WireTap: 3 players to watch in Fantasy Baseball

The baseball season is a week old, and, as you expected, the Miami Marlins are 5-1. Their +23 run differential is the best in the majors. Meanwhile, the Seattle Mariners are 4-1, and the San Francisco Giants have scored 38 runs in six games. But you saw all this coming. 

A week's worth of games are enough to send you to the waiver wire looking for help, because, let's face it, you didn't draft a very good team. Sure, it's early, but the waiver wire is like a good friend, always there to lend a helping hand in your time of need. 

3 players to watch

Marlins 3B/1B Casey McGehee

Owned in 18 percent of Yahoo Leagues

Casey McGehee has returned to North America after a year in Japan a man on a mission, and the Miami Marlins are reaping the benefits. McGehee's a big part of the Marlins' league-leading offense - they've scored 40 runs in six games - heading into Sunday's action. He's hitting .450/.538/.750, with nine hits in 20 at-bats, and has driven in 10 runs while also working five walks. 

McGehee has been given an opportunity in Miami, and he's taking advantage of it so far. He's hitting fourth and fifth in the Marlins' lineup, and the 31-year-old has done most of his early damage off right-handed pitching (eight hits in 14 at-bats).

The good times won't last - they never do. But McGehee, who proved that he could hit big-league pitching in 2009 and 2010 (we know, five years is a long time ago), is worth a look right now. 

Rockies OF Charlie Blackmon

Owned in 14 percent of Yahoo Leagues

Charles Cobb Blackmon is on fire to start the season. He's hitting .600/.619/.900 with a home run, six RBI, and five runs, and cares nothing for your "small sample size!" cries. 

Blackmon went 6-for-6 on Saturday against the Diamondbacks. If that's not a cry for attention, what is? It was a historic performance. "He became just the 10th player since 1914 to go 6-for-6 with at least four runs and five RBIs, the last being Willie Harris in 2007," writes ESPN's David Schoenfield. 

Blackmon had a 109 wRC+ in 82 games with Colorado last year, and has a career .304 average in 157 games. 

Believe in Blackmon. 

Diamondbacks SP Wade Miley

Owned in 24 percent of Yahoo Leagues

The Diamondbacks are off to a horrific start, but left-handed starter Wade Miley could be of some use to your fantasy team. Yeah, he's got a 5.25 ERA in two starts and 12 innings, but that number doesn't do him justice. He's got a 3.93 FIP and 3.03 xFIP, and right now is a victim of a weak team behind him. 

The good news: Miley's got 13 strikeouts and a 1.00 WHIP. There's more: he got the win in the D-backs' only victory so far this season, which began Down Under. 

Miley can help.

Honorable Mentions

We have to show Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria some love, after his 11-hit week through Saturday. He's got no power, but is owned in only 10 percent of Yahoo Leagues. 

There's also Andre Ethier, the forgotten man in the Los Angeles Dodgers outfield. Owned in only 16 percent of Yahoo Leagues, Ethier is off to a solid start this season, hitting .304/.385/.435 in seven games. With Matt Kemp healthy, Ethier gives the Dodgers some options, especially if Yasiel Puig keeps showing up late to the ballpark. 

Last but not least, Toronto Blue Jays starter Mark Buehrle threw a gem in his season-opening start, striking out 11 in eight innings. That's about three games worth of strikeouts for Buehrle, so don't get your hopes up, but there's something about wanting a 35-year-old lefty who throws in the low 80s to help your fantasy team that we can't help but find endearing. He's owned in 21 percent of Yahoo Leagues, and is good for 200 innings at the very least, something to keep in mind for your deeper leagues.