It feels like we just did this! Do I have deja vu?
The fast-paced fantasy baseball season is underway, and it’s already time to start thinking about your lineups for Week 2. You can find Quick Grades for the shortened Week 1 here.
It is still early, and we have minimal data on hitters for the 2022 season. It will be fun to follow how these grades stack up each week as the season marches on. Just as a reminder, here are the four factors that go into the Quick Grades. If you have any questions regarding Quick Grades, please reach out on Twitter @RotoClegg.
The Quick Grade Series
Each week, I will provide breakdowns of hitters with a grade range from 40 to 100. Think about a school grade (90-100 being an A, 80-89 equaling a B, and 70-79 = C, and so on).
Week 2 covers games for the week of Monday, April 11 through Sunday, April 17.
How It Works
We established that each hitter would have a grade based on four categories that would land them a total score between 40 and 90. Each of the four categories will are graded from 10 to 25, which lands us at that total score. Here is what goes into it:
- Games Played – Let’s start simple. The more games played in a week, the more stats a player can accumulate. Maximizing plate appearances for fantasy baseball is huge. If the player you roster has seven games versus a different player having five games, it is a no-brainer. If a team is scheduled to play seven games that week, the team’s hitter will get 25 points. Six games earn a hitter 20 points, and five games drop you down to 15.
- Ballpark Factors – Is a hitter playing four games in Coors? What about three in Oakland? These things matter. We will use the FantasyPros’ park factors to help us out there. I have created an algorithm that gives each ballpark a score from 10-25. Then factoring in how many games a hitter plays where each week, a score of 10-to-25 is given.
- Matchups – Does a hitter have strong splits against a left or right-handed pitcher? What if they face three lefties this week with a poor split against lefties. We factor that in. What about facing a murderers’ row of pitchers like Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta back to back to back. All that is taken into account with the matchups grade.
- Projections – Finally, we will factor in projections. I will update using FantasyPros projections and scale them down to a weekly projection. It is not perfect, but using projections with the other factors can help project how a player might perform.
Week 2 Hitter Grades
Surprising Hitters
- Seiya Suzuki (OF - CHC) comes in at No. 3 this week! He will get matchups with Pittsburgh and Colorado, and projections love him for the week.
- Ian Happ (OF - CHC) is another hitter that Quick Grades loves for the week, thanks to his matchups.
- Nelson Cruz (DH - WSH) is the ageless wonder. He gets seven games next week and good matchups, giving him a considerable boost.
Teams to Stream
- Los Angeles Dodgers - Most hitters on this roster are already rostered, but the Dodgers will draw great matchups with the Twins and Reds next week.
- Milwaukee Brewers - Milwaukee gets games at Baltimore and against the Cardinals. Neither are very deep from a starting pitcher standpoint. Milwaukee hitters are a great stream next week.
Teams to Fade
- Cincinnati Reds - They get two matchups with Cleveland, scheduled to be against Aaron Civale and Shane Bieber, plus four games out west against the Dodgers. Reds hitters are an easy fade this week.
- Baltimore Orioles - Baltimore may get the backend of the Brewers rotation but still have to face Eric Lauer, Aaron Ashby, and Corbin Burnes. Going up against two lefties there and the potential to get another two lefties, plus potentially seeing two more lefties in New York with Jordan Montgomery and Nestor Cortes makes Cedric Mullins a fade next week. The righties in the lineup still get touch matchups.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
If you want to dive deeper into fantasy baseball, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Baseball Tools as you navigate your season. From our Lineup Assistant - which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections - to our Waiver Wire Assistant - that allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team, and by how much - we've got you covered this fantasy baseball season.
Chris Clegg is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Chris, check out his archive and follow him @RotoClegg.