Categories? Where we’re going, we don’t need categories.
Some people just prefer good old-fashioned points leagues where pitchers and hitters are rewarded more for their volume and discipline than the flashy stats and ratios. Well, obviously, they go hand-in-hand… but we’re digging for the players that roto leagues left behind. On the hitting side, points leagues tend to reward contact skills and plate discipline, giving points for walks and total bases while penalizing strikeouts (in most formats). Meanwhile, pitchers tend to accumulate points for innings pitched, strikeouts, quality starts, and wins. Fantasy managers are beginning to grow tired of poor hitting performances, and waiver wires are piling up with great bats off to cold starts.
Last week, we called out a couple of Los Angeles Angels bats, but Vaughn Grissom hit the IL before we could see him in game action and Wade Meckler was just okay. At least, Texas Rangers reliever Jacob Latz earned fantasy managers who scooped him up a couple of saves. Not every week is an exercise in perfection, but we’ll stick to our process and hope for better results this time.
Strap in as we accelerate to 88 mph (and beyond), highlighting players that have been overlooked and under-rostered in most points leagues formats. Scoop up these guys to make your league mates think you got your hands on Biff’s Almanac.
NOTE: Every points league has slightly different scoring settings, so bear that in mind as you read through the suggestions.
Dalton Rushing, C, LAD
2026 Projected Positional Ranking (C): 41st
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (C): 18th
20.7% rostered (ESPN)
By the time this article is published, Rushing will have gotten at least a couple of starts behind the plate for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who sent starting catcher Will Smith to the IL earlier this week. Rushing has improved his strikeouts and walk percentage while also seeing gains in his zone contact rate, which has led to a .282 batting average and excellent counting stat numbers for a backup catcher who has only seen 125 plate appearances so far this season. Now with Smith out, he should be the primary backstop for the next few weeks at least. Hopefully for fantasy managers, Rushing can keep up his production in an expanded role.
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, NYY
2026 Projected Positional Ranking: 57th
2026 YTD Positional Ranking: 38th
8.8% rostered (ESPN)
Since Judge went down, Goldschmidt has been an everyday player for the New York Yankees, batting in the top third of the order – including leadoff duties against left-handed starting pitchers. The elder-statesman of the Yankees lineup has been good enough to start in nearly all points formats, with excellent plate discipline and good bat-to-ball skills as well. If Goldschmidt continues to see regular at-bats, there’s no reason for him not to be rostered in 12-team leagues, especially points formats with strikeout penalties, which Goldschmidt has largely avoided.
Ceddanne Rafaela, 2B/OF, BOS
2026 Projected Positional Ranking (2B): 16th
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (2B): 21st
38.7% rostered (ESPN)
Rafaela broke out last season but started the year on the slow side. This week, he smacked a pair of home runs and generated nearly 15% off his season totals in most point formats in his past seven games. He’s starting to catch fire and showed last season what that looks like – posting 16 home runs and 20 stolen bases. A legit power-speed threat, Rafaela has the chance to make a huge difference at a position of need for most managers. Second base is super shallow, especially on the waiver wire so Rafaela ought to be a hot commodity, even in formats where his poor plate discipline scares some managers away.
Jake Mangum, OF, PIT
2026 Projected Positional Ranking (OF): 129th
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (OF): 92nd
1.4% rostered (ESPN)
With Konnor Griffin still on the shelf and Oneil Cruz now joining the rookie on the IL, Mangum steps into a full-time playing role in the Pittsburgh outfield at least for the next few weeks. A slap hitter with good speed, Mangum’s contact metrics are hot garbage, but he still manages to get on base at a .347 clip, and wreaks havoc on the base paths once he’s there. It won’t be glamorous, but a combination of singles, stolen bases and runs scored could give Mangum enough production to be relevant in fantasy formats while he has every day at-bats.
Noah Cameron, SP, KCR
2026 Projected Positional Ranking: 51st
2026 YTD Positional Ranking: 54th
35.6% rostered (ESPN)
At the time of writing this, Cameron is scheduled to face the Astros on Saturday night. Regardless of his results in that start, he’s still a priority add on waivers in points formats. Cameron has posted quality starts in four of his last five outings entering the weekend, ringing up 31 strikeouts while allowing just six earned runs, 17 hits and three walks over 30.0 innings of work. It’s always good when Nick likes what he sees from a young starting pitcher. In his latest roundup, Nick dubbed Cameron a SWATCH, saying,”When looking for speed, Cameron teased batters with a 92/93 mph four-seamer just away, and then gave them a strike inside, but as a cutter at 90/91. The same worked with his changeup and curve: Curveballs fell out of the zone, while the changeups stayed inside. It worked last year and it’s working now.”
Reid Detmers, SP/RP, LAA
2026 Projected Positional Ranking (RP): 25th
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (RP): 6th
40.0% rostered (ESPN)
SPARPs are always in play in points league formats and Detmers has been one of the best SPARPs in MLB so far this season. Working back into the Angels’ rotations after spending a (really solid) year in the bullpen, Detmers has been a reliable guy every fifth day for the Halos. He got blown up for eight earned runs in mid-May by the Athletics, but since has been outstanding posting three quality starts and a pitching win across four outings, including an eight inning, 14-K gem against the Rangers. Available in more than half of ESPN leagues, Detmers ought to be rostered almost everywhere because of his RP eligibility.
