Big Kid Adds (Week 9)

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While the NFBC Main Event garners most of the attention, there are a handful of leagues with even larger entry fees ($2.5K to $15K). They are named Elite leagues (previously called High Stakes Leagues), and there are nine of them. With so much money on the line, these fantasy managers try to gain every advantage. Most of the time, these managers will be a week or two ahead of everyone else on their adds. Here are the players and some information on the ones added in five or more leagues.

Batters

Esmerlyn Valdez (8): Several rookie hitters got called up over the weekend, and Valdez was one of them. I examined the group earlier in the week, and I wasn’t that high on many of them, including Valdez.

While the 22-year-old has 2 HR (his only hits so far) in 18 PA, he has a 50% K% (58% Contact%) dragging down his fantasy value. While he struggled with strikeouts when he first signed, he had a 25% K% in the minors last year and a 21 K% so far this season in AAA. I’m interested to see where this goes, but I’m not sure he can be started until he begins making more contact.

Bryan Torres (8): Torres was part of the group of hitters I previously examined. I was not a fan of Torres because I didn’t like his profile and didn’t think he would be in the majors very long.

While Torres has some power, his fantasy value lies in stealing bases (26 in ’25, 10 in ’26) and getting on base (.336 AVG, .454 OBP in AAA in ’26). He’s similar to Austin Martin.

One issue with Torres is that he got the promotion because Nathan Church went on the IL. Besides Church coming back, Lars Nootbaar should be coming off the IL soon, and Joshua Báez could also get promoted. Torres has fantasy value … for now.

Colt Emerson (7): The 12th overall prospect was disappointing in his time at AAA (27% K%, .816 ISO) while dealing with a wrist injury. Emerson seems over the injury and is batting .258/.361/.516 with 1 HR and a 22% K% in 36 PA in the majors.

The “issue” with Emerson is that he’s not elite in any one skill but maybe average in several of them. Think prime Bryan Reynolds. Maybe Michael Harris II. I think that’s the upside. If going off his projections, he’s Connor Joe.

Paul Goldschmidt (7): Goldschmidt transitioned from just a short-side platoon bat to the full-time first baseman. Enjoy the playing time since Goldy continues to struggle against righties (.552 OPS) while crushing lefties (1.203 OPS). Since he started facing righties on the 20th, he has hit .214/.267/.250.

Richie Palacios (7): The Rays faced six right-handed starters this week, so Palacios, a strong-side platoon bat, would get several starts. On the season, he has stolen a few bases (7 SB) with a .260 AVG. A weekly streamer.

Jake Meyers (6): Since coming off the IL, Meyers started in six of eight games while batting .125/.160/.250 with 1 HR. His 28% K% (19% K% before going on the IL, 18% in ’25) is a major red flag. He’s barely fantasy relevant, and if he becomes a major batting average drag, he should be on the waiver wire.

Dylan Crews (5): Crews seemed to be the must-add of the group (already added in the other leagues). Usually, projections aren’t a fan of prospects, but they have Crews as a 20 HR/25 SB guy with a .240 AVG. Here are his Steamer600 comps.

A fantasy manager has to take a chance on that profile. So far, so good in 34 PA: .242/.265/.364, 1 HR, 1 SB.

David Hamilton (5): Hamilton steals bases and nothing else (0 HR, .223 AVG) while playing most of the time (7 starts in the last 10 games).

Blake Dunn (5): The 27-year-old started eight straight games while batting .333/.393/.471 with 1 HR and 2 SB on the season. In two previous callups, he struggled to make contact (38% K% in ’24, 33% K% in ’25) but has a 21% K% this season (18% K% in AAA).

He still has a fairly flat swing (4 deg AtkAng, 9 deg LA, 49% GB%), so the home runs will be limited. At least he’s getting more lift than last season (5 deg AtkAng, 0 deg LA, 64% GB%)

Jake Mangum (5): Someone thought that since Mangum started in four of five games, he would continue to do so. He has not played once since Sunday. He is similar to several of the guys featured in that he steals some bases (6 SB) with no home runs. So far this season, he’s batting .250/.324/.272. If a batter is going to contribute in only one category, he’s going to need to play every game.

Starters

Jonah Tong (7): I could get behind taking a chance on a former top pitching prospect for an $8 dart, but spending nearly 10% of a team’s budget on an arm that struggled in the last time they were in the majors and was horrible in AAA this season was not a good use of resources. While Tong didn’t allow a run in 3 IP on Wednesday, he walked four batters and allowed three hits (7.71 xFIP).

The walk issues are nothing new and are a real cause for concern. In the majors last year, he posted a 4.3 BB/9 (1.77 WHIP). It was a 5.7 BB/9 (1.37 WHIP) in AAA. I’d rather start a middle reliever.

