Week 16 is here and with it is another edition of Waiver Flavor so let’s just get right to it and take a look at the top guys to add off the waiver wire this week.

Catcher

10-Team League

J.T. Realmuto, MIA – Another week comes and goes and Realmuto still finds himself owned in less than 70 percent of standard leagues.  He is currently ranked among the top five catchers on the heels of a .316 average with 36 runs, five home runs, 26 RBI and 10 stolen bases.  I’m not sure what it will take to get him close to 100 percent owned but he is a must add in all formats.

12-Team League

Stephen Vogt, OAK - Vogt is hitting .500 with eight runs, two home runs and six RBI over the last two weeks which has pushed him closer to being ranked among the top five fantasy catchers. Despite his production and dual position eligibility, Vogt is owned in under 70 percent of standard leagues.  Like Realmuto, a player of Vogt’s caliber at a position as shallow as catcher is a must own.

15-Team League

Yasmani Grandal, LAD -  Grandal makes this list again like the two catchers before him as he continues to show signs of improvement.  On Tuesday he hit his 13th home run of the season to go with 22 runs and 38 RBI which are solid counting stats for the position.  His .208 batting average is what has his ownership levels below 20 percent but the talent he possess is that of potentially one of the top offensive catchers in baseball.

First Base

10-Team League

Mike Napoli, CLE - The intentions here are not to make this list repetitive form week to week, but when a guy like Mike Napoli is still owned in under 70 percent of standard leagues, despite being ranked around the top five first basemen in fantasy thanks to his 60 runs, 21 home runs and 65 RBI, it is hard to leave him off the list.  Over the past week, Napoli is hitting .350 with six runs, three home runs and four RBI and finds himself on pace for a season which he hit 30 home runs and drives in 100 RBI so do yourself a favor and add the Indians slugger to your roster.

12-Team League

Steve Pearce, TB - Pearce came off the disabled list on Tuesday and picked up right where he left off by going 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI.  On the season Pearce is hitting .324 with 24 runs, 10 home runs and 27 RBI.  His stint on the DL saw his ownership levels drop to about 30 percent but now that he is back healthy and already hitting for power he is a good grab to get. 

15-Team League

Tommy Joseph, PHI – Joseph has homered in back-to-back games for the Phillies which brings his season total up to 13 home runs to go with 25 runs, 23 RBI and a .264 batting average.  He is crushing left-handed pitching this season but hit his last two home runs off of right-handers Jose Fernandez and Jose Urena of the Marlins.  If he can truly start to improve upon his .231 average against righties, Joseph has the potential to be worth grabbing in most formats given his power potential.

Second Base

10-Team League

Jonathan Schoop, BAL - Schoop has gone and hit two more home runs since appearing on this list last week to bring his season totals to .298 with 51 runs, 16 home runs, 54 RBI and one RBI.  He currently ranks among the top 10 second basemen in fantasy but finds his ownership levels under 80 percent in standard leagues.  This is the breakout season some have been waiting for from Schoop since he came onto the scene a few seasons ago. If you find yourself looking for some help at second base or middle infielder it seems as if Schoop is not going to slow down anytime soon.

12-Team League

Devon Travis, TOR - Travis is hitting .308 over the last week and on the year he is hitting .267 with 24 runs, six home runs, 23 RBI and three stolen bases.  He is owned in about 30 percent of standard leagues but is part of a Blue Jays lineup that is no stranger to putting up runs, which adds to his overall value.  Travis showed during his rookie season he has the ability to hit for some pop which is always coveted at the middle infield position.

15-Team League

Howie Kendrick, LAD – The Dodgers are giving Kendrick a ton of playing time of late and he has rewarded them by hitting .556 with an OPS of 1.247 over the last week.  He is owned in about 30 percent of standard leagues and has position eligibility at second base, third base, outfield and in some leagues first base as well, which only adds to his value.  Kendrick is not going to “WOW” you in any one category but over his career he has a been a steady bat that can approach double-digit totals in home runs and stolen bases so with more playing time his value increases.

SHORTSTOP

10-Team League

Eduardo Nunez, MIN - Nunez has hit a bit of a slump coming out of the All-Star break but even with this recent skid he is still hitting .312 with 48 runs, 12 home runs, 43 RBI and 23 stolen bases on the season, which has him ranked inside the top five among fantasy shortstops this season.  Nunez went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a stolen base on Tuesday so he could be snapping out of his recent slump which is good news for fantasy owners.  He is currently owned in about 85 percent of standard leagues so if he is floating around your waiver please do yourself a favor and pick him up.

12-Team League

Aledmys Diaz, STL– I feel like the fantasy community has been waiting for Diaz to completely fall off this season and after a slump in June it looked like they were right however Diaz is back on track as he is hitting .333 with nine runs, two home runs, seven RBI and two stolen bases over the past two weeks.  He is locked into the Cardinals starting shortstop spot and hits in a favorable part of their lineup.  He is currently owned in about 85 percent of standard leagues so if you need help at shortstop or middle infielder go and grab Diaz if he is on the waiver wire.

15-Team League

Marcus Semien, OAK – Semien doesn’t get much love because of his .241 batting average, but that number aside he has also scored 47 runs with 20 home runs, 48 RBI and nine stolen bases.  The 20 home runs is the second most at the shortstop position behind Trevor Story who has the luxury of playing his home games at Coors Field where Semien gets to call the cavernous Oakland Coliseum his home.  Semien is ranked just outside the top 10 shortstops but is owned in under 40 percent of standard leagues so check your waiver wire because he is on pace for a potential 30 home run and 15 stolen base season.

