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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 6

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 6

A fireballer and a slugger at a premium position. Those are the kinds of must adds I’ll be breaking down this week. In the Week 6 edition of the Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire, I’ll be breaking down the must adds, drops and two-start pitchers of the week.

Must Adds:

Zack Cozart – SS – Cincinnati Reds
22% Owned
OPP: 3 vs PIT, 3 @ PHI

If you’re in 12+ man mixed leagues, Zack Cozart needs to be rostered. The shortstop quietly has a lot of power with his .204 ISO and his 32.2% hard hit ball percentage. He’s batting .344 and his surgically repaired knee looks to be just fine. At one of the harder positions to fill in fantasy baseball, Zack Cozart could help a lot of owners out.

Nathan Eovaldi – RHP – New York Yankees
16% Owned
OPP: May 12 vs KC

It seems as if Nathan Eovaldi has finally found a payoff pitch to go along with his heater. All it took was Eovaldi to increase his velocity on his slider by 3MPH (85 to 88) and his K/9 is now 8.84, the highest of his career. His walk rate is just the icing on top, a career low 1.91 BB/9. Almost a full walk lower than last years mark of 2.86.

Drops:

Michael Saunders – OF – Toronto Blue Jays
23% Owned
OPP: 3 @ SF, 3 @ TEX

Now that Kevin Pillar has seemingly found his stroke in the leadoff position, Michael Saunders becomes expendable in all fantasy formats. Being moved down the lineup removes a plate appearance a game which hurts his fantasy stock in a big way. To make matters worse, manager John Gibbons has shown that he’s not afraid to rest the injury prone Canadian.

Aaron Blair – RHP – Atlanta Braves
8% Owned
OPP: May 12 vs PHI

Aaron Blair is one of the many prospects that were called up across the league in late April, early May. If you’re a Blair owner, unfortunately you picked the worst possible prospect. Across three starts (16.1 IP), Blair has racked up a very underwhelming 5 K’s. If names like Sean Manaea, Jose Berrios and Jesse Hahn are on the wire, take a shot at them before Blair.

Two Start Pitchers:

This week for two start pitchers, I’ll be doing it a little differently. No names really jump out to me but a pair of matchups do. With proper streaming, you’ll be able to take advantage of two starts against a certain team.

Chris Young vs Atlanta (May 14th) – 8% Owned
Kris Medlen vs Atlanta (May 15th) – 6% Owned

Chris Young and Kris Medlen are two guys who will likely not be owned in your leagues. When the 13th comes around, pick up Young. When the 14th rolls up, drop Young and pick up Medlen. Medlen has a 7.25 K/9 while Young has an 8.8 K/9. Atlanta is the worst team in baseball this year and they don’t hit the long ball at all. Streaming the duo should rack you up a pair of wins and about 15 strikeouts.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any MLB season long or DFS questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 5

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 5

With Dee Gordon out for 80 games, you’ll most likely need a replacement if you own shares of him. When it comes to the middle infield, I’ve got the perfect solution for you. In this week’s Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire article, I’ll be breaking down the biggest must adds, players you can cut ties with, two-start pitchers and the latest trends going into Week 5’s Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire!

Must Adds:

Brandon Drury – 3B/MI/OF – Arizona Diamondbacks
17% Owned 
OPP: 3 @ MIA, 3 @ ATL

Although he’s not 2B eligible yet (he needs three more starts at 2nd base or seven more appearances at the position – so, he will be soon eligible), Brandon Drury is able to slide in as your middle infielder for now. Drury is one of MLB.com’s 100 top prospects and the Diamondbacks plan to keep sliding him into the lineup as long as he’s producing. His walk rate isn’t the greatest but he makes up for that with his .294 ISO. His hard hit ball percentage is 31.5% while his soft hit percentage is only 18.5%. While he continues to tear the cover off the ball, take advantage and get him on your team.

Hector Neris – RHP (RP) – Philadelphia Phillies
14% Owned
OPP: 4 @ STL, 3 @ MIA

If you’re in a deep league or need desperate help with your ERA, Hector Neris is your guy. He strikes everyone out that he faces with his 14.44 K/9. While Jeanmar Gomez is the closer, Neris is the set up guy and arguably the best reliever in baseball right now. A three pitch reliever, Neris’ split-fingered fastball has looked downright nasty leading him to his 0.63 ERA.

