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.
All four hitters recommended in last week’s column were better than replacement level over the past seven days, with Wyatt Langford leading the charge. Somehow, he’s still only rostered in two-thirds of ESPN leagues. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows though as it appears we may have cursed Dustin May. The Cardinals’ hurler allowed six earned runs in just two innings of his most recent outing after a month of being amazing. Meanwhile, Jacob Latz continues to secure saves for a team that is contending in the AL West and nobody seems to be interested in picking him up.
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.
Joe Mack, C, MIA
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (C): 29th
1.7% rostered (ESPN)
It might be time to start paying attention to Joe Mack, who has moved into a full-time role behind the plate for the Marlins now that Agustín Ramírez is an afterthought and Liam Hicks is on the IL (and has been featured at first base more often than catcher). Getting at-bats in three out of every four games or so, Mack has shown that the bat plays at the MLB level with a respectable .252 batting average. He may be a name limited to deeper leagues or two-catcher leagues, but he certainly warrants at least a look. His 84.2% zone-contact rate and 19.0% home-run-per-fly-ball (HR/FB) rate both pique my interest in deeper points league formats.
Isaac Paredes, 1B/3B, HOU
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (3B): 7th
35.6% rostered (ESPN)
Remember way back before the season when managers were wary of drafting Paredes because there wasn’t a clear path to everyday at-bats in Houston? Well, there’s a path. And there’s every day at-bats. And Paredes is making the most of them. Known best for his pull-side home runs, Paredes is one of the few true power hitters in the game whose HR/FB rate (16.4%) is higher than his strikeout rate (16.3%). Eligible at both corner infield spots, Paredes deserves to be rostered in nearly every league, but he’s currently being overlooked in points formats.
Sam Antonacci, 2B/3B/OF, CWS
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (2B): 12th
25.5% rostered (ESPN)
Antonacci is criminally under-rostered for a guy batting nearly .300 over his first 250 plate appearances. With an 89.0% zone-contact rate and a 15.0% strikeout rate, Antonacci doesn’t swing and miss much; instead, he puts the ball in play and gets on base – two things that work extremely well for points league formats. The fact that he’s also eligible at two of the most paltry positions across the industry helps as well.
Trevor Larnach, OF, MIN
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (OF): 57th
58.1% rostered (ESPN)
Larnach is riding a two-week hot streak, but there’s no reason not to roster him if he’s going to hit like he has been. Leading off for the Twins, Larnach is batting .288 with 37 runs scored in what has been a career year so far. With his strikeout rate down to 18.0% and his BABIP at a career-high .344, the Twins’ outfielder is putting all the pieces together to make things work (finally). The Twins are even playing him against left-handed pitching (sometimes). He’s come a long way, and warrants an add for those looking for a streaming outfielder in points leagues.
Connelly Early, SP, BOS
2026 YTD Positional Ranking: 35th
40.1% rostered (ESPN)
Yeah, Early’s WHIP has been a little bit high to begin the season, but the youngster is pumping strikes right now and has looked really good in each of his last two starts, both of which came against strong offenses (NYY, SEA). Early has been a little bit erratic with the command, but his six-pitch mix has kept hitters off-balance and created swings and misses. With his next few starts against the pesky Nationals, middle-of-the-road White Sox and not-that-scary Mets, Early has the chance to go on a run of solid outings.
Tanner Scott, RP, LAD
2026 YTD Positional Ranking (RP): 11th
33.2% rostered (ESPN)
You can’t trust ESPN rostership percentages, especially when it comes to relievers, but make sure to double-check that your league mates aren’t sleepwalking through the season and left Scott on the waiver wire. Rostered in just one-third of ESPN leagues means that he’s likely available in around 20-25% of other leagues. It’s crazy to think that the Dodgers’ closer is out there on waivers, but he might just be. He’s clearly earned the trust of manager Dave Roberts over the past couple of years and should see ninth-inning action until Edwin Díaz returns (and maybe even after that).
