCMichael Toglia - 99th in Top 300 - 203 in Yahoo - 175 in NFBCChristian Encarnacion-Strand - 161st in Top 300 - 235 in Yahoo - 222 in NFBCTyler Soderstrom - 187th in Top 300 - 81% undrafted in Yahoo - 274 in NFBC
Not my favorite position this year. It's scary to me that Toglia rates as my best value pick, because I don't actually believe he'll be very good; I have him hitting a Coors-aided .237/.318/.473. He certainly has plenty of power, and I expect that he'll hit 30 homers if the Rockies give him 600 plate appearances. And I do expect that the Rockies will give him 600 plate appearances, for better or worse.
Casas has disappointed as a fantasy first baseman to date, but we're talking about a 25-year-old with a career 125 OPS+ who is set to mostly bat cleanup for a team that plays in one of baseball's best ballparks for offense. He shouldn't be going outside of the top 100.
Matt McLain - 65th in Top 300 - 78 in Yahoo - 77 in NFBCJonathan India - 120th in Top 300 - 235 in Yahoo - 231 in NFBCChristopher Morel - 122nd in Top 300 - 63% undrafted in Yahoo - 253 in NFBCMaikel Garcia - 131st in Top 300 - 241 in Yahoo - 202 in NFBCBrandon Lowe - 146th in Top 300 - 218 in Yahoo - 201 in NFBC
Two Royals and two Rays. That India is going so late in drafts really surprises me. Leaving Cincinnati hurts some, but Kansas City is another good offensive ballpark, especially for someone who isn't a big home run guy. He's going to lead off in front of Bobby Witt Jr., and he's a better bet to stay healthy while getting a lot of time at DH and in left field. He could go 15 HR/15 SB and rank among the AL leaders in runs.
It's less surprising that Morel is going so late, especially since he struggled so mightily after the trade from the Cubs to the Rays. Still, there's a lot of upside here for someone who is basically free in drafts. He's in a better ballpark now, and the Rays are committed to giving him a long look in left field. The talent is there: he ranked in the top 20 in MLB in both barrel rate and hard-hit rate in 2023.
Fantasy Baseball: Bold predictions from Rotoworld staff for 2025 MLB season
Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews is among the players the Rotoworld Baseball staff believes in for 2025.
Rotoworld Staff,
Rotoworld Staff,
Austin Riley - 18th in Top 300 - 29 in Yahoo - 29 in NFBCAlec Bohm - 82nd in Top 300 - 137 in Yahoo - 158 in NFBCIsaac Paredes - 94th in Top 300 - 164 in Yahoo - 169 in NFBCJosh Jung - 162nd in Top 300 - 212 in Yahoo - 203 in NFBCRyan McMahon - 198th in Top 300 - 65% undrafted in Yahoo - 291 in NFBC
The player the Cubs got for Morel last summer makes an appearance here, but only because he was since traded to Houston in the Kyle Tucker deal. Paredes and Wrigley Field were not a match, but the Crawford Boxes will suit him very well. Paredes hit 47 homers in 244 games for the Rays before 2023 and '24, and the left field corner in Houston is even more inviting than Tropicana Field's. He'll hurt a bit in average and steals, but he should be pretty helpful in runs and RBI while hitting high in the Astros lineup.
Bohm has driven in 97 runs in back-to-back seasons, but he still could do better while hitting either third or fourth for the Phillies this season. More homers would be nice and are still a possibility, but he'll make a ton of contact while probably hitting with men on base as often as anyone in the league.
Oneil Cruz - 25th in Top 300 - 48 in Yahoo - 34 in NFBCCJ Abrams - 35th in Top 300 - 56 in Yahoo - 49 in NFBCBo Bichette - 49th in Top 300 - 102 in Yahoo - 110 in NFBCAnthony Volpe - 56th in Top 300 - 159 in Yahoo - 146 in NFBCEzequiel Tovar - 78th in Top 300 - 132 in Yahoo - 127 in NFBCZach Neto - 114th in Top 300 - 210 in Yahoo - 203 in NFBCJeremy Peña - 139th in Top 300 - 200 in Yahoo -158 in NFBCTrevor Story - 172nd in Top 300 - 244 in Yahoo - 252 in NFBC
The Bichette of this spring looks a lot more like the one who hit .298 with 24 homers per year from 2021-23 than the one who was a complete bust in 2024. He's even doing some running, though he's been caught on two of his three steal attempts. He's going to hit either first or fourth for Toronto, and I can scarcely imagine him not being a bargain at his current ADP.
Again pulling the ball, Volpe is back swinging more like he did as a rookie than as a sophomore, when he traded power for contact. That he's 24 next month and physically stronger than he was at 22 should lead to greater success, and I think a 30 HR/30 SB season is a real possibility here.
Neto would be a top-60 player for me if he weren't coming off shoulder surgery. He could be back before the end of April, and he's a great stash at his current price tag.