Lucas Giolito (7): Managers knew Giolito’s fastball velocity was down 3 mph and he was struggling in his rehab assignment (5.39 xFIP, 1.41 WHIP), so why the adds? So far, stupidity has been somewhat rewarded with a 2.70 ERA, even though his 1.30 WHIP is doing as much ratio damage as a 4.34 ERA. He has a 7.2 BB/9 and just a 4.5 K/9. No pitcher has ever been successful walking more batters than they have struck out. I’m not betting on Giolito being the first.

There is nothing to build off when digging into his pitches. His 90 mph fastball gets crushed, and none of his secondaries have a 10% SwStr% or better.

Kai-Wei Teng (6): Finally, a pitcher with some talent. Teng is making the transition from reliever to starting. In his last three starts, he has a 1.93 ERA (4.41 xFIP, 3.84 BotERA), 1.21 WHIP. Not great, but streamable in most leagues.

He’s kept the same five-pitch repertoire since when starting, but his four-seam velocity is down 1.5 mph, and his sinker is down 0.4 mph. I could see him as a low-4.00 ERA talent. As his starter, he has a 4.19 xFIP, 4.04 BotERA, and 11.6% K-BB% (down from 17.1%). Not great, but streamable in these deeper leagues.

Eric Lauer (6): After struggling with the Blue Jays (6.69 ERA, 5.43 xFIP, 4.0 BB/9, 1.49 WHIP), the Dodgers signed him. In one start, he allowed only one run over 6 IP while only walking one batter. One obvious change with the Dodgers was that he didn’t throw any of his ineffective sliders (5% SwStr%). Our STUPH models are split on the Dodgers start, which came in at a 4.70 botERA but a 102 Pitching+.

Maybe he’s a low-4.00 ERA talent. I could see him being a streaming option with the Dodgers until he proves he’s not.

Spencer Miles (5): Now, here is a pitcher I’d feel good about adding. The Rule 5 pick has been solid out of the bullpen with a 2.37 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. While relieving, he has thrown multiple innings but just started going three or more innings in his last four appearances. Over that stretch, he has a 0.59 ERA (2.59 xFIP), 0.85 WHIP, and 9.4 K/9. His 20.7 K-BB% would rank 16th among qualified pitchers between Chase Burns and Parker Messick. Our STUPH models love him in these games with a 3.16 botERA and 106 Pitch+

He uses a four-pitch mix to get batters out. The usage range from 19% to 35%. The diamond of the group is his 96-mph sinker with a 10% SwStr% and 64% GB%. Besides the sinker, his curve is solid with a 12% SwStr%.

The only knock for now is how few innings he’s pitched per outing (max 4 IP). He’s been slowly increasing his workload (15 pitches to 27 to 38 to 56 to 63 to 67), so hopefully he starts throwing 80+ pitches soon.

Anthony Kay (5): Fantasy managers bet on his two-start week against the Twins and Tigers. He rewarded them with a Win, 5 K, 1 BB, and 1 ER in 6 IP in the first start. Even if Kay gets lit up in the second start, that’s a huge.

On the season, Kay’s results have been disappointing with a 3.96 ERA (5.05 xFIP), 1.39 WHIP (4.0 BB/9), and 6.7 K/9. His 6.8 K-BB% is the 6th lowest among the 103 pitchers with at least 50 IP.

He has been better over the last five starts with a 1.98 ERA (4.13 xFIP). He pounded the strike zone during this stretch, going from a 5.4 K/9 to a 7.9 K/9 and 5.0 BB/9 to 3.0 BB/9. The biggest change has been moving from his four-seamer (52% Zone%) to his sinker (60% Zone%, 8% SwStr%, 66% GB%). I’ve noticed some pitchers needed to move away from four-seamers since hitters aren’t chasing them at the top of the strike zone and throwing more sinkers. The league-wide rate is up 1.3% points from last season and the most sinkers thrown since 2018.

Assuming Kay is a new pitcher in these last five games, he has a 4.13 ERA and 3.70 botERA. That’s solid in these deeper formats, and I wish I had dug in a little deeper when FAAB ran since he was not on my radar.

Relievers

Jeff Hoffman (7): He’s been solid in May (3.06 ERA, 2.07 xFIP, 1.37 WHIP, 11.6 K/9) with two Saves in the last week. Solid add.

Drew Anderson (6): Picked up a Save on Sunday after Kenley Jansen blew the league. So far this week, he has a Win. He could be in line for Saves with Jansen struggling. On the season, Anderson has a 3.44 ERA (3.19 xFIP), 1.17 WHIP, and 11.1 K/9.