Bryan Fitzgerald
Week 8 is a bit kinder to fantasy owners than this past week on the hitting side, with no teams having five games and 10 teams drawing seven-game weeks. To help prepare owners prepare, here are players who are at least 50% owned in either the NFBC Main Event or Online Championship that I think need to be considered as sits or outright cuts for this coming week. FAAB targets to replace these hitters are listed later.
Sits and Drops
Players are listed alphabetically by team and ranked on the following scale for each scoring period: Great Start, Solid Start, Possible Start, Possible Bench, Likely Bench, Definite Bench, and Drop. Write-ups and rationale on each follow below. Be sure to check the probable pitchers this weekend for decisions dependent on righty/lefty match-ups.
| Name | Team | Position | ME% | OC% | Week 8 M-Th | Week 8 F-Su |
| Blaze Alexander | ARZ | SS | 68 | 38 | Drop | |
| Colton Cowser | BAL | OF | 100 | 99 | Possible Sit | Possible Sit |
| Jorge Mateo | BAL | 2B,SS | 72 | 18 | Drop | |
| Michael Busch | CHC | 1B,3B | 100 | 99 | Likely Sit | Possible Sit |
| Will Benson | CIN | OF | 100 | 93 | Likely Sit | Solid Start |
| Brendan Rodgers | COL | 2B | 97 | 28 | Likely Sit | Likely Sit |
| Jordan Beck | COL | OF | 86 | 36 | Definite Sit | Definite Sit |
| Elehuris Montero | COL | 1B | 83 | 11 | Likely Sit | Likely Sit |
| Charlie Blackmon | COL | OF | 61 | 16 | Drop | |
| Gavin Sheets | CWS | 1B,OF | 95 | 37 | Definite Sit | Definite Sit |
| Andrew Vaughn | CWS | 1B | 90 | 46 | Drop | |
| Kerry Carpenter | DET | OF | 98 | 94 | Definite Sit | Possible Start |
| Colt Keith | DET | 2B,3B | 56 | 23 | Drop | |
| Nolan Schanuel | LAA | 1B | 91 | 22 | Drop | |
| Tim Anderson | MI | SS | 67 | 13 | Drop | |
| Alex Kirilloff | MIN | 1B,OF | 97 | 75 | Likely Sit | Likely Sit |
| Brett Baty | NYM | 3B | 100 | 79 | Likely Sit | Definite Sit |
| Harrison Bader | NYM | OF | 95 | 35 | Possible Sit | Solid Start |
| Tyler Nevin | OAK | 3B, OF | 98 | 49 | Likely Sit | Likely Sit |
| Connor Joe | PIT | 1B,OF | 97 | 44 | Likely Sit | Possible Start |
| Amed Rosario | TB | OF,2B,SS | 100 | 98 | Likely Sit | Likely Sit |
| Richie Palacios | TB | OF | 97 | 32 | Drop | |
| Jose Siri | TB | OF | 79 | 41 | Drop | |
| Evan Carter | TEX | OF | 100 | 100 | Great Start | Likely Sit |
| Josh Smith | TEX | 3B,SS,OF | 98 | 88 | Solid Start | Definite Sit |
Blaze Alexander: He’s simply not playing enough, starting just four of the last seven games vs RHP. His splits are shaping up like a true short-side platoon bat – 210 WRC+ vs LHP, 84 WRC+ vs RHP.
Colton Cowser, Jorge Mateo – Cowser’s been ice cold lately (last 10 games: .167 BA, 46 WRC+) and draws just two RHP M-Th, then Bryce Miller, Castillo, and Kirby F-Su. I’d consider a streaming option if you have the roster room.
Mateo’s turning into more of a regular than a short-side platoon bat, however, he still does all of his damage vs LHP (162 WRC+ vs LHP, 13 WRC+ vs RHP) and BAL is currently slated to draw just two lefties combined across 19 games in Weeks 8, 9, and 10.
