As we enter Week 1 of the fantasy baseball season, this is the first FAAB run of the season. For all of us early drafters that decided to try and take advantage of early prices we now have plenty of drops to make. Whether it is due to injury or specs not working out, work must be done.
Below is a player you can target for each category entering Week 1, plus a few names to keep in mind as well as a list of teams with four games on the upcoming weekly schedule.
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Players are rostered in fewer than 50% of NFBC Online Championships.
The Obvious
If you play NFBC formats you got a “free look” at these players thanks to the Tokyo Series. Keep these names in mind:
- Enrique Hernandez (1B, 2B, 3B, SS, OF – LAD): Hit a home run.
- Jon Berti (3B – CHC): Hit for a good average and stole two bases.
- Alex Vesia (RP – LAD): Earned a save.
- Landon Knack (SP – LAD): Recorded a win; since been optioned to the Minors.
Runs
Tommy Pham is expected to lead off for the Pirates. There are no known limitations to his workload, so taking advantage of the playing time paired with the lineup spot is a good way to stream for runs. Not to mention he is getting four games this week and should play/start in at least three of them.
RBI
Austin Hays appears to be in a prime spot in this lineup. Not only is he expected to bat in the middle of the order but he gets to play all his games at home this short week. Hitting behind Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz should lead to plenty of RBI opportunities.
Home Runs
Ryan O’Hearn has three home runs this spring and gets to face four straight right-handed pitchers to kick off the season. He should play at least three of those games and has been batting toward the top half of the lineup all of spring. O’Hearn had a .777 OPS versus righties last year so the power should be there.
Stolen Bases
Miami has been decently aggressive on the base paths when they have the players to do so. This is a team that will need to manufacture runs. Otto Lopez is a player with plus-speed and good stolen base ability. He stole 20 bases last year in just 117 games. He should be starting every day. With that playing time should come ample opportunities to run at will when he gets on base.
Batting Average
Jacob Wilson is known for his hit tool. He has shown some added pop in the bat this spring but that is far from a guarantee to carry over. However, Wilson has never hit under .300 at any stop in his career. He rarely even strikes out at or above a 10% clip. The batting average is about as safe as you can get here. Anything else is simply a plus.
Wins
This is gross but necessary. When you are seeking wins it is sometimes as simple as taking on a great matchup. Getting to face off against one of the worst teams in baseball is just that. Coming off a year where he posted a sub-4.00 ERA over 179.1 innings, Tyler Anderson is nothing to write home about but he could be very serviceable if you are targeting a Week 1 win.
Saves
There have been rumblings about Mike Clevinger being the guy in Chicago for the White Sox. He has been lights out in spring as a reliever. Even though the White Sox will not be winning many games, Clevinger should still be able to grab enough saves to be relevant.
Strikeouts
Charlie Morton is past his prime but what he has going for him entering Week 1 is having one of the better offenses behind him as well as a matchup against a Blue Jays team known to disappoint more times than not. Morton is a serviceable pitcher on a great team with a matchup that lines up favorably for a win.
ERA & WHIP
This week, in particular, is more about targeting solid relievers on teams. With rotations being uncertain, you can go for good relievers on teams like Cade Smith, Porter Hodge or Alex Vesia. More than offering specifics on names, find your favorite relievers on teams with four games in this opening period (if they lock on Opening Day).
This way you guarantee some strikeouts and what should be good ratios across a couple of appearances. Not to mention with starters still working up they could scalp a free win if you are lucky.
Teams With Four Games
- Miami Marlins
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- Baltimore Orioles
- Boston Red Sox
- Toronto Blue Jays
- Sacramento Athletics
- Seattle Mariners
- Texas Rangers
- Atlanta Braves
- Chicago Cubs
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- San Diego Padres
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