Drops:

Tyler White – 1B/3B – Houston Astros
44% Owned
OPP: 3 vs MIN, 4 vs SEA

I contemplated last week making Tyler White a droppable player. This week, there’s no doubt. After his scorching start, White has cooled down considerably. His high strikeout rate was a concern to begin with (25.6%) but now that he’s not hitting for power – it’s one of the main reasons you should drop him. The Astros also have White on a very short leash as they have top prospect A.J. Reed waiting in the minors.

Kolten Wong – 2B – St. Louis Cardinals
55% Owned
OPP: 4 vs PHI, 3 vs PIT

Kolten Wong is off to a miserable start this season. His .226 AVG to go with just two RBI isn’t going to cut it. With Wong sidelined on and off with the flu, Jedd Gyorko has been stealing his playing time. Aledmys Diaz has been a huge surprise for the Cards and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Kolten Wong was eventually the odd man out of the infield.

Two Start Pitchers:

Bartolo Colon – RHP – New York Mets
22% Owned
OPP: May 2 vs ATL, May 7 @ SD

Atlanta is not good. The Padres are not good. Need any more reason to start Bartolo Colon against them? Big Sexy’s K/9 (7.99) is the highest it’s been since 2001 when he played for the Indians. Bartolo isn’t afraid to pound the strike zone this year either. He’s hitting the strike zone at a 53.8% rate and truly trusting his pitches. Did I mention that Atlanta has five homeruns as a team to go with a .229 average? Go get Big Sexy.

Other Two Start Pitchers: Matt Moore (LAD/LAA), A.J. Griffin (TOR, DET)

Trends:

Dee Gordon – 2B – Miami Marlins
75% Owned

I could rant about how perplexing it is that Dee Gordon has been caught for the use of PED’s. That would most likely be 500+ words so I’ll digress. Dee Gordon shouldn’t be dropped. He’s gone for 80 games, not the whole season. He could still finish the season with 25+ stolen bases when he comes back around the All-Star break. If you have an extra slot on your roster and somebody has dropped Gordon, pick him up. This is a guy who swiped 122 bags in two years. Also a guy who had 205 hits last year. AKA a guy who can help you when fantasy playoffs come around.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions regarding MLB DFS or season long leagues, feel free to reach out to me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

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DraftKings MLB DFS Must Plays | Stay Aways | The Bargain Bin | April 28

DraftKings MLB DFS Must Plays | Stay Aways | The Bargain Bin | April 28

Busy night on the diamond with 14 teams in action past the 7:07 ET first pitch. In todays article, I will outline what must plays and stay aways you should be aware of as well as some cheap players that will produce for you in the bargain bin.

Must Plays

Sean Manaea – LHP ($7,600) – vs Houston Astros

Sean Manaea is the Athletics’ prized prospect that came over in the Ben Zobrist trade. Manaea has been carving batters up in Triple-A, averaging 10.5 K/9. A strikeout happy pitcher, Manaea will have the opportunity to square off against a strikeout happy lineup. As a wholehe Astros have struckout the most in the majors, a whopping 224 times. Manaea will be a chalky play, so use him accordingly in cash games.

Manny Machado – 3B ($4,200) – vs Chicago White Sox

Manny Machado has been raking at home. He sports a .455 AVG a .512 SLG%. He’s ran into a bit of a slump lately (all while on the road) so many people will be off of him. In DraftKings, we love the long ball and Machado is no stranger to launching one past the fence. Carlos Rodon is who he’ll be facing and Rodon has been prone to making atleast one major mistake a game. Machado should be the man to take advantage of that.

Stay Aways

Jimmy Rollins – SS ($4,100) – @ Baltimore Orioles

Let’s start by saying that Jimmy Rollins is 37 years old. He doesn’t swipe bags and he doesn’t hit homeruns. Banking on him to have a multi-hit game is both risky and not suggested. If you’re going to spend up at the SS position, there are much better names to spend your money on.