Josh Lowe - 60th in Top 300 - 178 in Yahoo - 157 in NFBCJasson Domínguez - 61st in Top 300 - 152 in Yahoo - 143 in NFBCGarrett Mitchell - 147th in Top 300 - 60% undrafted in Yahoo - 250 in NFBC
Ronald Acuña Jr. - 21st in Top 300 - 35 in Yahoo - 35 in NFBCWyatt Langford - 28th in Top 300 - 53 in Yahoo - 38 in NFBCJames Wood - 33rd in Top 300 - 62 in Yahoo - 50 in NFBCLawrence Butler - 38th in Top 300 - 75 in Yahoo - 56 in NFBCBrenton Doyle - 47th in Top 300 - 81 in Yahoo - 67 in NFBCLuis Robert Jr. - 50th in Top 300 - 106 in Yahoo - 81 in NFBCDylan Crews - 55 in Top 300 - 135 in Yahoo - 113 in NFBCIan Happ - 70th in Top 300 - 134 in Yahoo - 122 in NFBCPete Crow-Armstrong - 105th in Top 300 - 141 in Yahoo - 127 in NFBCByron Buxton - 155th in Top 300 - 236 in Yahoo - 204 in NFBCNolan Jones - 175th in Top 300 - 43% undrafted in Yahoo - 254 in NFBC
Steinbrenner Field, the Rays' temporary home for the year, isn't a hitter's haven, but just getting out of The Trop should benefit all of the team's bats, especially the lefties. I'd be high on Lowe regardless, though. His strikeout rate soared last year after his dramatic improvement in 2023, but his contact numbers weren't any worse. He has plenty of pop, and he's proven to be one of the game's best basestealers. It looks like he'll play against most lefties, so he offers five-category potential.
I'm stunned about low Domínguez is going after all of the years of hype. With his homer and steal ability, he's not going to need to be particularly good to prove valuable in fantasy leagues. I gather part of the reason that he's going so low is that most of the projections out there have him finishing well shy of 600 plate appearances. But I just don't see why that's the case. I don't have Domínguez towering over the league as a rookie -- my projection calls for a .248/.322/.428 line -- but I do have him getting 600 plate appearances and finishing with 20+ homers and steals.
Mitchell has his contact and injury issues, but he's mustered 13 homers and 20 steals in 365 major league plate appearances to date. He might fall into a platoon role at some point, but he should play regularly while Blake Perkins is out and hit in the middle of the Brewers order against righties. He's a great end-game pick.
There's a lot of debate about Langford as a third-round pick, but he's in such a great situation; he doesn't need to perform like a superstar in order to return that kind of value while hitting third for the Rangers. ... Wood, Butler and Doyle are also 20 HR/20 SB guys for me. Crews might fall short there in homers, but I think people are underselling his steal potential. He's legitimately one of the fastest guys in the league, and he was 12-for-15 stealing bases in just 31 games after his callup last season. ... Buxton is basically free. When he gets hurt, you can just drop him if you want. He seems good right now, and he's the No. 3 hitter for one of the league's better offenses.
Garrett Mitchell, Gavin Williams among Rotoworld staff's most drafted players for 2025
The Rotoworld staff unveil the players they have drafted the most this spring.
Rotoworld Staff,
Rotoworld Staff,
Logan Gilbert - 22nd in Top 300 - 33 in Yahoo - 30 in NFBCJacob deGrom - 34th in Top 300 - 55 in Yahoo - 54 in NFBCTanner Bibee - 57th in Top 300 - 96 in Yahoo - 104 in NFBCCristopher Sánchez - 66th in Top 300 - 174 in Yahoo - 154 in NFBCJoe Ryan - 69th in Top 300 - 112 in Yahoo - 106 in NFBCGeorge Kirby - 71st in Top 300 - ???Spencer Strider - 73rd in Top 300 - 119 in Yahoo - 108 in NFBCBryan Woo - 110th in Top 300 - 136 in Yahoo - 137 in NFBCBrandon Pfaadt - 123rd in Top 300 - 184 in Yahoo - 192 in NFBCReese Olson - 145th in Top 300 - 47% undrafted in Yahoo - 248 in NFBCDrew Rasmussen - 166th in Top 300 - 207 in Yahoo - 256 in NFBCBrandon Woodruff - 160th in Top 300 - 222 in Yahoo - 253 in NFBCJesús Luzardo - 178th in Top 300 - 235 in Yahoo - 233 in NFBCClay Holmes - 180th in Top 300 - 208 in Yahoo - 209 in NFBCJustin Verlander - 222nd in Top 300 - 75% undrafted in Yahoo - 325 in NFBC
Some of these ADPs are getting obsolete. Strider is up to 94 in NFBC over the last week. Sánchez is 141. I left off Kirby's ADPs here because of the recent news about his shoulder, but he's 140 in NFBC over the last week. I think it's well worth taking a chance on him. He had similarly described shoulder issues a couple of times earlier in his career and overcame them both times. He was my No. 6 SP prior to the injury.
Ryan had been my single favorite SP pick this year, as I wasn't expecting any sort of hangover from last year's teres major strain. However, I am concerned about his velocity drop last time out. He was down about 1-1.5 mph from last year in his spring debut Mar. 6, which seemed fine. However, in his March 17 start, he was down 2.5-3 mph compared to last year. There were no injury concerns mentioned afterwards. Maybe it's a dead-arm period and will prove to be nothing, but I did drop him from 10th to 14th among SPs.
Pfaadt wound up with a 4.71 ERA last season, but that came with a 3.61 FIP, a 3.78 xERA and a 3.65 SIERA. He also offers a great deal of win potential as a particularly efficient starter on a team with a strong offense. ... Olson has a 3.75 ERA and a 23% strikeout rate through two big-league seasons, and now he's seen a significant uptick in velocity this spring. He's a top-40 SP for me.
Jeff Hoffman - 97th in Top 300 - 121 in Yahoo - 131 in NFBCTrevor Megill - 140th in Top 300 - 131 in Yahoo - 156 in NFBCKenley Jansen - 150th in Top 300 - 161 in Yahoo - 186 in NFBCA.J. Puk - 194th in Top 300 - 213 in Yahoo - 257 in NFBCBeau Brieske - 207 in Top 300 - 93% undrafted in Yahoo - 607 in NFBCMike Clevinger - 228th in Top 300 - 85% undrafted in Yahoo - 585 in NFBC
Concern about Hoffman's shoulder reportedly scuttled two deals for the free agent in the offseason, but his stuff has been up to par this spring. I think he'll be a top-10 closer as a Blue Jay.
