The fantasy season is entering week 3, and it’s becoming more apparent which drafted players will impact their respective leagues in the upcoming season.
While May 1st tends to be the typical benchmark for fantasy managers to make significant moves, some managers may want to act more quickly, significantly, if their rosters are affected by injury or severely underperforming.
Your waiver wire claims are likely already processed in weekly FAAB leagues. Our FAAB Insights articles are excellent sources for finding targets ahead of weekly waiver deadlines. This weekly article targets leagues that utilize daily waivers.
Here are some enticing players available in 60% or fewer Yahoo leagues that managers should consider acquiring this week.
Catcher
Iván Herrera (C-STL) 9% Rostered
Willson Contreras has returned to the Cardinals lineup, but Herrera has still been getting playing time. Even though Herrera isn’t the Cardinals’ everyday catcher, he’s been productive when he goes behind the plate when Contreras moves to DH.
Herrera has been effective with the bat in limited action, hitting .290 with three home runs and seven RBI in 31 plate appearances. While it’s still a limited sample, the 23-year-old catcher’s strong start seems legitimate, according to his Statcast numbers. His barrel rate of 21.4% ranks in the 99th percentile. His whiff rate ranks in the 65th percentile. Lastly, his xwOBA ranks in the 97th percentile and is considerably above what he did a year ago.
Courtesy of Baseball Savant
The Cardinals have had concerns with Conteras’ defense before, as they nearly took him out of the position before reconsidering. Suppose Herrera continues his strong hitting and defense behind the plate. In that case, the Cardinals may go through with that intended position switch (or at least switch to DH), which would benefit any managers who should roster Herrera.
Honorable Mention: Reeses McGuire (8% rostered), Ryan Jeffers (7% rostered), Shea Langeliers (11% rostered), Patrick Bailey (5% rostered).
Middle Infield
Jordan Westburg (2B – BAL) 55% rostered
Even though all the attention is on Gunnar Henderson and soon-to-be called-up Colby Mayo, Westburg is another talented product of the Orioles’ development system coming into form in 2024.
Last year was a tough rookie year for Westburg as he hit .260 with three home runs and a .715 OPS in 228 PA. As a result, he was often overlooked by most fantasy managers in drafts, especially in leagues where Henderson and Mayo were available.
However, Westburg has been a productive surprise for fantasy managers and Orioles fans. In only 56 plate appearances, he has already matched his HR total from last year. His slugging is up from .404 in 2023 to .510 in 2024. His xSLG also shows that his power surge has been legitimate so far and could be sustainable over the year.
Courtesy of Baseball Savant
With a rostered percentage of 55% in Yahoo leagues, demand is rising fast for Westburg after this hot start. If Westburg continues these trends, he’ll likely be rostered in at least 70% of leagues by next week.
Honorable Mention: Masyn Winn (7% rostered), Davis Schneider (4% rostered), Orlando Arcia (23% rostered), Oliver Dunn (4% rostered).
Corner Infield
LaMonte Wade Jr., Jr. (1B – SFG) 4% rostered
Wade splits duties with Wilmer Flores at first base this year, especially when the Giants face left-handed starting pitchers. That said, manager Bob Melvin seems more prone to keep Wade in the lineup, even against lefties. In those matchups, Wade has seen some time in the corner outfield positions, which shows the Giants’ faith in his bat.
Wade hit .256 with 17 home runs in 510 plate appearances a year ago. This season has been even better so far. In 48 plate appearances, he is hitting .375 with a 1.004 OPS, a home run, and a stolen base. Wade has shown a strong eye at the plate, sporting a 17.4% walk rate, which makes up for his high 28.3% K rate.
Last year, according to Baseball Savant, Wade saw a spike in BB% from his career numbers initially but then a significant decline at the end of the year. This season, it seems like Wade has rebounded in drawing walks, which helps him in traditional fantasy formats, especially in leagues that utilize OBP and OPS.
Courtesy of Baseball Savant
The average exit velocity of 89.2 MPH is solid, but it doesn’t quite match the 12% barrel rate and 44% hard-hit rate. Nonetheless, if his plate discipline continues to persist as it is, it’s possible that the barrel and hard-hit rates will not just maintain, but the exit velocity could also creep up.