Jake Peavey – RHP ($7,500) – @ New York Mets

Jake Peavey is grossly overpriced, especially against the Mets. He’s had one good outing all year and he only racked up 19 DK points. While he doesn’t walk a ton of batters, he doesn’t strike them out either. So even if he gives you a quality start – his ceiling is about 20 DK points.

The Bargain Bin

Juan Nicasio – RHP ($5,800) – vs Cincinnati Reds

The best part about this matchup is the fact that the Reds haven’t figured out how to score on the road. Their 29 runs scored is the lowest number in the National League. Juan Nicasio’s hard hit ball percentage is at the lowest mark of his career (20.8%) and his high K/9 has carried over from last year (10.03 – 9.45). Nicasio is a must play against the power-less reds.

Brandon Drury – 3B/OF ($3,000) – vs Colorado Rockies

Brandon Drury is getting a ton of playing time in Arizona and rightfully so. He launched a 442 foot homerun last night and has a .950 OPS. His walk rate could use a bit of help but if he’s swinging the hot stick, he doesn’t need to walk for DFS purposes.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any MLB DFS or season long questions – feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 4

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 4

There goes Chris Colabello for 80 games. As they say though, one mans loss is another persons gain! That holds especially true for the Toronto Blue Jays. In this week’s Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire article, I’ll be breaking down the biggest must adds, players you can cut ties with, two-start pitchers and the latest trends going into the Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 4!

Must Adds:

Justin Smoak – 1B – Toronto Blue Jays
1% Owned
OPP: 3 vs CHW, 3 @ TB

With Chris Colabello out of the lineup for the foreseeable future due to a suspension, Justin Smoak takes over as the starter at first base. His wOBA is .378 to start the year so he’s having no trouble getting on base, his power numbers (like most of the Jays lineup) just haven’t come around yet. In deep mixed leagues, at 1% owned, Smoak is a low-risk high-reward player you can “wait-and-see” with.

Jordy Mercer – SS – Pittsburgh Pirates
5% Owned
OPP: 4 @ COL, 3 @ CIN

Against lefties, Jordy Mercer is the leadoff man for the Pirates. Against righties, he slides down the lineup a bit. Regardless of where he hits, he seems to be producing. His K% is down from 17.9% to 13.0% and his BB% is up from 6.3% to 9.7%. With 11 RBI to start the year, Mercer is producing in a position that is terribly hard to find production from.

Drops:

J.T. Realmuto – C – Miami Marlins
32% Owned
OPP: 4 @ LAD, 3 @ MIL

J.T. Realmuto’s offensive struggles are supposed to be highlighted by his base stealing abilities. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, he hasn’t been coming through. There seems to be no signs of life in his bat, either. Last year, he was hitting the ball hard 29.3% of the time. This year he’s down to 15%. With catchers seemingly coming out of nowhere this year – it’s safe to cut ties with Realmuto in 10-12 team leagues.

Mallex Smith – OF – Atlanta Braves
12% Owned
OPP: 2 vs BOS, 2 @ BOS, 3 @ CHC

The Mallex Smith hype has certainly worn off. He was called up as a highly touted prospect and many jumped to the waiver wire to scoop him up. He has an alarming 15 strikeouts in 37 at bats. He was supposed to make up for any offensive struggles by scorching the basepaths. Two stolen bases just isn’t going to cut it.

Two Start Pitchers:

Kendall Graveman – RHP – Oakland Athletics
7% Owned
OPP: Apr 25 @ DET, Apr 30 vs HOU

Kendall Graveman is the most intriguing option out there this week. Only five SP have both a 60% or higher groundball percentage and a 10% or higher swinging strikeout rate. Noah Syndergaard, Felix Hernandez, Steven Strasburg and Masahiro Tanaka are the first four and Graveman rounds out the list (H/T to @StephenNickrand for the stat!). He’s been implementing his slider more often (up to 13.7% from 8.4% last year) and that’s been dancing around the strike zone.

NOTE: Graveman is the only two start pitcher this week but an honorable mention goes to Ross Stripling (25% owned). If Stripling dazzles against Miami, scoop him up for his appearance against the lowly Padres later in the week. 

