The margin for error is small as fantasy managers approach the playoffs in their head-to-head leagues. Winning this week could be the difference in qualifying and extending your season. Here is a look at the schedule to help managers maximize their games.
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A look at the schedule
The massive eight-game slate belongs to the Cincinnati Reds in Week 21. Nine teams (Rockies, Royals, Dodgers, Marlins, Athletics, Pirates, Padres, Mariners, Cardinals) have seven games this week. Conversely, five organizations (Orioles, Red Sox, Angels, Blue Jays, Nationals) play just five contests. The remaining 15 teams have six games.
The Reds have the top number of games, but the Rockies may take the crown of best schedule. Colorado has seven games all at Coors Field. There will be more on that topic later in the article.
Our goal is to maximize games played. Avoid using any O’s, Red Sox, Angels, Blue Jays, and Nationals ranked outside the top 100. Add a player with seven or eight games in Week 21. Here are the top streaming options owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo Leagues.
Top pickups
Raimel Tapia (OF – COL) – 13% owned
Tapia is the top add for this week. The Rockies play exclusively at home where Tapia bats .344 (over 307 plate appearances) with a .386 on-base. Colorado also faces six right-handed starters where Tapia bats .288 for his career. There is not a ton of power or speed, but Tapia is going to hit.
Ian Desmond (1B/OF – COL) – 38% owned
Desmond may sit a game or two in Week 21, but he is batting .305 at Coors Field this season with a .369 on-base. He also has seven home runs in 199 plate appearances. Desmond will get plenty of knocks in Week 21.
Freddy Galvis (2B/SS – CIN) – 37% owned
Galvis is red-hot since moving to the Reds. He started the last eight games. Galvis is batting .419 with three homers. The middle infield is having a strong year batting .278 with 21 home runs in total. Add him for the eight games this week.
Josh VanMeter (1B/2B/3B/OF – CIN) – 15% owned
VanMeter has started 11 of the last 13 Reds games. He is also hot including hitting .341 over that time with a .383 on-base. VanMeter’s played well all year. He is batting .296 with a .383 on-base. The utility man crushes righties. He is batting .314 with a .390 on-base against right-handed pitching. The Reds are scheduled to face seven righties in Week 21. Expect plenty of hits from VanMeter.
Chris Taylor (2B/SS/OF – LAD) – 36% owned
Taylor is fresh off the IL. He has nine homers and seven steals in 269 at-bats this season while batting .271 with a .344 on-base. Expect Taylor to be productive down the stretch in that deep Dodgers lineup.
Kyle Seager (3B – SEA) – 42% owned
Seager is smoking hot right now. In his 17 August games, Seager is hitting .323 with a .400 on-base with eight home runs. Ride the hot hand of the streaky Seager as the M’s host the Yankees for three before traveling to Texas for four.
Brian Anderson (3B/OF – MIA) – 47% owned
Don’t look now, but Anderson quietly has 20 homers and five steals while batting .262 this season. The Marlins host the Reds for four games before traveling to Washington. They are scheduled to face six right-handed starters. Anderson hits .277 with a .358 on-base against righties for his career.
Kolten Wong (2B – STL) – 18% owned
Wong is one of the top stolen base options for the week. He has nine homers and 17 steals this year while batting .275. The Brewers and Reds also rank seventh and eighth in steals allowed respectively.
Mark Canha (1B/OF – OAK) – 9% owned
Canha has 19 homers in 290 at-bats this season. He is batting in the middle of the A’s order and hitting .266 with a .384 on-base for the season. Consider Canha an underrated option in Week 21.
Dexter Fowler (OF – STL) – 4% owned
Fowler is having a fantastic bounce-back year. He is batting leadoff for the Cardinals. Fowler has 14 homers and seven steals while batting .251 with a .349 on-base. Expect Fowler to score plenty of runs in Week 21.
Kevin Newman (2B/SS – PIT) – 16% owned
Newman should be owned in more leagues. The Pirates are in the cellar in the NL Central, but he continues to produce. Newman has seven homers and 10 steals in 359 at-bats while batting .295. The 26-year-old is a solid option as the Pirates play seven road games including four at Coors Field.
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Tyler Watts is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Tyler, follow him @tylerpwatts.