That makes Wade worth taking a flier on by fantasy managers if he’s available on the waiver wire.
Honorable Mention: Connor Joe (50% rostered), Gavin Sheets (5% rostered), Trey Lipscomb (4% rostered), Jared Triolo (8% rostered).
Outfield
Edward Olivares (OF – PIT) 9% rostered
Pittsburgh has tremendous depth in the outfield after a busy offseason that brought in both Olivares and Michael A. Taylor. In addition to those two, the Pirates have Joe, Jack Suwinski, Bryan Reynolds, and Andrew McCutchen competing for innings in the outfield and at-bats in the lineup.
Despite all this competition, Olivares has emerged as a regular force in the Pirates lineup.
In 39 plate appearances, the 28-year-old outfielder is hitting .308 with three home runs, seven RBI, and eight runs scored. A big issue that has held Olivares back in the past is that he has failed to launch the ball much in his career, which is why the Royals were willing to part with him this offseason.
It’s been a different story for Olivares this year, especially when fantasy managers take a look at his sweet-spot percentage. Olivares has a 56.3% sweet-spot percentage, which would be a career-high and a considerable spike from what he has done in previous seasons in Kansas City.
Courtesy of Baseball Savant
Over the past two weeks, Olivares has seen his rostered percentage increase from one percent to nine percent. With playing time coming more consistently lately, it wouldn’t be surprising to see that rostered percentage further increase in the next week.
Fantasy managers who need help in the outfield department should jump in while they can.
Honorable Mention: Brenton Doyle (7% rostered), Nelson Velázquez (18% rostered), Sal Frelick (22% rostered), Jurickson Profar (16% rostered).
Starting Pitcher
Andrew Abbott (SP – CIN) 45% rostered
Abbott is off to a strong start, posting a 2.60 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 17.1 IP. The Reds lefty isn’t striking out many batters, as he has only 11 Ks in three starts. In addition, he ranks in the bottom 7th percentile in whiff rate, bottom 9th percentile in chase rate, and 19th percentile in K rate.
So why should fantasy managers consider Abbott on the waiver wire? Frankly, he limits hard contact, a necessary skill in a home park as hitter-friendly as Great American Ballpark.
Courtesy of Baseball Savant
Abbott will face a struggling Mariners lineup on the road on Wednesday and then come home to face the Phillies in his following start. While that sounds like a tough matchup initially, the Phillies rank 24th in OPS this year and have struggled to find consistent production in the lineup.
Abbott can continue to minimize the hard hits, and his offense can give him the necessary support, putting him in line for two wins in his next two starts.
Honorable Mention: Dane Dunning (22% rostered), José Buttó (11% rostered), Steven Matz (9% rostered), Lance Lynn (29% rostered).
Relief Pitcher
Daniel Hudson (RP – LAD) 22% rostered
Evan Phillips is still the Dodgers’ closer. However, one could argue that Hudson may have the better upside as a reliever.
Even though he has only one save, Hudson has struck out 11 batters in eight innings of work this year. He also has a 2.25 ERA and 0.63 WHIP, which is dominant for a setup man.
Hudson has primarily thrived with keeping the four-seamer up and the slider down. So far, he has produced a K rate of 39.3% this season and hasn’t issued a single walk either. Both the four-seamer and slider have proven to be especially effective when thrown in the zone, which can be seen in Hudson’s zone whiff rate chart from this year.
Courtesy of Baseball Savant
That’s a pretty effective combo for Hudson, and it will be tough for opposing hitters this year if he continues to be efficient in those areas of the strike zone.
The job seems to be Phillips’ for now, and it will take a lot to unseat Phillips. After all, Phillips has a 1.17 ERA and has collected five saves in 7.2 IP.
That said, the Dodgers have always been open to utilizing different pitchers in the closer’s spot over the past couple of seasons.
Fantasy managers may as well invest in Hudson now while he’s widely available.
Honorable Mention: Yimi García (17% rostered), Chad Green (22% rostered), Ryne Stanek (4% rostered), Michael Kopech (39% rostered).