Trends:

Blake Snell – LHP – Tampa Bay Rays
34% Owned
Triple-A Durham

Unless it’s a keeper league – I’m not usually into stashing prospects but Blake Snell has changed my mind. Used for a spot start, the Rays top prospect went five innings giving up one run and striking out six against the Yankees. The Rays desperately need some pitching help as it stands. Chris Archer hasn’t been performing well (Don’t panic Archer owners – he’ll come around) and Jake Odorizzi hasn’t been the greatest either. Blake Snell has shown the Rays what he can do and he’s definitely worth a stash in 12 man mixed leagues.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any MLB DFS or season long questions, feel free to reach out to me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

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DraftKings MLB DFS Must Plays | Stay Aways | The Bargain Bin | April 22

DraftKings MLB DFS Must Plays | Stay Aways | The Bargain Bin | April 22

Packed slate tonight on the diamond with every single team in action. In todays article, I will outline what must plays and stay aways you should be aware of as well as some cheap players that will produce for you in the bargain bin.

Must Plays

Matt Moore – LHP ($7,900) – @ New York Yankees

After one shaky start to kick off the year, Matt Moore seems to have found a groove. After two lost years due to injury, he’s found his 2013 all star form early on in the season. His fastball velocity is actually the highest he’s ever had it in his career (92.6 MPH) and he’s been mixing in an effective knuckle curve. As a team, the Yankees are 25th in total bases (182) so Moore should be able to get to work against a slow-starting New York lineup. (editor’s note be careful of weather)

Carlos Correa – SS ($4,700) – vs Boston Red Sox

With Trevor Story being $400 more, now is a great time to play Carlos Correa in your cash lineups. His isolated power (ISO) is still above .200 and his plate discipline is actually improved (Only swinging at 23.5% of pitches outside the zone compared to last years rate of 32.4%). He just needs one good explosion and against Steven Wright who doesn’t strike many out – Correa should return value tonight.

Stay Aways

Jeff Samardzjia – RHP ($9,300) – vs Miami Marlins

Jeff Samardzjia’s price, combined with his outcome so far this season makes him a trap. While he might get you a win because he plays for San Francisco, he’s not going to strike a ton out and he’s also going to give up his fair share of hits and walks. His velocity is also below 93 MPH for the first time since 2010.  All of this equals no value at $9,300.

Tyler White – 1B ($4,400) – vs Boston Red Sox

Tyler White hasn’t had a multi-hit game since April 11th. It seems like if he’s not going yard – he’s not getting value. He has five strikeouts in his last four games to go along with an 0-4 showing on the 21st against Texas. At his price tag, there are tons of safer options out there.

The Bargain Bin

Nick Tropeano – RHP ($6,100) vs Seattle Mariners

Filling in for the injured Andrew Heaney, Nick Tropeano has done an admirable job. He’s only given up one earned run in 10.2 innings of work. In his career against the current Mariners lineup, he’s only given up the long ball once and it was against Nelson Cruz. At $6,100, you save a lot of money and are pretty much guaranteed to hit value.

Russell Martin – C ($3,300) vs Oakland Athletics

Russell Martin has run into a bit of bad luck to start the year. Mechanically, there’s nothing wrong except for the fact that when he hits it hard, it’s always right to an outfielder. Speaking of hitting it hard… He’s hitting the ball hard at a higher percentage this year (34.6%) compared to any year in his career. Don’t forget that he slugged 23 a year ago.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any MLB DFS or season long questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 3

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 3

In this week’s Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire article, I’ll be breaking down the biggest must adds, players you can cut ties with, two-start pitchers and the latest trends going into the Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 3!

Must Adds:

Yunel Escobar – 3B – Los Angeles Angels
18% Owned
Schedule: 4 @ CHW, 3 vs SEA

Yunel Escobar is doing an admirable job as the leadoff man for the Angels. His .426 wOBA, .357 BABIP and his high walk rate (11.8%) are numbers you want to see from the top of your lineup. What makes the Escobar pickup even more attractive is the fact that he has Mike Trout and Albert Pujols behind him. If you’re in need of walks, runs or raising your average – Escobar is the man.

