Week 19 of the fantasy season is here and boy is the end of the fantasy year coming quickly.  With playoffs just a mere few weeks away in most league formats let’s take a look at some players that can help you for that final push.

Catcher

10 Team League 

Yasmani Grandal, LAD – I know this spot has been on reserve for J.T. Realmuto for basically the entire season and if available you should go pick him up but Grandal is finally showing that offensive upside that fantasy owners have been expecting from him which has vaulted him into the top five the catcher position.  Over the past week Grandal is hitting .500 with four runs, two home runs and five RBI to give him 32 runs, 18 home runs, 49 RBI and a .236 average on the season.  He is owned in under 50 percent of standard leagues so check the wire and pick up Grandal.

12 Team League

Yadier Molina, STL- The power is gone with Molina but he still offers a decent batting average (.280) and hits in an offense that is no stranger to scoring runs.  Over the last week he is hitting .389 with two runs, one home run and three RBI.  He ranks among the top 10 catchers in fantasy and is owned in 75 percent of leagues so if the likes of Grandal and Realmuto are not on the wire go and grab the Cardinals veteran backstop.

15 Team League

Sandy Leon, Bos - Leon is starting to slow down a bit but over the last week he still hit .286 with three runs, one home run and four RBI.  The Red Sox boast the best offense in baseball which should continue to provide Leon with opportunities to hit with men on base and which should help stabilize his fantasy production even as the batting average dips a bit.

First Base

10 Team League

Mike Napoli, Cle- I mean who saw this type of season coming from Mike Napoli after he flamed out of Boston in 2015?  The answer is nobody, not even the Indians but for fantasy owners who latched onto him during one of his home run stretches this year he has rewarded them with a career year.  Napoli over the past two weeks has hit .318 with 10 runs, six home runs and 11 RBI.  At one point he had homered in five straight games.  With all this production you would figure Napoli would owned in more than just 75 percent of leagues yet here we are.  If Napoli is a free agent in your league I don’t know what else you need to see from him in order to put him on your roster.

12 Team League

Mark Reynolds, Col – The Rockies first basemen is enjoying a solid season which sees him hitting .279 with 55 runs, 12 home runs and 48 RBI. Batting average has been a killer for Reynolds during his career but playing his home games in Coors field has helped give him a boost and his production has him ranking among the top 15 first basemen in fantasy this season.  He is currently owned in just under 20 percent of standard leagues so if you are looking to get a piece of the Rockies offense Reynolds is likely the best option available.

15 Team League

Justin Morneau, CWS – Morneau has made quite the impression since joining the White Sox, hitting .300 with five runs, three home runs and nine RBI.  Of course during the mid-2000s Morneau was an MVP caliber offensive player for the Twins before concussions really stalled his career for a few seasons.  His last full season came in 2014 when he played 135 games for the Rockies and hit .319 with 62 runs, 17 home runs and 82 RBI.  Now healthy once again Morneau is showing that at 35 he still has the ability to produce with the bat which makes him a solid grab in deeper mixed formats.

Second Base

10 Team League

Dee Gordon, Mia- Gordon is starting to get on a roll and fantasy owners are noticing as his ownership levels are sitting just under 90 percent.  Over the last week he is hitting .370 with nine runs, one RBI and four stolen bases which is the type of production you are expecting from the Marlins leadoff hitter.  This could very well be your last chance to grab him in most league formats.

12 Team League

Neil Walker, NYM – Walker has been a bit up and down this season but he is on fire right now, hitting .520 with seven runs, three home runs, five RBI and an OPS of 1.418 over the last week. He is owned in under 80 percent of standard leagues so it’s possible he is floating around your waiver wire.  On the year he is hitting a respectable .273 with 48 runs, 20 home runs, 51 RBI and three stolen bases.

15 Team League

Devon Travis, Tor – Travis is finally looking like the guy we saw during his rookie season last year and it should come as no surprise that it’s all happening with him hitting at the top of the Blue Jays lineup.  Over the last week Travis is hitting .419 with six runs, three home runs and seven RBI.  He is owned in under 40 percent of standard leagues but that number should be quickly on the rise as he figures to see plenty of pitches to hit given the powerful Blue Jays lineup that hits behind him in the order.

Shortstop

10 Team League

Jonathan Villar, Mil- Villar continues to rack up the stolen bases as he swiped five over the last seven days to bring his season total to 45. Along with his elite stolen base ability Villaris also hitting .302 with 61 runs, nine home runs and 41 RBI. While the Brewers offense is not exactly a barn burner the fact is that Villar is ranked as the top shortstop in fantasy in most league formats yet is owned in just 85 percent of leagues.  Check your waiver wire and pick up Villar as it’s unlikely you have a better one on your roster.

12 Team League

Brad Miller, TB – Miller made this list last week and then he went and put up maybe the best week of any fantasy shortstop, hitting .458 with eight runs, three home runs, nine RBI and two stolen bases over the last seven days.  With injuries to AledmysDiaz and Trevor Story hitting owners last week those who picked up Miller should not have seen a single dip in offensive production and while it’s unlikely that he goes and hits .450 every week he does have the ability to hit multiple home runs and steal you some bags which makes him more than useful.  He is currently owned in just under 60 percent of standard leagues so check your waiver wire to see if he’s available. 

15 Team League

Jhonny Peralta, StL – Peralta is hitting .360 with four runs, three RBI and an OPS of .865 since being activated off of the disabled list.  While is numbers before getting hurt were not that impressive he is hitting in a lineup that scores plenty of runs and he is taking advantage of those opportunities.  With AlemydsDiaz landing on the disabled list last week his owners should look to grab Peralta if available in deeper formats.