I have Justin Martinez ranked ahead of Puk, and my guess is that he'll wind up leading the Diamondbacks in saves. Still, I fully expect Puk to be one of the game's best relievers, and he should offer some value even if he's limited to 8-10 saves over the course of the year.
Brieske is my favorite of the Tigers relievers. Jason Foley might get the call initially, but his velocity has been down a couple miles per hour this spring.
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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Cristian Javier returns, Hurston Waldrep has a rotation spot
Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, where I review my favorite waiver wire adds and drops for each week of the MLB season. The premise is pretty straightforward. I'll try to give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When I list a player, I'll list the category where I think he'll be helpful or the quick reason he's listed. I hope it will help you determine if the player is a fit for what your team needs. For a player to qualify for this list, he needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. I understand you may say, 'These players aren't available in my league,' and I can't help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they're available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types. 2025 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 update: Aaron Judge clings to top spot, Nolan McLean debuts Bryan Abreu, Nolan McLean and Miguel Andujar are among the newcomers to the updated Top 300. Matthew Pouliot , Waiver Wire Hitters Colson Montgomery - 3B/SS, CWS: 39% rostered(HOT STREAK, PROSPECT GROWTH?) Montgomery remains at 39% rostered in part because we've seen his batting average take a real hit of late, going 9-for-42 (.214) over his last 12 games. That's not a huge surprise to me since Montgomery was hitting so poorly in Triple-A that he got sent back down to the complex to fix his stance and approach. When he came back, he hit marginally better at Triple-A, but nothing like what we're seeing at the MLB level right now. In fact, he hit .215 in 60 games at Triple-A this year and .214 in 130 games at Triple-A last year. I just can't connect that with a hitter we're seeing right now, and I recorded a video on Montgomery last week to explain my hesitation with Montgomery. He does have a 119 Process+ score since July 15th (which is a Pitcher List score that weighs Contact Value, Decision Value, and Power Value. A league average score is 100, so Montgomery is above league average, but his contact value is brutal. So basically, he has good power, is making solid swing decisions, and struggles to make contact. That sounds about right. I also don't quite believe what Paul DeJong - 3B/SS, WAS (2% rostered) is doing, but we have to acknowledge that he's doing it. He has done 15-for-47 (.319) in his last 13 games with four home runs, nine RBI, and two steals. That initially started against a stretch of lefties, but DeJong has now pushed into pretty much a committee with Brady House. I think this will only last as long as DeJong's bat is forcing them to give him some reps, but that could be enough in deeper leagues. Sal Frelick - OF, MIL: 37% rostered (EVERY DAY JOB, HOT STREAK) Frelick has been good all season, but, much like many of his teammates, his profile is a bit boring from a fantasy perspective. He will steal a good number of bases and hit a few home runs and hit for a solid batting average, but none of his skills are GIF-able, and so we forget about him. However, he leads off for the Brewers, has 18 steals on the year, and is hitting .294 over his last 15 games. That's a profile that fits in a lot of league types. The same applies to Joey Ortiz - SS/3B, MIL (9% rostered), who plays every day on the best team in baseball and has been hitting second in the order lately because he's racking up hits. In August, Ortiz is hitting .370 with 13 runs scored, 11 RBI, and two steals in 14 games. His multi-position eligibility also makes him a strong bench option. Jordan Beck - OF, COL: 34% rostered (EVERY DAY JOB, HOT STREAK) Beck has been on fire coming out of the break, hitting .326 with four home runs, 13 RBI, and four steals in 26 games. The Rockies will start next week with a four-game set at home against the Diamondbacks and then start the week after with four more home games against the Dodgers, so we can target Rockies hitters for those Coors Field games. That means we could also add Tyler Freeman - OF, COL (8% rostered), who is hitting .294 in 14 games in August with one home run, nine runs scored, and four steals. Ryan Ritter -SS, COL (0% rostered) is also off the IL and playing every day if you're in an NL-only league. Lenyn Sosa - 1B/2B/3B - CWS: 32% rostered(EVERY DAY ROLE, QUALITY UNDERLYING METRICS) Sosa was just 14% rostered when I had him here last week, and I've had Sosa on here a few times now because he pops on Process+ leaderboards and has been making quality contact with a 113 score since July 15th. In that span, Sosa is hitting .293/.343/.511 with four home runs, 13 runs scored, and 18 RBI in 25 games. He's playing every day, and the White Sox lineup is starting to wake up a little bit. He's not a bad add in deeper formats. Casey Schmitt - 1B/2B/3B/SS, SF (3% rostered) also popped on the Process+ leaderboard with a 114+ mark since July 15th. That has led to a .247/.293/.416 slash line with three home runs and eight RBI, which isn't great, but Process+ would suggest he's making good swing decisions and contact, so that number should tick up. Especially now that Matt Chapman is on the IL and Schmitt could start more regularly. Of course, Schmitt also got dinged up this weekend, so just check his status before finalizing your claims. Blaze Alexander - 3B/SS/2B, ARI: 29% rostered(HOT STREAK, POWER UPSIDE) This is probably only a short-term add with Blaze since I expect Jordan Lawlar to push for at-bats in September, and I think Blaze will revert back to his normal career marks. In fact, he's already just 1-for-11 in his first three games at Coors Field this weekend, which is a huge bummer. However, he has been producing and playing regularly, so maybe he's still worth an add in deeper formats. I should note that things look good under the hood for Ryan McMahon - 3B, NYY (36% rostered). He has a 117 Process+ score since July 15th and remains an everyday player for the Yankees, which has some value in deeper formats. Ryan Mountcastle - 1B: 25% rostered(OFF THE IL, POWER UPSIDE) Mountcastle came off the IL last week after missing months with a hamstring injury. The 28-year-old has proceeded to go 8-for-29 (.276) with two home runs, three RBI, and two steals. He and Coby Mayo - 1B/3B, BAL (6% rostered) should be the 1B/DH for the rest of the season, and that would make both worth adding. Mayo's results have been inconsistent so far, but I think regular playing time will help him. We saw what Kyle Stowers was able to do when he was given regular playing time, and Mayo is a better prospect than Stowers. Mayo has a 107 Process+ score since July 1st, and is above average in all components of that score (Decision Value, Contact, and Power), so the results should come soon. I'd be adding in deeper formats in case the results start to click in. Noelvi Marte - 3B/OF, CIN: 24% rostered(HITTING STREAK, EVERY DAY JOB) Coming into Sunday's game, Marte is riding a seven-game hitting streak, where he has gone 13-for-30 with two home runs, nine RBI, and six runs scored. He's been a solid contributor for Cincinnati all year and should be added in most formats, especially now that he has outfield eligibility. It also seems like Miguel Andujar - 3B/OF, CIN (12% rostered) is becoming an everyday starter at designated, which (along with the trade for Ke'Bryan Hayes) shifted Marte to the outfield. In 12 games with the Reds, Andujar is hitting .389/.463/.694 with three home runs and nine RBI. Despite all the stops in his career, Andujar is a .279 career hitter with a 15% strikeout rate in 444 games and is now playing in the most offense-friendly environment he's ever been in. Kyle Manzardo - 1B, CLE: 19% rostered(HOT STREAK, POWER UPSIDE) Kyle Manzardo went through a really cold stretch earlier in the summer, but we now know that his mother was going through a heart transplant. These guys are human beings too, and it's only logical that stress and emotional turmoil off the field would impact their performance and preparation on the field. Since July 1st, Manzardo has hit .286/.388/.561 with eight home runs and 21 RBI in 32 games. The Guardians are surging, and I think it's time to buy back in. Spencer Horwitz - 1B/2B, PIT (19% rostered) has also popped on Process+ leaderboards with a 109 score since July 15th. Over that stretch, he's hitting .300/.376/.456 with three home runs and 17 RBI. There won't be tons of power or any speed, which limits his overall fantasy ceiling, but there is some value here for deeper formats. Daulton Varsho - OF, TOR: 14% rostered(RETURN FROM THE IL, POWER UPSIDE) Varsho came off the IL in August and has hit .351/.455/.811 in 11 games with five home runs, 14 RBI, and nine runs scored. He has just one steal in 35 games this season, so that potential 20/20 upside no longer exists, but he's clearly selling out for power this season, and that statline above is something we're interested in for all league types. Samuel Basallo - C/1B, BAL: 9% rostered(RECENT CALL-UP, POWER UPSIDE) The only thing preventing that Mayo/Mountcastle platoon at first base is that the Orioles have called up their top prospect, Samuel Basallo. I don't quite get it. Basallo can play, no doubt. He's hitting .270/.377/.589 in 76 games at Triple-A with 23 home runs and 67 RBI. He has legit power in his bat and will be tremendous. He's only 20 years old, and there's no open spot in the lineup. I guess that means they're going to rotate Basallo, Mountcastle, Mayo, and Adley Rutschman at C, 1B, and DH. But how many starts will each get? Didn't the Orioles see with Kyle Stowers and Jackson Holliday that playing every day is what allowed those guys to settle in and hit their stride? I dunno. You should add Basallo though, because his catcher eligibility will erase any of those playing time concerns for now. Jordan Lawlar - SS, ARI: 8% rostered(STASH PLAY, PROSPECT UPSIDE) I'm keeping these recommendations here as stash plays. I think Lawlar and Kristian Campbell - 2B/OF, BOS (17% rostered) are both due for a call-up on September 1st at the latest. Lawlar is on the IL with a hamstring injury, but he has already started a rehab assignment, so his time is coming now that Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez are out of town. Lawlar is hitting .319/.410/.583 at Triple-A with 10 home runs and 18 steals in 53 games, and has little left to prove there. Similarly, Kristian Campbell has been on fire of late, while also playing solid defense at first base. I think he's a logical addition for Boston, who didn't add a first baseman at the deadline. Dylan Beavers - OF, BAL: 5% rostered(PROSPECT CALL UP, FIVE-CATEGORY UPSIDE) Shockingly, Beavers was called up as soon as he wasn't at risk of losing rookie eligibility. Beavers is a 2022 first-round pick who has been swinging a hot bat and is now hitting .304 on the season with 18 home runs, 22 steals, 51 RBI, and a .953 OPS. We know that rookie hitters can take a while to adjust to the big league level, but there is some five-category upside here that could be worth chasing in most league types. I should also point out that the Athletics are playing Colby Thomas - OF, ATH (1% rostered) a lot more of that, at the expense of Lawrence Butler. Thomas went 8-for-18 this week with eight RBI, two home runs, one steal, and five runs scored. He has some swing-and-miss concerns but also has real power/speed upside, so if he's going to play nearly every day in that home environment, then we should be adding him in most formats. Tommy Pham - OF, PIT: 2% rostered(STARTING JOB, HOT STREAK) I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. I've had Pham on here for over a month, and his roster rate keeps dropping. Pham has a 115 Process+ score since July 1st, but we also know that he has been dealing with a challenging situation related to his contact lenses due to a rare eye condition he has. Since he began working to correct that, around June 16th, we can see that he's hitting .341/.400/.548 in 41 games with six home runs, 20 runs scored, and 26 RBIs. That will play in any league type, and I'm not sure why people aren't scooping him up. Alex Freeland - 2B/3B/SS, LAD: 1% rostered(TOP PROSPECT, REGULAR PLAYING TIME) Look, I know the results haven't been there, but Freeland is playing every day for the Dodgers and just got even more job security with Max Muncy going on the IL. This is a 23-year-old who was the 43rd-ranked prospect in baseball and hit .253/.377/.421 in 94 games at Triple-A with 12 home runs and 18 