Michael Saunders – LF – Toronto Blue Jays
7% Owned
Schedule: 1 @ BOS, 3 @ BAL, 3 vs OAK

Michael Saunders has worked his way up to the leadoff position for the Jays. We talked about having great security behind Yunel Escobar, but Saunders has arguably one of the best offences behind him. Although the Jays haven’t woken up this year, Saunders might be able to breathe some life into their batting order. In his career batting first, Saunders has a .321 OBP and a .712 OPS. Saunders is worth a look before he heats up.

Drops:

Devin Mesoraco – C – Cincinnati Reds
52% Owned
Schedule: 3 vs COL, 4 vs CHC

Many people drafted Devin Mesoraco hoping that he would find his raw power from the 2014 season. Unfortunately, he’s been a major dud to start the year. No homeruns, runs or RBI’s to go along with a .125 AVG isn’t good news.  He’s starting to lose time to Tucker Barnhart which really hurts his fantasy value as well. It’s time to stop hoping for Mesoraco to come around.

Khris Davis – LF – Oakland Athletics
47% Owned
Schedule: 3 @ NYY, 3 @ TOR

Khris Davis hasn’t had a multi-hit game this year. He also hasn’t left the park yet which is alarming since he swatted 27 a year ago. His high strikeout rate from last year (27.7%) has only gone up (37.5%) which means you need to immediately get him out of your lineup, especially if you’re in a league with strikeouts. 

Two Start Pitchers:

Chase Anderson – RHP – Milwaukee Brewers
12% Owned
Schedule: April 18 @ MIN, April 22 vs PHI

Chase Anderson’s 0.00 ERA through two starts isn’t even the best part about him this week. The best part is that he’s starting to find his control. Last years 2.36 BB/9 is down to 1.64 which is highly encouraging. Anderson’s matchups are attractive, too. Minnesota has been terrible this year while the Phillies look like they’re starting to come back down to earth.

Scott Feldman – RHP – Houston Astros
1% Owned
Schedule: April 19 @ TEX, April 24 vs BOS

Scott Feldman is pitching for his hypothetical life. When Lance McCullers comes back, the Astros are going to have to decide between Feldman and Mike Fiers. Ignore Feldman’s first start against Milwaukee and look at the gem he twirled against KC. His K/9 is up to 7.84 and with McCullers breathing down his back, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Feldman come away with 12 strikeouts and a sub 3.00 ERA once the week is over.

Trends:

Troy Tulowitzki – SS – Toronto Blue Jays
98% Owned
Schedule: 1 @ BOS, 3 @ BAL, 3 vs OAK

It’s not time to sell super low on Troy Tulowitzki. It’s also not time to bench him in favour of other batters. Tulo is a perennial slow starter. In the months of March and April combined, he has a lifetime .265 batting average (the lowest out of all months in his career). Let’s not forget he’s been trying out a new leg kick with his swing mechanics. Tulo’s value not only lies with his potential, but also with where he hits in the batting order. I’d say batting behind Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion & Josh Donaldson is a pretty nice spot. If someone is selling ridiculously low on Tulowitzki, buy buy buy.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions regarding fantasy baseball or MLB DFS, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 2

With the baseball season underway, it’s all about recognizing trends. We’re already seeing players quickly trend upwards and players just not living up to expectations. A player like Trevor Story is producing in ways that many baseball fans have never seen before which is causing owners to have quite the dilemma. I look to help you figure these things out in my Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Week 2.

As the inaugural fantasy baseball article, this is what you can expect from this week forward!
Must Adds: Players who have great match ups who you can definitely pick up and add to your lineup.
Drops: Under performers or players who have little to no fantasy value for you this week
Two Start Pitchers: Pitchers who have to starts in a week that can help you maximize value.
Trends: Who should you be watching right now? Is it time to sell high or buy low?
Also, I will be basing all ownership off of Yahoo!.

Must Adds:

Zack Cozart – SS – Cincinnati Reds
5% Owned
Schedule: 3 @ CHC, 3 @ STL

Zack Cozart won the leadoff position right out of spring training. Billy Hamilton still can’t pull together a respectable batting average. Cozart is an interesting player to have in your lineup. He’s not a traditional leadoff man in terms of speed but he makes up for it with his power. Before going down to injury last year, his isolated slugging rate was .201. To put that into comparison, Troy Tulowitzki’s career ISO is .212. Until Hamilton can work his way up to the leadoff position, Cozart is a great option at generally one of the weakest fantasy positions available.