Third Base

10-Team League

Jake Lamb, ARI - This article is going to soon be renamed after Jake Lamb as it’s an absolute crime that he is under 90 percent owned in standard leagues despite the fact that he leads the National League in OPS while hitting .298 with 52 runs, 21 home runs, 65 RBI and three stolen bases.  If you want to win your league and you see Lamb on the waiver wire, pick him up because there really isn’t a better option at the position outside of maybe Nolan Arenado.

12-Team League

Justin Turner, LAD - Turner has been on fire for nearly two months, hitting .301 with 24 runs, 12 home runs and 34 RBI since June 1.  On the year he is hitting .266 with 43 runs, 15 home runs and 50 RBI which is certainly worth owning in most formats, especially given his 2015 season which should show that this production is no fluke.  Turner is currently owned in just 65 percent of standard leagues so check out your wire and see if he is floating around.

15-Team League

Yangervis Solarte, SD – Solarte makes this list again as his ownership levels sit around 50 percent in standard leagues despite the fact that he is hitting .279 with five runs, three home runs, 12 RBI and an OPS over .900 over the past two weeks.  Adding to Solarte’s value is the fact that he can play first base, second base and third base.  The Padres hit him towards the middle of their lineup and while the Padres' offense is not generally exciting, Solarte is in a position to succeed when they do score some runs.

Outfield

10-Team League

Melvin Upton Jr., SD – Upton is coming off of the bereavement list so he has not played much since last week, but that still does not excuse the fact that a top-15 outfielder in fantasy is owned in less than 70 percent of standard leagues.  Upton clearly has burned some people in the past due to his days in Atlanta, but he is looking so much more like the guy who played in Tampa and hit the 20 homer/40 SB plateau seasons.  This year he is hitting .262 with 45 runs, 16 home runs, 44 RBI and 20 stolen bases.  If you don’t like winning then continue to ignore him if he is on your waiver wire. However, if first place is your end game I see no reason not to be owning Upton Jr. at this point.

12-Team League

Khris Davis, OAK – The Oakland slugger certainly has his moments where it doesn’t look like he will ever make contact but then the next time you look he has a two home run game and you remember why he’s a guy worth owning.  Davis, over the last week, is hitting .300 with five runs, four home runs and six RBI giving him 44 runs, 23 home runs and 61 RBI on the season to go with a .252 batting average.  For a slugger like Davis, the .252 batting average is actually pretty solid as he finds himself on pace for a 30 home runs and 90-plus RBI season. He is currently owned in just about 65 percent of standard leagues so if you need a power source check your wire and see if Davis is there.

15-Team League

Tyler Naquin, CLE – The Indians rookie continues to turn heads as he is hitting .318 with 31 runs, 11 home runs and 24 RBI.  The Indians are playing him pretty much every day at this point, but fantasy owners have not totally picked up on his talents yet as he is owned in just 25 percent of standard leagues.  If you find yourself in a deeper mixed league and especially AL-Only formats he is a guy worth owning while he is on this hot streak, which sees him hitting .313 with seven runs, four home runs and six RBI over the past two weeks.

Starting Pitchers

10-Team League

Drew Pomeranz, SD – This time last week Pomeranz was pitching for the lowly San Diego Padres but boy how things can change.  The Padres shipped Pomeranz to the Red Sox for top pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza and put Pomeranz in the middle of the AL East division race.  The Red Sox have the league’s top offense which is great news for Pomeranz but he heads to a division full of hitter-friendly ballparks and teams that crush southpaws.  With all that said, Pomeranz still turned in an All-Star first half and until he proves he can’t pitch in the American League, he should be owned and started like an ace in all formats.

12-Team League

Hector Santiago, LAA – Santiago is currently on an impressive streak of 20 straight scoreless innings which spans over his last three starts.  While this stretch will obviously come to an end it’s worth pointing out that he has allowed one or fewer earned runs in five of his last six starts.  His next start is coming against the Rangers who own the best team batting average against southpaws so this will certainly be a tough test for Santiago, but should he come out relatively unscathed it’s fair to say that he is a must own until he proves otherwise.

15-Team League

Kendall Graveman, OAK – Graveman has tossed quality starts in five of his last six outings and during that stretch he is 4-0 with a 2.68 ERA.  His next start is slated to come on Sunday against the Rays who are not nearly as good of a hitting team against right-handed starters as they are against southpaws.  If you find yourself in need of a spot start come Sunday, you could certainly do worse than riding the hot right arm of Graveman.

Closers

10-Team League

Brad Ziegler, BOS – The Red Sox acquired Ziegler after learning that Craig Kimbrel would miss up to six weeks with a knee injury.  Though Ziegler was closing in Arizona, the Red Sox opted to use him as a setup man for Koji Uehara. However, on Tuesday Uehara got injured and was placed on the disabled list which moves Ziegler into Boston’s closer role.  Uehara had saved four games for Boston in his brief stint taking over for Kimbrel so odds are Ziegler should see plenty of work and instantly make him a must add in all formats.

12-Team League

Ryan Madson, OAK – Madson certainly has his ups and downs, but for the A’s this season he is 3-3 with 20 saves and a 3.57 ERA. There is really nobody challenging Madson for the closers role in Oakland so if you find yourself in need of an upgrade in the save category you could likely find Madson on the wire seeing as he is owned in just over 50 percent of standard leagues.

15-Team League

Brandon Maurer, SD – Maurer took over the closer's job in San Diego and has allowed just one run over his last 10 appearances while notching three saves.  The Padres are not likely going to produce many save chances as they deal guys away towards the trade deadline. However, in deeper mixed leagues and NL-Only formats he is likely floating around the waiver wire and is worth a grab.