steals. He has a tremendous feel for the strike zone and, in deeper formats, I'm still adding and hoping that the consistent playing time will help him get comfortable and see better results. Kyle Karros - 3B, COL: 1% rostered(RECENT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) The Rockies called up Karros last weekend. The son of former Dodgers first baseman Eric Karros has an advanced approach at the plate with a strong feel for the strike zone. The Rockies' 8th-ranked prospect makes a ton of contact and was slashing .301/.398/.476 on the season with six homers, 26 RBI, and seven steals in 269 plate appearances across three minor league levels. I've been impressed with his at-bats, so far, and he's gone 9-for-28 in eight games with six runs, three RBI, and a 5/4 K/BB ratio. Karros figures to get the rest of the season to stake his claim to the 3B job for 2026, and if you're in deeper formats and don't need power, I think Karros could be a solid corner infield option. Graham Pauley - 3B, MIA (1% Rostered) is also making the most of his time in the Marlins' starting lineup, hitting .267/.405/.600 in 13 games in August with three home runs, seven runs scored, four RBI, and one steal. The 24-year-old has never been an elite prospect but has a solid track record of production dating back to his time with the Padres, and he could be a deeper-league option. Bob Seymour - 1B, TB: 0% rostered(RECENT CALL UP, POWER UPSIDE) I should mention Seymour here because he was called up by Tampa Bay and started his first two games. He hit .263/.327/.552 in 105 games at Triple-A with 30 home runs and 87 RBI, which led the International League. The power is real, but he also posted an 18.3% swinging strike rate and only saw his strikeout rate decrease because he started to swing more often, which gave him more chances to make contact and not strikeout. This is probably not a profile you're after outside of AL-only leagues. Waiver Wire Pitchers Hurston Waldrep - SP, ATL: 35% rostered I covered Waldrep in detail in my starting pitcher news column this week. A mid-season mechanics change has led to some real improvement for the former first-round pick, and I'm fully bought in. Cristian Javier - SP, HOU - 28% rostered I covered Javier's debut outing that same Starting Pitcher News column linked abve, so check that out to see why I'm in on Javier. I also still believe in his teammate Spencer Arrighetti - SP, HOU (29% rostered) and their other teammate, Luis Garcia - SP, HOU (4% rostered), who might be just one more rehab start away from returning, so this entire Astros rotation is coming back. J.J. Romero - RP, STL: 29% rostered Romero was one of the big winners after the trade deadline, and he has emerged as the primary closer for the Cardinals. He did suffer a blown save this week against the Rockies, but he also struck out the side in that inning, so it was really one bad pitch that Hunter Goodman hit out of the park that was his undoing. I like adding Romero still, but he is also the only left-handed reliever in the bullpen, so this should likely be a committee with Romero sometimes needing to get big left-handed hitters out in the eighth inning. When that happens, we've seen Riley O'Brien - RP, STL (2% rostered) step in and pick up a save, so they can both have some fantasy value. Nolan McLean - SP, NYM: 24% rostered I recorded a video on McLean this week, so check that out for my full thoughts. There is some risk here, but the upside is immense, as you saw in his debut on Saturday. Nestor Cortes - SP, SD: 21% rostered Cortes now has a locked-in rotation spot on a playoff contender, so that's a win for him. I covered the veteran left-hander in a video I recorded last week, so make sure to check that out. Kyle Bradish - SP, BAL: 13% rostered Kyle Bradish made potentially his last rehab start on Thursday, allowing two hits and two walks in five scoreless innings while striking out nine batters at Triple-A. His fastball sat 95.5 mph, and he posted a 35% whiff rate thanks to a slightly revamped slider that's a little slower and with more drop than we've seen before. There may be some rust with Bradish as he comes off Tommy John surgery, but we also know that he has the upside of a top 20 overall starter. We also have Landen Roupp - SP, SF (29% rostered) off the IL. I know his first start was bad, but we bench starters coming off the IL for a reason. He has been good for the Giants all year and should settle back in. Cade Cavalli - SP, WAS: 9% rostered I recorded a video on Cade Cavalli last week before his season debut, and he has been far more impressive than I expected, shutting down the A's and Phillies, while struggling in his second start against the Royals. The former top prospect is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, and his Triple-A results have been inconsistent, so we should expect some inconsistency. But he has shown good velocity and a plus breaking ball, so I'm willing to grab him if I'm looking for upside. STREAMING STARTER PITCHERS MUST BE 40% ROSTERED ON YAHOO OR UNDER (ranked in loose order) Week of 8/18 Strong Preference Pitcher Roster% Opponent Shane Bieber 54% at MIA Hurston Waldrep 37% vs CWS Mike Burrows 6% vs COL Zebby Matthews 17% at CWS Cristian Javier 26% at BAL Fairly Confident Emmett Sheehan 20% at COL Michael McGreevy 11% at MIA Slade Cecconi 24% at TEX Joey Wentz 7% vs NYM Joey Cantillo 19% at ARI Cam Schlittler 18% at TB Jack Leiter 32% at KC, vs CLE Joe Boyle 19% vs STL Ryan Bergert 25% at DET Nestor Cortes 21% vs SF, vs LAD Landen Roupp 27% at SD Taijuan Walker 18% vs WAS Jack Perkins 9% at MIN Chris Paddack 18% vs KC Some Hesitation Jameson Taillon 30% vs MIL, at LAA Matthew Liberatore 20% at MIA, at TB Javier Assad 7% at LAA Nolan McLean 24% at ATL Cade Povich 6% vs HOU Cade Cavalli 9% at PHI JT Ginn 4% at MIN JP Sears 9% vs SF Brad Lord 32% vs NYM Spencer Arrighetti 29% at DET, at BAL Walker Buehler 22% vs BAL Dustin May 28% vs BAL, at NYY Michael Lorenzen 7% vs TEX Desperate / Uncertain Health or Role Aaron Civale 13% at ATL Braxton Ashcraft 1% vs TOR Adrian Houser 31% vs STL Shane Smith 9% at ATL Charlie Morton 19% vs HOU Luis Morales 2% at SEA
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Fantasy Football: 5 offenses to be all in on and 5 to avoid this draft season
