We have made it through another week of the MLB season, and there were some awe-inspiring performances. As usual, there were some great and rough performances to dig into. This weekly column will help highlight some hot and cold players, risers, and fallers for fantasy purposes. Some players are already rostered in many places, so trades may be in order. Other players may be widely available, making a potential waiver wire claim in the cards. So this week, I will highlight some known and lesser-known players. So let’s see some of the risers and fallers for Fantasy Baseball Week 11 (6/5-6/11).
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Fantasy Baseball Risers
Nolan Jones (1B,OF – COL)
Jones got the call back to the Rockies a little over a week ago, and he’s taking full advantage of the opportunity. Entering Sunday, Jones was hitting .375 on the week with two home runs and four stolen bases. He was striking out 21.1% of the time while walking 15.8% as Jones showcased solid plate discipline. Weirdly enough, Jones had zero barrels on the week but an impressive 58.3% hard-hit rate. On Sunday, Jones put an exclamation note on the week with a walk-off home run to give him three home runs. Jones should continue to receive plenty of playing time and hopefully, the offensive production will follow.
Elly De La Cruz (3B,SS – CIN)
Elly finally received the call to the bigs this week and has not disappointed. The Reds’ giant hit safely in all six games for a .364 batting average. EDLC hit a double, triple, and a home run with seven runs scored and three stolen bases. He struck out 37% of the time, which is not ideal, but EDLC also walked 18.5%. EDLC is an offensive stud; we all hope more of this will come.
Jace Peterson (2B,3B,OF – OAK)
Peterson is not a fantasy stud, nor is he even a player you will start every week. However, this week Peterson reminded us why he could be streamed occasionally throughout the season. He entered Sunday hitting .444 on the week with two home runs and two stolen bases. Peterson only struck out 18.2% of the time with a 13.6% walk rate. Peterson did not barrel a ball but did have a 57.1% hard-hit rate. Peterson can supply some power and steals, but the consistency sometimes makes it tough to roster him. For now, enjoy the streaming days with Peterson.
Ke’Bryan Hayes (3B – PIT)
After a rocky start to the season, Hayes has been heating up in recent weeks. He entered Sunday hitting .455 on the week with three extra-base hits and a stolen base. Hayes only struck out 13.6% of the time with a .182 ISO and 1.091 OPS. Hayes didn’t have a barrel but an excellent 52.6% hard-hit rate. Hayes’s contact quality has continued to be a limitation for his overall production, but his batting average and speed have kept Hayes fantasy relevant.
Gary Sanchez (C – SD)
Sanchez joined the Padres last week, and he appears to be rejuvenated. Entering Sunday, Sanchez hit .286 weekly with three home runs and eight RBI. His .524 ISO and 1.157 OPS were terrific. Sanchez did not record a barrel but did have a 53.8% hard-hit rate as he slugged this week. The Padres are playing Sanchez and C and DH, so he is playing nearly every day, making Sanchez very fantasy relevant for now.
Fantasy Baseball Fallers
Rowdy Tellez (1B – MIL)
Tellez has hit the struggle bus of late and this past week was awful. Heading into Sunday, Tellez had one single on the week while striking out 28.6% of the time. He had a .145 OPS and -64 wRC+ while only hitting the ball hard 21.4% of the time. Tellez is hitting .130 over the last two weeks with a .043 ISO and 3.1% barrel rate. This is hopefully just a slump for Rowdy, but he may be worth benching if the matchups aren’t good for the week.
Taylor Walls (2B,SS,3B – TB)
Walls looked like a solid fantasy option with his positional flexibility and steady production. The production has hit the skids; this past week was no exception. Walls entered Sunday with one single over five games while striking out nearly 37% of the time. Walls is hitting below .100 over the last three weeks with two extra-base hits. Playing time may still be prevalent for Walls with Brandon Lowe on the IL, but Walls may be better left for the waiver wire without solid production.
Dansby Swanson (SS – CHC)
Swanson has been having a decent season in his first year with the Cubs, but this past week was a major black eye on his season. Swanson had two singles on the week, hitting below .100 while striking out around 40% of the time. Swanson did not collect a barrel with an OPS of around .150 and a wRC+ of -52. Swanson is still having a decent season, and hopefully, he will bounce back nicely in the coming weeks.
Tommy Edman (2B,SS,OF – STL)
Edman has not had the best of seasons and this past week was rough. He collected two singles while hitting around .100 while stealing a base. Edman is hitting around .120 over his last 14 games, with two steals and two doubles. He is hitting near the bottom of the order each game, with the occasional start at leadoff. The Cardinals team is crowded with infielders and outfielders, so with a slump in production, Edman could see more time on the bench. Be wary if you are plugging Edman into your lineups regularly.
Tim Anderson (SS – CWS)
Anderson’s 2023 season has been dreadful from what fantasy managers expected entering the season. Anderson entered Sunday with three hits on the week with a stolen base while striking out 27.8% of the time. He still does not have a home run on the season, with seven steals and a .263 batting average. Anderson is becoming tough to start weekly and, in some formats, tough to roster as the replacement value is likely higher on the waiver wire.
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