Wilson Ramos – C – Washington Nationals
34% Owned
Schedule: 4 vs ATL, 3 @ PHI

If you’re looking for a replacement behind the plate as a Kyle Schwarber owner, look no further. Wilson Ramos had a terrible year last year. You and I would also have a terrible season if your vision decreased so badly that you needed off-season Lasik eye surgery in order to fix it. Against two bottom feeding teams, Ramos will have a great opportunity to really show fantasy owners what he can do. It wouldn’t be surprising if he finished the year as a top 10 catcher.


Drops:

Byron Buxton – OF – Minnesota Twins
53% Owned
Schedule: 3 vs CHW, 3 vs LAA

If you’re in a keeper league – ignore this completely. If you’re in a redraft league, you don’t want to miss this. Byron Buxton was likely drafted because of his promise. He certainly wasn’t drafted because of his shoddy spring training performance. Up until April 9th, Buxton has struck out nine times in his first 14 at bats. Until he shows a glimpse of that so-called promise, you’re better off with just about anyone.

Brett Lawrie – 2B/3B – Chicago White Sox
47% Owned
Schedule: 3 @ MIN, 3 @ TB

Brett Lawrie looks like, well, Brett Lawrie – and that’s not a good thing for fantasy owners. Last year he finished with the highest strikeout rate of his career (23.9%) and this year he’s on pace to beat that. He’s also batting in the bottom half of an otherwise weak (outside of Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier) White Sox lineup. There are better streaming options out there.

Two Start Pitchers:

Matt Moore – LHP – Tampa Bay Rays
39% Owned
Schedule: April 12 vs CLE, April 17 vs CHW

It’s easy to forget that Matt Moore was an All-Star in 2013. His first start admittedly wasn’t the greatest, but he ran into a Blue Jays offence that was clicking (more specifically, the reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson’s bat). His velocity in spring training mixed with his first start look promising though. After seeing his velocity regress in 2014-2015 due to injury among other things, his velocity is actually higher now than it was in 2013.

Shane Greene – RHP – Detroit Tigers
7% Owned
Schedule: April 12 vs PIT, April 17 vs HOU

Shane Greene had a great spring, a good enough spring to get the chance to hold the fort down until Daniel Norris returns. Brad Ausmus has also even said that he might keep Greene in the rotation even when Norris comes back. Greene is an odd duck. From 2014 to 2015 his k/9 went down by 4 and his ERA balooned. He tried to rework a lot of his stuff in 2015 and ended up setting himself back even more. It looks like in the spring he figured a lot of his stuff out. He posted a very impressive line of 19.1 IP, 1.86 ERA and 23 SO to close out the spring.

Trends:

Trevor Story – SS – Colorado Rockies
92% Owned
Schedule: 3 vs SF, 3 @ CHC

Trevor Story is off to a start that nobody has seen in a long time. Let’s throw it back. 2004 Barry Bonds, 1.422 OPS. Current day Trevor Story, 1.417 OPS (Thanks to The Ace of MLB Stats on Twitter). Story has also homered in each of his team’s first four games to start a season. Other names on that list? Chris Davis, Nelson Cruz, Mark McGwire and Willie Mays. I think you get the point. Story is off to a start that is completely unsustainable by any means. As soon as Jose Reyes returns, he’ll immediately challenge Story for at bats. With all the hype around him, why wouldn’t you be willing to sell high? Let’s remember that his ADP was around 254, aka Adam Lind territory. I’ve seen deals such as Story + Verlander for Scherzer + Segura. If you can package Story in a deal to land a big fish, you need to pull the trigger. I can promise you, he’s not Carlos Correa 2.0.

 

Also, check out my appearance on The FNTSY Sports Network with Pat Mayo. We chat the curious case of Trevor Story, two start pitchers and more!

Thanks for reading! If you have any MLB season long or DFS questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

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DraftKings NBA DFS Must Plays |Stay Aways |The Bargain Bin, April 8th

Just six days left in the NBA’s regular season and Friday marks the second busiest day remaining with ten games on the slate. Somebody from last weeks article goes right back into the stay away section while the must plays won’t break the bank.