The following is an excerpt from the latest edition of Yahoo's fantasy football newsletter, Get to the Points! If you like what you see, you can subscribe for free here. As you're surveying the NFL landscape this summer, trying to figure out your fantasy leans, one word pops up over and over again. Trust. Which teams do you trust? Which play designers do you trust? We're always trying to learn who a quarterback trusts — who does he throw to in a key spot, or what back will he rely upon for a critical blitz pickup? [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Today's assignment is simple enough — let's run through some offenses I trust and don't trust as we close in on the 2025 season. This isn't a strict ranking of the fantasy offenses — we tackled that earlier this summer and revisit the list during the season — but this will be a handy guide as you sharpen up your cheat sheets. Offenses in the Circle of Trust Baltimore Ravens Lamar Jackson quickly became a star in his pro career, winning MVP in his second season. But last year we saw his experience and maturity catch up to his physical talents, and the result was the highest scoring fantasy season (in basic scoring) of all time. Zay Flowers joined Jackson on the Pro Bowl roster, Derrick Henry sprung for 18 touchdowns and a silly 5.9 YPC, Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman combined for 20 touchdowns. There are so many right answers here. Cincinnati Bengals The setup was perfect last year, and it looks perfect again. Joe Burrow is an elite quarterback, capable of challenging for MVP. The offense is tied to three dynamic skill players — Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Chase Brown — and the distribution is narrow. The Cincinnati defense is a leaky unit, likely to force regular shootouts. And star DE Trey Hendrickson isn't happy about his contract. Carnival life for the win. Detroit Lions We have to acknowledge a pair of big losses — OC Ben Johnson left to take the Chicago head coaching job, and star center Frank Ragnow retired. But Jared Goff is entering his fifth year in Detroit, he's not going to forget all the successful plays they've run. Goff is working with perhaps the best skill talent in the NFL; I'll sign off on any of the six primary Lions this year. Dallas Cowboys Nobody trusts their running back room and the defense could be a mess, too. But that can turn into a fantasy positive, with veteran QB Dak Prescott throwing the ball all over the yard, focusing on star receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. It's possible the market is underrating TE Jake Ferguson, a possible Third Amigo in this passing game. Philadelphia Eagles Last year they ran all over the NFL en route to a title, with Saquon Barkley going off and Jalen Hurts scoring a bunch from the 1-yard line. I suspect the Philly passing game might be a little underappreciated this season, given that last year's extreme run rate (driven by ideal game flow most weeks) could be hard to replicate. A.J. Brown is one of the most talented receivers in the world, and DeVonta Smith has been a screaming draft value all summer. Two sneaky offenses I like more than the market Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence has been frustrating so far, but he's mostly been set up to fail. Now he adds HC Liam Coen and WR Travis Hunter to an offense that already has star receiver Brian Thomas Jr. Giddy-up. Los Angeles Chargers: It hurt to lose star lineman Rashawn Slater, but the Chargers have so many other boxes checked: head coach, quarterback, alpha receiver, feature back. Offenses Outside the Circle of Trust Miami Dolphins Last year everything fell apart, mostly because of a poor offensive line and an injury-prone quarterback. Unfortunately, the Dolphins are mostly running it all back again. Tyreek Hill didn't have a 30-yard catch after Week 1, and you get the idea he's not bought into the current regime. I suspect this is Hill's last season in Miami — and I wouldn't be surprised if he were traded in the middle of the year. New York Jets The most exciting thing here is the running of Justin Fields — give him a full season and he could easily collect 1,000 yards on the ground. Unfortunately, when a mobile QB runs, no one else on the roster really benefits. We do acknowledge that Fields' athleticism will widen defenses and open running lanes for the New York backs, but the Jets might use a cumbersome three-headed monster (Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, Isaiah Davis) on game day. Garrett Wilson reminds me of a younger Terry McLaurin — a star receiver held down by the limitations of his ever-changing quarterbacks. New Orleans Saints There's look-out-below potential here. The Saints probably don't have a legitimate quarterback on the roster, and you can talk down the skill talent (Alvin Kamara is losing efficiency and just turned 30; Chris Olave has dealt with regular concussions; Rashid Shaheed tore the meniscus in his knee midway through a breakout season). The New Orleans dream is that they're in pole position to draft Arch Manning next year (or someday), but what if Manning doesn't want to play for a franchise this empty? We've seen that story before. Cleveland Browns Say this for the Browns, they like to throw different quarterbacks at us. Last year Jameis Winston, Deshaun Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe all started games for Cleveland. Any surprise they went 3-14? Now aging Joe Flacco is the temporary starter, with three quirky options behind him (for now) on the depth chart: Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. I like Kevin Stefanski as a coach, I really do. But I don't see how you turn this into a winning hand. Cleveland will try to turn every game into a low-scoring rock fight; that's not optimal for fantasy. Pittsburgh Steelers Just ask yourself a simple question — when's the last time OC Arthur Smith or QB Aaron Rodgers added anything favorable to your fantasy life? Pittsburgh is another team that would sign up for a season of 13-12 final scores right now, if given the chance. Two tricky offenses I like less than the market Chicago Bears: New coach Ben Johnson can do good things with QB Caleb Williams but give it time; the Vikings and Lions could present a rude opening to the season. The Chicago depth chart has clusters of talent, but that could be vexing for fantasy managers, unsure where the ball is going. Los Angeles Rams: Everyone loves offensive wizard Sean McVay, but if Matthew Stafford's back isn't right, this could all fall apart. Don't forget Stafford is 37 years old. Why doesn't star receiver Puka Nacua shine at the goal line?
