Success in fantasy baseball isn’t just about surviving the draft, it is about the relentless pursuit of incremental upgrades through the waiver wire.
Though many managers grow emotionally attached to their mid-round picks, the elite ones understand that a roster is a living organism that requires constant pruning. Every Sunday, your waiver wire search should be distilled into three specific objectives: finding a legitimate power source, identifying a speed specialist to flip those narrow stolen base categories, and hunting for an upgrade to the catcher you currently roster.
When hunting for power, your first stop always should include the “Coors Field factor.” This week, fantasy managers should sprint to the wire for Rockies infielder TJ Rumfield. Though he might not have the name recognition of some veteran sluggers, Rumfield is currently locked into a favorable spot in the Colorado lineup.
Playing half his games in the thin air of Denver provides a massive floor for his power production, but his underlying metrics suggest he is more than just a product of his environment. Rumfield has shown an elite ability to pull the ball with authority, and with the Rockies soon scheduled for a long homestand, he is the perfect candidate to provide a multi-homer week for teams sliding in the home run standings.
Speed, however, remains the most volatile and expensive commodity in fantasy baseball. If you find your team stagnant in stolen bases, Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell is the high-ceiling solution you need.
He possesses true “game-changing” speed that translates into aggressive baserunning. Unlike many fringe speedsters who only run when given a green light, Mitchell has the pedigree and the organizational trust to be a constant threat.
His recent uptick in on-base percentage is the key: As long as he is reaching first base, he is a threat to swipe second and third. In a landscape where true stolen base specialists are at a premium, Mitchell offers the rare combination of elite sprint speed and consistent playing time in a competitive Brewers offense.
Finally, the most common mistake fantasy managers make comes in ignoring the catcher position and never seeking an upgrade to whomever they currently roster. Holding onto a veteran catcher batting .210 just because of their name value is a recipe for disaster. This is where Carter Jensen of the Royals comes in.
Jensen is rapidly proving to be better than a significant portion of the catchers currently rostered in standard leagues. As long as he is awake, he brings a disciplined approach to the plate that is rare for the position, prioritizing walks and high-quality contact over empty swings.
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In many formats, Jensen’s ability to contribute to your batting average and on-base percentage while hitting in the heart of a surging Royals lineup makes him an immediate upgrade over the league-average backstop.
By focusing your weekly waiver wire activity on these three pillars — power, speed, catcher — you transform your team from a static group of names into a dynamic, category-winning machine. Don’t wait for your underperforming starters to figure it out. The upgrades are waiting for you on the wire.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy, catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Ch. 87) weekdays from 6-8 p.m. and dominate your leagues with the latest baseball news and advice from Fantasy Alarm.