Michael Busch – Since his hot start, Busch has been unplayable. Since April 15: 52 WRC+, 41% K, 2% BB. CHC has a seven-game week, but Busch will probably sit vs the two scheduled lefties and the RHPs he’ll face are Reynaldo Lopez, Charlie Morton, Jared Jones, Paul Skenes, and Mitch Keller. I’m not sure this is the week he gets on track, and I’d look for a good streamer if possible.
Will Benson – I’d have coverage for Benson M-Th, as CIN is lined up 2/4 vs LHP at ARI. With Friedl back, Benson is now relegated to the bottom of the order. He’s been slumping as well (53 WRC+ last 10 games), so I could see some owners wanting to move on. Keep in mind Benson has solid match-ups after early next week: at LAD (all RHP) F-Su in Week 8 and six home games in Week 9, all currently lined up vs RHP.
Brendan Rodgers, Jordan Beck, Elehuris Montero, Charlie Blackmon – Time to bench or cut your Road Rockies. COL has six games at SD and SF in week 8 and three at OAK to start Week 9. I wouldn’t blame owners from dumping any of these guys.
Rodgers is still just a BA play with meh power on a terrible offense and is as uninspiring a MI as it gets. Beck is cuttable soon unless he starts to show something. COL is giving him a ton of PA, but his swing-and-miss issues in the minors have been more pronounced in a short MLB sample (19% SwStr, 44% K). He currently looks like a below league-average hitter batting 9th on one of the worst lineups in MLB.
Under the hood, it looks as though Montero should start hitting HRs any day now (114 max EV, 47% fly ball rate, contact up to 75%) but the results haven’t been there. At 37-years-old, Blackmon may finally be toast (74 WRC+).
Gavin Sheets, Andrew Vaughn – Sheets is unplayable next week, as CHW are lined up to face four LHP in six games. Playing well (.270 BA, .291xBA, contact rate and average EV up from last year) and with the White Sox lined up to face three RHP M-Th in Week 9, he’s a hold. Vaughn has been useless (47 WRC+, 0.60 ISO), and although he hit his first HR Friday, I wouldn’t shy away from other options with a pulse or streamers.
Kerry Carpenter, Colt Keith – Carpenter is unplayable M-Th facing two LHP in three games. Platooning vs LHP and showing no signs of improving (37 WRC+ last two weeks), Keith belongs on waiver wires.
Nolan Schanuel – A popular streamer this week, but an easy cut with zero power or speed and nothing attackable on his upcoming schedule.
Tim Anderson – Owners still rostering Anderson must believe in the projections (The BATX RoS: .271 BA, 14 SB), but I don’t know how anyone could have a shred of faith that will materialize. His 17% SwStr is 5th worst among qualified hitters and he has a 0.26 ISO.
Alex Kirilloff – MIN is currently is slated to see just eight RHP combined across Week 8 and 9, making Kirilloff a blah start in upcoming scoring periods. I’d consider cutting him if there are better options. He’s been awful since a hot start. Since April 15: 40 WRC+, 29% K, .105 ISO. On the season, his SwStr% is up, his contact is down, and he’s not flashing much more power.
Brett Baty, Harrison Bader – Tough Week 8 slate for Baty with NYM lined up for four LHP in seven games. Bader’s getting phased out of the Mets lineup, starting just five of the last eight games. He may be a hold with all the LHP coming up. Bader’s started vs every LHP this season and has a career 117 WRC+ vs lefties, but I wouldn’t hold him over a great stream or solid RoS upgrade.
Tyler Nevin – Don’t count on his upcoming seven-game Week 8. Nevin’s gone 2-30 at the plate since the calendar flipped to May and is now sitting vs some RHP.
Connor Joe – He’s been playing vs more RHP this season, but PIT looks like they’ll face four RHP M-Th in Week 8. There’s a chance Joe only gets two games there. PIT does get two LHP F-Su, but they’re Steele and Imanaga, so far from a juicy match-up for the quasi short-side platoon bat.
