OK, so more like Afternoon Buzz for you east coasters. Normally I like to have the article up earlier and before the games start, but circumstances prevented that today. So I hope you’re enjoying the Red Sox/Tigers game right now, though with the flu running rampant through the Boston clubhouse, you’re definitely looking at their B-Squad lineup. This piece is designed to help for seasonal play anyway, so your DFS research and questions should all be handled inside the DFS Playbook Pro and all that is offered there.

That being said, let’s get to it…

As we step into our first weekend of the regular season, we have to start preparing for waivers and setting our lineups for next week. We’ve got another edition of the James Grande’s Waiver Wire piece up right now and you’ll see a run of articles from the Weekly Planner to Two-Star Pitchers and Potential SP Streamer Options. All should prove to be extremely valuable as you do your research. In an attempt to augment the other writers’ work, I’d like use today’s Morning Buzz to take a look at some of the hot starts we’ve seen over the past several days and discuss whether or not some of these lesser-known, late-round guys are actually worth your time and attention.

Hitters

J.T. Realmuto, C MIA – There’s no denying what Realmuto is doing right now and while the numbers will regress to the mean eventually, we are looking at a 26-year old whose career trajectory is definitely heading upwards. It’s tough to think the power is going to see much of an increase overall, based on his minor league and last two big-league seasons’ ISO mark. He does have nice raw power, but expecting more than 15-18 home runs at his peak seems a little unrealistic. Not that there’s anything wrong with those totals. If he can continue to increase his usual walk rate and keep his strikeout rate to below 20-percent, then as a high-contact hitter, he should be able to produce at a relatively high level. Not sure if last year’s .303 average is in reach based on that high BABIP he posted last year, but even if he hits .280 with 15 home runs and a dozen stolen bases, he’ll be among the top five at the position.

Nomar Mazara, OF TEX – It’s amazing what one game can do to your totals this early in the season, isn’t it? He was actually posting a decent average to begin with, but after last night’s 3-for-5 with one him run, six RBI and two runs scored, he shot straight up the leaderboard for seasonal totals. There’s plenty to love with regard to the power potential, but he still needs to hone his plate discipline. Remember, he’s just 21 years old and entering his second full season, so it’s a work in progress. I don’t see a batting average much higher than .275 on the year, but 20-plus home runs is definitely within reach.

Yasiel Puig, OF LAD – Do I really need to gush anymore about Puig’s hit start? Probably not. I brought it up during yesterday’s show on Sirius and also chimed in during the Daily Bender. Bottom line is I believe in the changes in his mechanics at the plate and if he can just keep his head right and stay focused, the sky’s the limit. Only time will tell regarding the mental aspect of his game.

Travis Shaw, 3B MIL – The situation for him in Milwaukee is fantastic, but keep in mind, he had this same opportunity in Boston last year. He got off to a wicked hit start in 2016 which forced the team to bench the $100M Panda, but once the calendar flipped to may, Shaw showed exactly who he was – a 15-18 home run guy with a mediocre batting average. Don’t get sucked in by the hype. If you accept him for who he is, you can still utilize him as your third baseman, but don’t expect much more than what you saw last year.

Ryan Zimmerman, 1B WAS – He was written up in Grande’s waiver wire piece and I don’t disagree with the ability to use him in your lineup for right now. Might as well ride the wave until it breaks. And that’s exactly what happens with Zimmerman. He breaks. A lot. When healthy he’s an okay corner infielder to use, but just don’t rely on him for consistency this year.

Matt Kemp, OF ATL – The hamstring injury he left with Friday is supposed to be minor, but he is likely to get the day off today as the Braves want to remain cautious. While you’re never going to see the guy who was a home run shy of joining Club 40-40 back in 2011, you can still look to him as a 25-30 home run hitter with a .260-.270 average and no real speed. The club can’t afford to let him run, nor does he probably want to. Too much of a health risk. If he can just do his thing and hit behind Freddie Freeman all season long, the power and the RBI will be there.

Pitchers

Dylan Bundy, BAL – Quite the impressive start for the 24-year old right-hander and everyone is hoping that this is just a taste of what we’ve been hearing about for all these years. His low-90’s fastball is good, but it’s the command of his secondary offerings that seems to be what impressed me the most in this first outing. I’m not a huge fan of the high fly-ball rate, especially with Camden Yards as the home park, but he’s certainly worth sticking with to see how his season develops. Just know that there’s likely a 160-inning cap on his season this year. The O’s have been extremely cautious with him over the years, so they’re not going to switch gears now.

Brandon Finnegan, CIN – Love the start, love the pedigree, love the fact that he’s a lefty with high-strikeout potential. Command and the home run ball have been his undoing in the past, but here in his third season in the majors, he is looking to put it all together. If he can really put that slider to good use, work the changeup in sensibly and continue to post a strong ground ball rate, this kid could be a nice addition to your fantasy rotation.

Kendall Graveman, OAK – In all honesty, I don’t really have much to say about Graveman. He looked horrible this spring and had a good outing against the Angels to kick off his season. But there’s really not too much I like here overall. He doesn’t have swing-and-miss stuff so the strikeout potential is weak and he can be prone to the home run when he falls behind in the count. Today’s start against the Rangers in Arlington will likely tell you all you need to know. I know this is a seasonal piece, but if you’re playing DFS, you may want to look at some of the lefties in the Rangers lineup.

Kyle Freeland, COL – He had an outstanding debut against the Dodgers, though both Corey Seager and Adrian Gonzalez took a seat against the young southpaw. I like his four-pitch arsenal and his slider and curve should help induce a number of ground ball outs. You just have to accept the fact that he’s young and inexperienced which means he could get rattled easily and have his blow-ups. The Rockies pitching has looked solid here in the opening week, but Freeland is still a guy you can only view as a streamer for now…when he’s on the road!

Ivan Nova, PIT – Is he fixed? Did Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage cure whatever was ailing Nova? Since coming over from the Yankees, Nova has been using his four-seam fastball a lot less and he’s been doing a nice job of really pounding the strike zone. That has paid some nice dividends, particularly with his reduced walk rate and improved overall command. Keep a watchful eye on him because there’s always been potential. You may not see much more than a 7.0-7.5 K/9 from him, but he could provide you with solid ratios to help balance the middle of your fantasy rotation.

If you want to hear more on some of these hot starts, I’ll be on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio from 3-5pm ET. We’re talking waiver wire, hot starts and, of course, the cold ones too. Tune in if you can. If not, I’ll catch you on the other side of today’s Daily Bender.