Ottoneu Hot Right Now: September 16, 2026

Hot Right Now (HRN) is a weekly Ottoneu feature focused on popular players currently being auctioned or players who you should think about auctioning in your Ottoneu leagues. Even if you don’t play Ottoneu, we’ll be highlighting players you should be looking at in deeper and keeper formats. In this feature, we will break down players into two sections:

1. Current Auctions: A closer look at players being auctioned at a high rate.
2. Hot Performers: Players with a high P/G or P/IP over the last 14 days who are also rostered in 80% of leagues or less.

The RotoGraphs Ottoneu team plans to run this feature weekly, updating fantasy managers on the biggest movers in Ottoneu leagues with an analysis of how these players could or could not help your roster.

Current Auctions

Victor Mesa Jr. — 43 current auctions — 33.1% roster%

Victor Mesa Jr. has emerged as the full-time right fielder for the Rays after making his big league debut back in late May. He hit the IL in mid August with a minor hamstring strain, but he’s been on a tear since being activated on September 1; he’s put up a .450/.500/.800 slash line (a 262 wRC+) in 12 games this month with three home runs and three stolen bases.

As a prospect, Mesa was known more for his defense because his hit tool looked like it would hold him back from putting up a competent batting line in the majors. He’s extremely aggressive at the plate, swinging at a ton of pitches both in and out of the zone. He elevates his contact often enough that he’ll be able to run into a bunch of extra-base hits on a hot streak like he’s on right now, but his low contact and high chase rates mean he’ll be pretty streaky when his batted balls aren’t landing for hits.

With just a week and a half left in the season, Mesa could provide a hot bat for those teams still competing for a championship, though his streakiness could mean that his bat goes cold at a moment’s notice. For teams looking to take a flier on an interesting youngster for next year, I wouldn’t roster Mesa for more than $2 or $3 if you’re hoping to keep him.

Adael Amador — 36 current auctions — 31.1% roster%

Adael Amador exhausted his rookie eligibility last year so he’s technically a post-hype prospect, but he’s getting another shot to prove he can stick in the majors late this summer. After a very brief callup in mid August, he rejoined the big league squad after rosters expanded in September. Across 17 games, he’s posted a .309/.387/.582 slash line (a 149 wRC+) with four home runs, a huge step forward for him after struggling so much during his first two tries in the majors.

The big concern with Amador’s profile as a prospect was whether or not he’d be able to make enough contact to make up for his limited power and unimpressive batted ball quality. He’s made some impressive strides forward in that area this year; his minor league contact rate was up five points from his career norm and it’s up to 88.4% in the big leagues in limited action. His batted ball quality still leaves a lot to be desired — his hard hit rate is a mere 25.6% — but he’s putting the ball in play a bunch more which has helped his overall line.

Colorado has every reason to continue playing Amador everyday to see if his contact rate improvements are for real. The four home runs he’s hit already feel like a fluke based on his batted ball metrics, so I wouldn’t expect a bunch of power out of his bat moving forward. Like Mesa above, his hot bat could help out a desperate team still seeking a league championship, but looking to keep him for next year is a little more fraught. He doesn’t have a guaranteed role and his recent success doesn’t erase the struggles he’s had over the last few seasons.

Hot Performers
Players with a high P/G or P/IP over the last 14 days rostered in 80% of leagues or less.

Javier Sanoja — 9.5 FGPts/G (last 14 days) — 23.3% roster%

In September, Javier Sanoja has gone hitless just once in 14 games. He’s collected multiple hits in half of those games and has even chipped in three home runs. The Marlins’ utility man has quietly been one of the team’s best hitters this year and he’s finishing the season on a huge hot streak.

There’s a lot to like in Sanoja’s profile: he doesn’t strikeout very often, he sprays line drives all across the field, and he’s eligible at every fantasy position except catcher and first base (yes, he’s even eligible at pitcher). He’s prone to streakiness because of his extremely aggressive approach at the plate and reliance on BABIP to prop up his batting line. When things are landing on the grass — like they are now — he can look fantastic, but that hot streak can be snuffed out extremely quickly if his batted ball luck turns. He’s worth a flier if you’re desperate for a hitter over these last few days of the season.

Andrew Alvarez — 6.9 FGPts/IP (last 14 days) — 50.9% roster%

Andrew Alvarez is coming off the best start of his career, a seven-inning, one-hit shutout of the Angels with eight strikeouts. He’s been a solid pitcher for the Nationals this year as he works up to a full big league workload. Longevity in his starts has been an issue in the past, he’s averaged just a hair over five innings per start this year, but he’s pitched into the sixth and beyond in two of his last three outings.

The most important aspect of his profile for Ottoneu is his ability to suppress hard contact. He’s allowed just five home runs on the season and his barrel rate allowed sits in the 85th percentile. Opposing batters can’t help but roll over his curveball and sinker, and his repertoire is deep enough to keep them off balance when he’s throwing his four-seam or slider.

The Nationals’ schedule over this next week and a half is pretty favorable, too. Alvarez is lined up to face the Cardinals in St. Louis and the Mets at home. If you’re looking to stream a starter to ensure you hit your innings pitched cap by the end of the season, Alvarez seems like a good bet to earn some value across his final two starts of the year.