Amed Rosario, Richie Palacios, Jose Siri – With Jonny DeLuca and Josh Lowe in the lineup, Rosario is the odd man out, starting just 3/6 games vs RHP this week. Once Brandon Lowe is back as well, Rosario may soon be a cuttable short-side platoon bat. In fact, I wouldn’t blame anyone for cutting Rosario now. Palacios is another playing time casualty and an easy cut, as he’s no longer an everyday player against RHP. Siri has just been terrible (60 WRC+, 42% K), is losing work to DeLuca in center field and can be moved on from. (EDIT: Brandon Lowe was removed from a rehab game Friday. I’d keep Rosario this week but still move on from Palacios).
Evan Carter, Josh Smith – Just note that TEX is lined up to face two LHP F-Su in Week 8 and both Carter and Smith may only see one start that weekend.
FAAB Targets
Here are hitters I’d be targeting this weekend who are less than 75% owned in the NFBC Main Event, along with how I’d rate their potential usage for the upcoming scoring periods in Weeks 8 and 9. Players are listed in order of preference with write-ups below.
| Name | Tm | Pos | ME % | Wk 8 M-Th | Wk 8 F-Su | Wk 9 M-Th | Wk 9 F-Su |
| Jonny DeLuca | TB | OF | 58 | Solid Start | Solid Start | Solid Start | Solid Start |
| Kyle Manzardo | CLE | 1B | 25 | Solid Start | Solid Start | Likely Sit | Definite Sit |
| Jon Singleton | HOU | 1B | 63 | Great Start | Solid Start | Solid Start | Solid Start |
| Sean Bouchard | COL | OF | 57 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Solid Start | Great Start |
| Edmundo Sosa | PHI | 3B | 19 | Solid Start | Solid Start | Possible Start | Great Start |
| Bryan Ramos | CWS | 3B | 12 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Solid Start | Possible Start |
| Ezequiel Duran | TEX | 3B,SS,OF | 35 | Possible Start | Great Start | Solid Start | Possible Start |
| Estevan Florial | CLE | OF | 11 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Definite Sit |
| Garrett Cooper | BOS | 1B | 42 | Solid Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start |
| Whit Merrifield | PHI | 2B,OF | 39 | Solid Start | Possible Start | Likely Sit | Solid Start |
| JJ Bleday | OAK | OF | 63 | Solid Start | Possible Start | Solid Start | Possible Start |
| Abraham Toro | OAK | 3B | 39 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start |
| Dominic Smith | BOS | 1B | 0 | Solid Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start |
| Mike Ford | CIN | 1B | 0 | Definite Sit | Possible Start | Great Start | Great Start |
| Tyrone Taylor | NYM | OF | 11 | Possible Start | Solid Start | Likely Sit | Likely Sit |
| Heliot Ramos | SF | OF | 0 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start |
Jonny DeLuca – He’s playing everyday, has been scorching hot since his call-up, has excellent plate skills, and most projections have him close to 20 HR/20 SB per 600 plate appearances. Where the projections see him lacking is BA (most are around .230-.240), but if he keeps his contact rate up (currently 86%) with decent hard hit rates, he could smoke those BA projections and be a great fantasy contributor. If you believe in the Rays committing him to everyday PA, he’s worth a decent bid.
Kyle Manzardo – Unless he goes nuclear this weekend, recency bias should depress Manzardo’s price on Sunday after a cold start (2 hits and 5 Ks in his first 12 PA). It could be a good buying opportunity, but keep in mind many rookie hitters also seem to be struggling this year adjusting to non-robot strike zones in the majors. Manzardo can rake. You can read about his talent anywhere. From a 2024 fantasy perspective, I’m slightly nervous about his adjustment period, him being platooned vs LHP, and hitting low in the CLE order until he figures things out. Still, he’s going to be one of the higher ranked prospects that becomes available this year and sometimes these guys just turn it on In the short-term, as it stands now, CLE gets six RHP next week but then 3/6 games vs LHP in Week 9.