Must Plays

Nikola Vucevic – C ($7,100) vs Miami Heat

Don’t be alarmed that Nikola Vucevic is coming off of the bench. Coach Scott Skiles realizes that Vucevic is one of his best offensive weapons and has been deploying him as such. The best part about taking Vucevic tonight against the Heat is his track record against them. Earlier this season he posted a monster stat line of 22 points, 10 boards, 6 assists and 3 steals. Miami gives up an average of over 20 points to opposing centres so the big man should have a big day against the Heat.

Julius Randle – PF ($6,000) @ New Orleans Pelicans

Julius Randle is coming off of a career high 20 rebounds against the Clippers. He’s had 10 or more rebounds in four straight including two double doubles along the way. I love his matchup against Alexis Ajinca who isn’t a particularly strong rebounder. I’ll be very shocked if Randle doesn’t finish the night with a big double double.

Stay Aways

Giannis Antetokounmpo – SF ($9,700) @ Boston Celtics

The most expensive player on the slate tonight is also the biggest trap of the night. The Boston Celtics are a top 15 defensive team and they guard the small forward position particularly well. Antetokounmpo has run into this three times already this year, being limited to an average of 14.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists. At $9,700, there’s no way he hits value tonight.

LaMarcus Aldridge – PF ($7,800) @ Denver Nuggets

Denver might not be a very good team this year but that hasn’t stopped LaMarcus Aldridge from struggling against them. In three games this year, he’s averaged just 10 points to go with eight rebounds. He’s shown some crazy inconsistency this year and only has four trips to the free throw line against the Nuggets as well.

The Bargain Bin

Norman Powell – SG ($3,800) vs Indiana Pacers

As long as Norman Powell keeps getting starts, you should keep pumping him into your lineup. In his last game against the Hawks he averaged 31 minutes, the third most on the team. Minutes equals production and Powell keeps on producing

Tyler Ennis – PG ($3,600) @ Boston Celtics

Tyler Ennis is playing for next year. With all the injuries to the Bucks, Ennis has seen his playing time over the last two games average at 29 minutes. In what should be a fast paced game versus the Celtics, Ennis has potential to get 25 or more DraftKings points.

 

Thanks for reading! If you have any NBA DFS or season long questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

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Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 27

This is it! Chances are, this is your finals week and now is the time to either win it all or go out with a bang and place as high as you can. Every player I recommend in my Fantasy Hockey Waiver Wire Week 27 article will have four or more games this week.

Must Add

Frans Nielsen – C – New York Islanders
27% Owned
OPP: TBL/WSH/NYR/BUF/PHI

Frans Nielsen and the Islanders have five games this week which instantly makes him a must add. More games equals more production. In his last 11 games, his ice time has only dipped below 17 minutes once. He’s playing on the second line while also getting time on the first powerplay unit. Nielsen is nearing 100 blocks and 600+ faceoff wins which makes him a valuable asset. (NOTE: If Nielsen isn’t available and you still want an Islander because of the five game stream – pick up Anders Lee or Brock Nelson)

Marcus Johansson – RW, LW, C – Washington Capitals
28% Owned
OPP: NYI/PIT/STL/ANH

I’m a sucker for triple eligibility and you should be too. The ability to flex Johansson into any position slot is exactly why you should pick him up this week…. And he’s centering Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie… And he’s on the first powerplay… And he plays for the best team in the NHL. Ok, so there’s a lot of reasons why you should pick him up. Johansson is a valuable finals play.

Nick Bjugstad – C – Florida Panthers
26% Owned
OPP: TOR/MTL/OTT/CAR

What an easy schedule the Panthers have coming up. What an opportunity Nick Bjugstad has fallen into. With Vincent Trocheck out for the rest of the season, Bjugstad finds himself as a top six forward again. Playing alongside Jussi Jokinen who has set a new career high in assists (41), Bjugstad will find the back of the net against a very weak schedule.

Morgan Rielly – D – Toronto Maple Leafs
25% Owned
OPP: FLA/CBJ/PHI/NJD

Yes, I know the Leafs are bad. You should also know that Morgan Rielly is in a class of his own when it comes to blueliners in Toronto. Rielly’s offensive ceiling is sky high. Extra time playing with phenom William Nylander will only help him get on the board more. If you have blocked shots in your league as well, Rielly surprisingly has put his body in front of 110+ shots. He has potential to pick up two or more points against his opponents this week as well.