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Fantasy Football: Favorite pick in every round of a 12-team draft
Here, I'll go through my favorite pick in every round in Yahoo fantasy football leagues right now. I'll try to put together a complete team in the exercise as well, so don't worry … you won't just get 13 wide receiver picks from me in this space. Also, I've used Yahoo ADP from the last seven days (up to August 18) for the most up-to-date draft slots for these players. That made the exercise harder for me, but will be more useful to you. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] We'll go 13 rounds deep here. Round 1 - Bijan Robinson (2nd overall ADP) You'll need a top-two selection to grab Bijan Robinson but if this is about my favorite pick in each round, nothing gasses me up more than being able to secure the star back. Robinson has been an ultra-productive player so far in his career but this could be the season he strikes at his ceiling. The Falcons led the NFL by a wide margin in zone rushing rate (71%) per Fantasy Points Data but ranked first in success rate on gap runs. The latter tends to produce more explosive plays and the lack of home runs has been a critique in Robinson's profile. We often see first-time offensive coordinators add more wrinkles in their second season, so it's not out of the question that Zac Robinson mixes up the run game more in 2025. Bijan should also be the primary checkdown option for Michael Penix Jr., who reads defenses well to get to those checkdowns and is more likely to hit those than to scramble. Round 2 - Drake London (17th overall ADP) I have Drake London ranked 10th overall this year and he goes at pick 17, which is up from his 20th overall ADP for most of the summer. I just don't get why London isn't universally ranked at the Round 1 to 2 turn. London owned an outrageous 38.9% target share in Michael Penix Jr.'s three starts and, while he won't carry that over perfectly into 2025, he's been the clear top guy in camp for Penix. London could easily get north of 30% as he's a true No. 1 wideout who wins at all three levels and from multiple alignments. With Darnell Mooney out for an undetermined length of time, London should only continue to dominate the targets; he could lead the league in that category this year. He's just as talented as guys like Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., who go ahead of him in Yahoo ADP, and is paired with a quarterback who can unlock his game on deep out routes. Monster year incoming for the Falcons' two best players on offense for a team that will have to push the limit on that side of the ball to make up for a generous defense. Round 3 - Jayden Daniels (29th overall ADP) The third round is an uninspiring dead zone in fantasy drafts this year. The wide receiver picks are dicey, with pretty similar projections to most of the guys in the following couple of rounds, and while Kyren Williams and Omarion Hampton aren't flawless picks at ADP, they are the only running backs I actually like clicking in this range. So, I often mind myself defaulting to taking one of the elite quarterbacks in this spot. Jayden Daniels is the last guy in the tier, so he typically ends up being my selection. Daniels is a special runner and the reason Washington's offense is widely projected to repeat its dynamic performance from 2024. This is evidenced by the fact that, despite Daniels' beefy ADP, only one other Commanders' player — holdout WR1 Terry McLaurin — goes inside the top 90 selections. Round 4 - Kenneth Walker III (40th overall ADP) The Seahawks have sent a clear signal from the moment they fired Ryan Grubb all the way up to a dominant 48-carry, 268-yard rushing performance in Week 2 of the preseason that their intent is to dominate on the ground and marry their run and pass games together. That's the staple of the Shanahan offense, which Klint Kubiak will install this season. Kenneth Walker III is a natural fit as an explosive outside zone runner. When he's healthy, he will be ranked as a near top 12 player at the position. And he should see an increase in his checkdown opportunities after setting career-highs as a receiver last year. Yes, there are injury concerns with Walker, so Zach Charbonnet is one of my favorite late-round picks at running back. However, be serious about the players you're looking at in Round 4; none of them come without risk. So, lean into the ceiling and get a back that, when healthy, should moonwalk into being a top-scorer behind an improved offensive line. Round 5 - George Pickens (56th overall ADP) I won't repeat myself on George Pickens too much here, as I highlighted him as 'the one player I won't leave a draft without' in my annual Draft Day Blueprint mega-piece earlier this month. Pickens took a big step forward as an individual player last year via Reception Perception, was a top-12 receiver in yards per route run vs. man coverage and now plays in the best offensive environment of his career. That's the summary. I'll just note here that we finally got Pickens into a much fairer ADP territory after it was clear for months he was the most misvalued player in fantasy. However, I still rank him ahead of this 56th overall ADP and think he has just as high of a ceiling projection as some of the wide receivers who go a round or two ahead of him. Round 6 - TreVeyon Henderson (61st overall ADP) If you can acquire TreVeyon Henderson as your RB3, you just have to do it. Henderson is an explosive runner who has experience hitting outside gap runs, which should be a staple of this Josh McDaniels offense. He's also a weapon as a receiver for a team that needs juice in the passing game. In fantasy, we want to prioritize big-play potential from our backs and receiving production along with it. Henderson checks both boxes. To be totally clear, I don't know how much longer we can even get Henderson in this range. His ADP is on a rocket ship after a fantastic showing in the preseason. Should he get north of the sixth round, Jaylen Waddle (62nd overall ADP) is my top backup choice, because he has the upside to lead Miami in receiving this season with the way Tyreek Hill is trending. Also, you can take any of the wide receivers I list in the next section ahead of ADP, too. Round 