Jon Singleton – He’s hitting in middle of HOU’s order, batting 5th in each of his last 10 games and starting 10 straight (two vs LHP). Singleton is flashing great plate skills and power: 22% K, 12% BB, 8% SwStr, 115 max EV (with another ball at 114 mph), .197 ISO. Remove his name and previous failed prospect status, and I think he’d be near 100% owned already. HOU has seven games in week 8 at home vs OAK’s terrible pitching and MIL.
Bryan Ramos – Ramos is a decently rated prospect who went ignored this past week in FAAB. He’s hitting 6th everyday and there’s pop, BA skills, and a hint of speed in his profile. In 77 AA games as a 21-year-old last year: .271 BA, .186 ISO, 4 SB. He’s a solid flier with playing time locked in and a decent schedule coming up: Week 8 home vs WAS/at NYY; seven games in Week 9.
Sean Bouchard – Bouchard is back aboard COL’s merry-go-round in the OF and is worth rostering while he has the playing time. He’s a tough start for the next few weeks, with COL on the road until the Week 9 F-Su scoring period. However, all Bouchard’s done in his time in MLB is rip opposing pitching for a 152 WRC+. The BATX has his for .246/.321/.419 with around 20 HR and 15 SB per 600 PA.
Edmundo Sosa – Sosa hits for power vs LHP (career .206 ISO vs LHP) and should face three lefties in a seven-game Week 8 for PHI. He’s starting most games vs RHP as well with Turner out and has some decent short-term appeal. Projections see him for around 15 HR/15 SB and a .245 BA per 600 PA. PHI should rack up some SB next week vs NYM (most SB allowed in MLB) and WAS (5th most SB allowed). He should have SS eligibility by the Week 8 F-Su scoring period. PHI also goes to COL F-Su in Week 9.
Ezequial Duran – Duran hasn’t been useful this year, but is worth a look as the beneficiary of more PA with Langford on the IL. His average EV is down 4 mph from 2023, he doesn’t have a barrel on the season, but most projections still see him as a .240-.250 bat with around 20 HR and 10 SB per 600 PA. With OF, MI, and CI eligibility, that’ll play. He hits for most of his power vs LHP (career 112 WRC+, 211 ISO vs LHP) and is a great streamer F-Su next weekend with two LHP currently on tap.
Garrett Cooper – Stream play for next M-Th with some RoS appeal. He hits LHP better (career 118 WRC+) but is playable vs RHP (career 107 WRC+). He may sit a game or two next week, but all seven games are in Fenway, making him a solid M-Th stream at the very least.
Estevan Florial – He’s a tooled-up power/speed play (111 max EV, 11% barrel rate, 28 SB in AAA and MLB last season) with swing-and-miss issues (16% SwStr, 28% K). The polar opposite of Steven Kwan, Florial’s been his fill-in at leadoff vs RHP since Kwan hit the IL. CLE is lined up for 6 RHP in Week 8, however, monitor his usage, as CLE has been just playing the hot hand all season and he could be back on the bench by this weekend.
Whit Merrifield – He could be a popular ad this week due to Turner’s injury, but I wouldn’t overpay. PHI gets a great stream for SB this week – seven games vs NYM (most SB allowed in MLB) and WAS (5th most SB allowed). I’d be careful, however, not to bid for anything more than this week’s stream. Even without Turner, Merrifield is still not playing full-time and his skills are fading – his hard hit rate is down to 11% and his OBP is under .300.
Abraham Toro, JJ Bleday – It’s another Stream Your Favorite A week. Seven games for OAK in Week 8, with 3/4 M-Th vs RHP. They get the benefit of going to HOU as well. Toro would be my top choice simply by viture of him leading off most games. Bleday is only sitting against the occasional LHP and can run into a HR or two. Both have the small added bonus of COL pitching coming to OAK Week 9 M-Th, making them potential two-week plays.