Third Base

10 Team League

Justin Turner, LAD- Yup! Turner is still at it for the Dodgers, hitting .310 with six runs, three home runs and five RBI over the last seven days.  His ownership levels are sitting at 80 percent in standard leagues as he ranks among the top 10 third basemen in fantasy.  On the year he is now hitting .275 with 56 runs, 21 home runs, 67 RBI and three stolen bases.  This offensive upside is real so grab him now for the playoff push if he is available in your league.

12 Team League

Miguel Sano, Min - Sano’s ownership levels sit around 80 percent as owners were fearful that he was going to be sent down once Trevor Plouffe got activated off of the disabled list.  Fortunately for those who hung on to Sano not only did he not get sent down but over the last week he is hitting .346 with six runs, four home runs and six RBI.  The power upside with Sano is greater than maybe any player in the league aside from Giancarlo Stanton but at his young age you will just have to deal with his high strikeout rate.  If you need some pop at third base or corner infield you should pick up Sano if somebody in your league dropped him.

15 Team League

Pedro Alvarez, BAL – Alvarez is on another home run streak and the Orioles are playing it smart with him as he only faces right-handed pitching which has helped stabilize his batting average at a respectable .254 on the year to ho with 30 runs, 18 home runs and 39 RBI.  Over the past two weeks Alvarez is hitting .326 with seven runs, six home runs and eight RBI which is more than useful in all formats. He is currently owned in under 30 percent of leagues so if you are an owner who might have just lost Nick Castellanos to the disabled list a player like Alvarez could help recoup some of that lost offensive production.

Outfield

10 Team League

Billy Hamilton, Cin – Let’s see if you can wrap your head around this one OK?  Over the last three days Billy Hamilton has swiped nine stolen bases and over the last week he has swiped 12 while hitting .391 with six runs and an OPS of .935.  This type of elite speed is what fantasy owners have been waiting for from Hamilton and he now leads the majors with 48 stolen bases.  He is hitting at the top of the Reds lineup and as long as he continues to get on base he should steal plenty of bags and score a decent amount of runs.  He is currently ranked among the top 20 outfielders in fantasy yet is owned in just over 70 percent of leagues.

12 Team League

A.J. Pollock, Ari – This is your first official warning shot that A.J. Pollock has started his rehab assignment and will be back with the Diamondbacks before the end of August.  Pollock was a top five player in fantasy last year after he hit .315 with 111 runs, 20 home runs, 79 RBI and 39 stolen bases.  When activated he figures to slot into the top of the Diamondbacks order where, assuming he is 100 percent, should be able to produce at a high level over the final month of the season and give fantasy owners a big boost.  He is currently owned in under 50 percent of leagues so check the wire and stash him now!

15 Team League

Andrew Benintendi, Bos – Benintendi was ranked as the No.9 prospect in baseball during their mid-season ranks thanks to his impressive play at the minor league level this season.  That production earned him a call-up to the big league roster last week and he has continued to produce at this level despite coming up from Double-A.  On the year Benintendi is hitting .500 (8-16) with three runs, three RBI and one stolen base.  Benintendi just missed his first major league home run on Tuesday night following an umpire review which deemed it to be a double.  He should hit for extra bases and steal bags for the Red Sox who boast the league’s top offense and therefore Benintendi has some good upside in deeper formats.

Starting Pitchers

10 Team League

Danny Duffy, KC –Duffy followed up his 16 strikeout effort against the Rays with a quality start win over the Blue Jays where he allowed two runs over 6.2 innings while striking out six. His next start will come on Thursday against the White Sox whose offense does little to intimidate opposing pitchers.  Duffy is owned in 80 percent of leagues which is relatively low for a guy who ranks among the top 15 starting pitchers this season in fantasy.

12 Team League

Hisashi Iwakuma, Sea – Iwakuma has not allowed a run over his last 14.1 innings which is an impressive feat seeing as the two teams he held scoreless were the Red Sox and Tigers who are among the top offenses is all of baseball.  On the year he is 13-7 with a 3.79 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.  His next start will come on Sunday against the A’s who he is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA against already this season.

15 Team League

Tom Koehler, Mia – Koehler is dialed in right now, having allowed just two earned runs over his last 27 innings while striking out 23 and walking six.  Despite this great run Koehler is owned in just about 15 percent of fantasy leagues.  His next start will come on the road against the Reds who he faced last month, allowing three runs over four innings of work.  If you are looking to ride the hot hand there may be nobody hotter hand Koehler right now.

Closers

10 Team League

Edwin Diaz, Sea –Diaz has notched four saves over the last week since taking over for the injured Steve Cishek and has totaled six strikeouts over five innings.  He has the ability to rack up a ton of Ks and the Mariners should provide him with plenty of save opportunities down the stretch.

12 Team League

Ryan Madson, Oak –Madson has collected three saves and a win over his last four outings and on the year is 4-4 with 24 saves and a 3.59 ERA.  The A’s are a middling team so the save chances may come and go for Madson but he has been relatively effective this season in a spot where there has already been a ton of changes around the league.

15 Team League

Fernando Rodney, Mia – With A.J. Ramos landing on the disabled list the Marlins turn to Rodney to close out games.  Rodney was light outs with the Padres as their closer but has struggled with the Marlins in a setup role.  Now closing Rodney has saved two games and has not yet allowed a run. The Marlins figure to give Rodney plenty of save chances which makes him worth snagging off the wire.