7 - Travis Hunter (77th overall ADP) Quite frankly, there are so many wide receiver picks I like in the late sixth to seventh round in current ADP (pick 69 to 82). This is right in the money section of the section I highlighted in my wide receiver position preview, where you can feel the strength of the group. You'll find Tetarioa McMillan, Calvin Ridley, Chris Olave and Rome Odunze in this range — all of those players are firmly in my draft plans. However, the most fun player to select in this range is Travis Hunter. Already a wide receiver prospect I was incredibly bullish on predraft as a truly special football player with prime Odell Beckham Jr. upside, Hunter landing in Liam Coen's offense was a dream fit and you've already seen that with his preseason deployment. Hunter will get a ton of easy-button targets from the slot and in motion. He's a natural fit on screens and crossers that were the staples of this offense in 2024. It's been clear for months that Hunter will be a receiver first who dabbles on defense in Jacksonville, and will be a near full-time offensive player on passing downs. He has a solid floor given his projected usage and an immense ceiling with his ability if the offense clicks under Coen in Year 1. Round 8 - Tucker Kraft (92nd overall ADP) When it comes to breakout tight ends, we want guys who are on the field often, play in strong offensive environments for touchdown equity and (with a bonus) if they have the upside to be a top-two target on their team. Tucker Kraft checks every box. Only four tight ends ran a route on over 80% of their team's dropbacks in 2024: Trey McBride (87.1%), Brock Bowers (84.5%), Travis Kelce (83.9%) and Tucker Kraft (83.5%). The Packers are projected to be an excellent offense again this season and Kraft is a proven touchdown threat with a 10% touchdown rate. He ranked third among tight ends with 50-plus targets. Lastly, while we're all anxious to discuss the Packers' wide receivers and try to solve that rotation, it's just as possible that a third-year leap from Kraft secures him one of the top two or three spots on this target tree. Round 9 - Ricky Pearsall (98th overall ADP) Ricky Pearsall is one of, if not my favorite, breakout picks at wide receiver this season. While he got off to an understandably slow start to his rookie season after recovering from a gunshot wound, he was smoking man coverage by the final month of his rookie season. This is not new. He had an 87th percentile success rate vs. man coverage player as a prospect in Reception Perception. He's ticketed for a unique role in the 49ers wide receiver room as a movement Z and slot who can run vertical patterns and master whip, option and return routes. The 49ers haven't had a player like this before in that room and it's critical he's in place now that they're transitioning to more of a true dropback offense. The fantasy community just doesn't realize how high of a ceiling this player has and he's set to take the field for an efficient passer and play-caller who prints production. Round 10 - Matthew Golden (113th overall ADP) The fantasy industry has over-indexed on how run-heavy, and how volatile the Green Bay Packers were in the receiver room last year. It's caused some serious value to be available late for their passing-game players. The Packers are widely expected to be a top 10 to 12 offense this year, and yet, Josh Jacobs is their only offensive player going inside the top 90 overall picks. The industry-wide fade has even extended to Round 1 rookie, Matthew Golden. While Golden isn't the same level of prospect as some of the rookies who ripped through the NFL last year, he's no slouch. He was third among all the prospects I charted last year in success rate vs. zone coverage, behind only Emeka Egbuka (another excellent post-top-90 wide receiver pick) and Travis Hunter. Golden wins on the deep in-breaking routes that Jordan Love gravitates to, ripping down the field. He just shouldn't be going this late. Round 11 - Bhayshul Tuten (126th overall ADP) In reality, you should just be taking your shots on Jaguars running backs. It's an ambiguous backfield that will play under a play-calling head coach who was the architect for one of the best rushing games in the NFL last season. We cannot and should not try to copy and paste those results to the Jaguars. However, we should still expect Jacksonville's offense overall to improve and the run game to get a boost along with it. While Bhayshul Tuten is running as the RB3 in preseason, there's plenty of time for him to make up ground once we get into the season. He's the Jaguars' best perimeter runner when they want to get into outside zone concepts and brings big-play ability. Since he's the one going last among the backs, he's the easiest to prioritize. Round 12 - Rashid Shaheed (130th overall ADP) I'm often hesitant to invest into offenses that might well be ticketed for a bottom-five overall finish. New Orleans looks headed for that trajectory. However, there are reasons to make an exception for this group because it should be concentrated between the top three guys and all three of Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed are going so late relative to their talent. That's especially true for Shaheed, who people still profile as just a deep threat. Shaheed can run a three-level route tree and is capable of winning with the ball in his hands in space. Kellen Moore is well-known for getting his players free releases and creating space with slot work. Shaheed took almost 40% of his snaps in preseason Week 2 inside. He stands out in the deep 100s in ADP as someone who should push for 110 targets with ease. Round 13 - Theo Johnson (Undrafted ADP) I'm intrigued by Theo Johnson, who could be the second target for Russell Wilson in New York and isn't being drafted in Yahoo leagues. He is an absolute freakshow of an athlete. The 6-foot-6, 259-pound Johnson posted a 91st percentile 40-yard dash, 96th percentile vertical jump and 93rd percentile broad jump at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Closing your eyes and taking athletes has been a profitable strategy at this position in the past. Johnson also played 84% of the snaps and drew 43 targets as a rookie from Weeks 1 to 13 before going on IR.
