Success in any brand of baseball, Major League or fantasy league, is measured by more than just the contributions of star players. The guys who unexpectedly step up and deliver throughout the season most often make or break that team’s chances of competing for a championship.

In real baseball, managers have tentative ideas of what each player on his 25-man roster will give him throughout the season. Fantasy owners aren’t much different. They do their best selecting players in their preseason drafts, then scour the waiver wire all season long looking for diamonds in the rough who can help their chances for a league title. Read more »

It’s hard to make sense of statistics this early in the season because any Tom, Dick or Harry can heat up for three-game stretches. It happens all the time. Figuring out who’s legit and who’s not is usually a longer term process, so lots of times it pays to jump on board with hot streaks and just see how far they take you.

At the same time, there are proven commodities and exciting young players sitting on the waiver wire, ripe for the taking. Waiting for them to heat up is a good way to lose out to rival managers waiting for the very same thing. To stay on the cutting edge, it’s imperative to take leaps of faith on players you believe will be good sooner rather than later. Read more »