No pitchers on this week’s list, folks. Just three quality sleeper candidates, a high risk, high reward name and a player that has somehow managed to fly under the radar, despite a stellar first six weeks. As always, I’ve done the digging and homework for you, so here’s Week 7’s list of potential sleepers you should be targeting.
Derek Dietrich - 2B, Miami Marlins
Dietrich's moderate 0.54 nERD is enough to make you turn away quickly, but his .353 OBP and .335 wOBA are definitely enough to make you take a second look. The Marlins have certainly noticed his success against left-handed pitching, and he's getting more opportunity, starting 10 of the last 11 games vs. righties. This week, six of Miami’s seven games are against right-handed starters, as well as on the road, which just happens to be Dietrich’s best split. So far this season he’s hitting .233 (7-30) with a double, two home runs, seven RBI, three walks and a stolen base away from home against right-handed pitching. Dietrich is only owned in about two percent of leagues, and likely will be dirt cheap on most daily sites all week, making him a great play.
Jonathan Villar - SS, Houston Astros
Villar is another player with underwhelming stats (.232 average, .289 OBP, 0.67 nERD) that might make you turn away, but he’s actually sporting a .462 slugging percentage and .331 wOBA, which are promising numbers. All of Houston’s games come at home this week, against the Texas Rangers (26th-ranked 4.55 team ERA) and Chicago White Sox (4.63 team ERA, 27th ranked), which is where Villar has his best splits. He’s killing lefties at home at a clip of .368 (7-19) with two doubles, a triple and two RBI, but also fairing nicely against righties with a .303 average, three homers, seven RBI and four stolen bases. The Astros face an even mix of three lefties and three righties, so Villar should be in for a big week against struggling rotations.
Brandon Moss - 1B/OF, Oakland Athletics
Moss comes into Week 7 sporting an impressive .458 SLUG, 3.48 OBP and .340 wOBA, but is still only a platoon player, starting nearly exclusively against right-handed pitching. But with good reason, as he’s hitting .262 (27-103, 27 of 31 total hits) with four doubles, a triple, five home runs, 24 RBI and 11 walks. Yes, he's owned in every league, but this is about outperforming expectations. And this week, the Athletics face five righties out of six games against the White Sox and Cleveland Indians (3.87 staff ERA, 17th ranked), so Moss will likely start at first or in the outfield for all five of those games, making him a serious contender for big numbers.
Corey Hart - 1B/OF, Seattle Mariners
I know the .217 average and a -0.14 nERD is miserable, and the .383 SLUG, .308 OBP and .306 wOBA don’t calm the nerves much either. But this makes Hart the perfect sleeper candidate, as he’s currently only owned in 53 percent of leagues and started in less than 30, and is always a cheap option in dailies.
He's a very streaky hitter, and could go off at the plate at any given time, and he has some prime conditions to do so. The Mariners face the Tampa Bay Rays (4.25 staff ERA, 23rd ranked) at home and the Minnesota Twins (4.71 ERA, 28th ranked) on the road, which surprisingly plays right into Hart’s best splits. He faces two of three lefties at home, whom he’s hitting .200 against with a homer, four RBI and three walks, and he faces three righties on the road, his second-strongest split; hitting .231 with three doubles, three homers, six RBI and four walks. Hart is the biggest risk on this list, but he is set up to pay off quite well for those willing to take it.
Todd Frazier - 3B, Cincinnati Reds
I know, you’re scoffing at me including someone as well known as Frazier on this list. I mean, he's fourth among third basemen in head-to-head leagues, and he's now hit safely in his last eight games (.323 average). Yet, despite this, he’s owned in only 86 percent of leagues and started in less than 75 percent. This is crazy to me, and technically catapults Frazier into fringe sleeper territory.
Frazier's two best splits come at home against righties (.327, four doubles, five homers, 15 RBI) and on the road vs. lefties (.333, one double, three runs, one RBI), which is good news, as he has three home games against righties and two-of-three road games against righties this week. Frazier is a must start, and probably your last week to get him before everyone finally catches on.