Drops

Erik Haula – C, LW – Minnesota Wild
18% Owned
OPP: SJS/CAL

Erik Haula was such a fun streamer to have while he (and the rest of Minnesota’s third line) was hot. Unfortunately, no matter how well he was producing prior (he’s also cooled off recently), a two game week isn’t going to cut it.

 

Carl Soderberg – C, LW – Colorado Avalanche
29% Owned
OPP: NSH/DAL/ANH

Look at Colorado’s upcoming schedule and then tell me you’re still comfortable with rostering Carl Soderberg. Soderberg has been streaky lately and he’s not going to heat up against three of the leagues best teams.

Thanks for reading this season’s last Waiver Wire article! Your feedback and comments have been much appreciated throughout the year and I’m already looking forward to next season. I’m happy to announce that starting next week I’ll be switching gears and starting a weekly MLB Waiver Wire article! If you do have NHL DFS questions or need help in your finals week, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT.

 

 

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DraftKings NBA DFS Must Plays, Stay Aways & The Bargain Bin, April 1st

Draft all of the 76ers. All. Of. Them. April Fools! Seriously, don’t do that. 10 games in the association tonight and below I’ll outline the biggest must plays, stay aways and who you should scoop up from the bargain bin.

Must Plays

Hassan Whiteside – C ($8,700) @ Sacramento Kings

While DeMarcus Cousins is off serving a one game suspension thanks to getting his 16th technical foul because of this, the paint becomes Hassan Whiteside’s to rule. I was already going to get some exposure to this game (Sacramento cannot play defence) but this further solidifies it. Whiteside was able to put up 30 DraftKings points against the Kings the last time they played…. in 18 minutes. Whiteside is a must play in GPP’s and cash formats.

Carmelo Anthony – SF ($8,500) vs Brooklyn Nets

The continued absence of Kristaps Porzingis only means Carmelo Anthony’s production goes up. Out of ‘Melos last four games, he’s only had less than 43 DraftKings points once. Out of his last six games, the fewest shot attempts he’s had in a single match was 17. Carmelo is firing away and you shouldn’t hesitate to put him in your lineup. Oh and by the way… Brooklyn is the fourth worst team in the NBA.

Stay Aways

Giannis Antetokounmpo – SF ($9,100) vs Orlando Magic

Giannis Antetokounmpo has found himself under the stay away category for the second week in a row. He’s starting to regress into his early season form and has only scored 18 points in his last two games. He’s shot the ball 14 times in that span and has only sunk six shots. In order to hit value, the Greek Freak needs to hit at least 45 points in cash games. It won’t happen.

Karl-Anthony Towns – C ($8,600) @ Utah Jazz

The Timberwolves have been exciting to watch as of late. Their young roster has a great offence. How does the old adage go? “Defence wins games”. For Utah, they’ve got the defence part down pat (they give up the second least points per game at 96.2). Karl-Anthony Towns has to go up against Rudy Gobert tonight who has been a rebounding machine lately, picking up 18 and 19 boards in his last two games. Not only do I not like Towns tonight, but I’m just not a fan of the whole T-Wolves roster against the Jazz.

The Bargain Bin

Cody Zeller – C ($4,000) vs Philadelphia 76ers

I have to keep picking on the 76ers. It makes no sense to me why Cody Zeller is $4,000. He just picked up a double double against the 76ers on the 29th of March and his pricing only went up by $300. When Carl Landry is the opposing center, most players will have a field day. Expect Zeller to go off again.

Terrence Ross – SF ($3,400) @ Memphis Grizzlies

Terrence Ross has scored 13 points in three straight games. Tonight the Raptors play a banged up Grizzlies squad. This game could easily get out of hand which would lead to more minutes to bench players. Kyle Lowry is dealing with an elbow injury so you can bet Dwayne Casey will do anything to rest his starters once Toronto builds a lead. Ross is currently in Coach Casey’s good books so look for Ross to get 25 or more minutes.

Thanks for reading! If you have any NBA DFS or season long questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter @BESTofMATT

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