Stock Watch: 6 players trending up, down in fantasy
We'll identify three players each week whose fantasy stocks are rising, and three others whose are falling.
Trending Up
Dexter Fowler: Fowler nearly hit half his home run total from 2014 with three long balls over the last two weeks, while his elite walk rate is leading to plenty of runs and stolen bases in a relentless Chicago Cubs lineup. The time to grab Fowler off waivers has probably come and gone, but now might be a good opportunity to sell high on the 29-year-old center fielder, who's currently on pace for an unlikely career-high in steals.
Carlos Gomez: If you drafted Gomez early like most owners, chances are you were dismayed when he hit the disabled list just two weeks into the season. It turned out to be the best thing that could have ever happened. The Milwaukee Brewers outfielder has been red-hot since returning, upping his OPS by about 130 points and posting a healthy .317/.339/.550 slash line over 62 plate appearances this month.
Eric Hosmer: Hosmer's lack of power has long relegated his kind to backup or utility status on fantasy teams, but he's rewarding owners who banked on this finally being the year he breaks out as a legitimate starting first baseman. Hosmer has more homers than Jose Abreu, a better batting average than Freddie Freeman, and more RBIs than Anthony Rizzo. Ride him while he's hot.
Trending Down
Mookie Betts: One step forward, 10 steps backwards. Such is the season for the Boston Red Sox rookie. The speedy outfielder has shown promising power versus same-side pitching (.256/.319/.421), but his .530 OPS against southpaws is tough to stomach for an everyday player from the right side. Optimistically, Betts has been victimized by a poor BABIP, but owners should strap in for a roller coaster season.
Corey Dickerson: It's tough to be down on a guy who's not playing, but the nature of Dickerson's injury is obviously concerning for a player who was drafted as a consensus top-25 outfielder. The Colorado Rockies slugger was quickly showing last year was no fluke with five homers and an .864 OPS through his first 33 games, but the uncertainty of his return from plantar fasciitis should have owners scrambling for an alternative that probably isn't available on the wire.
Anibal Sanchez: Sanchez is quickly going from a buy-low candidate to a pitcher who is forcing us to adjust expectations. Sanchez pitched well two starts ago (eight innings of one-run ball) but allowed seven runs on seven hits and three homers in his most recent outing. The 31-year-old veteran has already surrendered more homers in nine starts than he did in two of the last three seasons. Owners have no choice to ride this stretch out because no one is trading for a pitcher who leads the league in earned runs.