Dominic Smith – This is a pure stream play for 15-teamers with BOS at home next week and six RHP on tap. It’s a blah profile for Smith (BATX RoS: .250/.315/.384) but he hit RHP for a 102 WRC+ last year. BOS is also lined up to face 6 RHP in Week 9, so Smith could be a useful streamer/bench backup for two weeks.
Mike Ford – The 2024 Mike Ford Streaming Tour is underway! He’s filling in vs RHP with Encarnacion-Strand on the IL and even hit 3rd on Friday. With CIN on the road in Week 8 and facing two LHP M-Th, he’s not very appealing this coming week. However, beginning Week 9, CIN is at home for nine straight games and every game is currently lined up against a RHP. Ford blasted righties for a .265 ISO last season and hit a handful of HRs in Weeks 9 and 10. If you have enough roster flexibility, it may be worth grabbing him for $1 in this Sunday rather than waiting for next weekend, when he’ll a more popular target.
Tyrone Taylor – With the Mets getting four LHP in seven games in Week 8, and Bader sitting more often in general, Taylor makes for a decent streamer.
Heliot Ramos – With Soler on the IL, Ramos might be worth an ad if it looks like he’s more than a short-side platoon bat and is making enough contact. He can rip the ball (113 max EV in AAA this year) and has some speed. I worry about his 13% SwStr at AAA getting worse at the MLB level and leading to a +30% K rate, but it’s an intriguing skill set. Watch and see if he’s getting everyday PA this weekend and getting any results.
Catchers
| Name | Team | Pos | ME % | Week 8 M-Th | Week 8 F-Su | Week 9 M-Th | Week 9 F-Su |
| Ivan Herrera | STL | C | 72 | Solid Start | Solid Start | Solid Start | Solid Start |
| Gary Sanchez | MLW | C | 46 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Solid Start | Possible Start |
| David Fry | CLE | C | 32 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start |
| Alex Jackson | TB | C | 0 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start |
| Joey Bart | PIT | C | 26 | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start | Possible Start |
Ivan Herrera – The best catcher add where available in a week where owners will be looking for Contreras replacements. He has true 5-category skills for the position. The BATX has him for .245/.322/.384 RoS and around 15 HR and 6 SB per 600 PA.
Gary Sanchez – Sanchez has been hot over the last three weeks: 231 WRC+, 3 HR, 24% K, 11% BB. He’s also started 4 of 6 games this week, including three vs RHP at DH and 1B. It would have been nice if Pat Murphy told us to bid on Sanchez instead of Tyler Black last Sunday. He has solid value for as long as he’s seeing the playing time of a part-time 1B/DH with catcher eligibility and 15-20 HR power.
David Fry – After being a short-side platoon bat all year, Fry’s started two of CLE’s last three games vs RHP, both in left field. I’m not sure the Guardians have any idea what they’re doing, and I don’t trust his playing time, but I’d monitor how he’s being used over the weekend and if he has the hot hand. Fry hits the ball fairly hard (109 max EV, 40% career hard hit) with lots of loft (career 18-degree average LA) and can steal a base. He could be a sneaky non-catcher playing time catcher stream, but could just as easily be a near-zero for the week.
Alex Jackson – I’d take Jackson over the more highly-owned Ben Rortvedt if I needed a stream this week, as Jackson’s started the last three games, including two vs RHP, where Rortvedt has been seeing all of his playing time. I think Tampa sees through the .467 BABIP propping up Rortvedt’s .333 BA, and Jackson is the better real baseball and fantasy option. Jackson has big power for the position and could run into a HR or two in Tampa’s seven-game Week 8 that includes four games at Fenway. (EDIT: I forgot Jackson is UT-only eligible right now. After Saturday, he’ll only need four more for catcher eligibility, but he’s not an option to stream this week).
Joey Bart – He’s not the worst seven-game stream this week. Bart’s chasing less, walking 16% of the time, still has enough power to run into a HR or two in any given scoring period, and faces some weaker, non-Peralta MIL SPs M-Th.
