Whether you're in need of an injury fill-in or just a hot-hand play, Scott White has you covered with 10 sleeper hitters for the upcoming scoring period, all rostered in no more than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues. They're not must-starts by any estimation, but they're the best you'll find off the waiver wire.
Check back Sunday for the latest updates.
Sleeper hitters for Week 26 (Sept. 16-22)
Granted, you don't need much of an excuse to start Dylan Crews, whose proclivity for stolen bases has made him an immediate success in Fantasy, but having four lefties on the schedule this week makes the case more compelling. He's hit them especially well so far, going 7 for 17 (.412) with two homers.
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Tommy Edman has come back from a season-long wrist injury looking as good as ever, even hitting four homers over a two-game span, and of course, now has all the advantages of playing for the Dodgers. And the Dodgers have all the advantages of the best hitter matchups this week, with six of their seven games coming against the Marlins and Rockies pitching staffs.
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The Diamondbacks have the third-best hitter matchups this week, which includes three games at Coors Field, but it's a moot point for Joc Pederson if there are too many lefties on the schedule. Fortunately, there are precisely zero, and he's a .286 hitter with a .953 OPS against righties.
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Taylor Ward tends to get ridiculously hot at the start and end of a season while doing a whole bunch of nothing in between. Well, here we are at the end, and he's already homered five times this month. The matchups aren't amazing, but they likely aren't the sort that would slow him down either.
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Like the Diamondbacks, the Red Sox don't have a single left-hander on the schedule, and while the schedule isn't as favorable, it certainly has its soft points. Wilyer Abreu only plays against righties but tends to play well against them, boasting an .871 OPS.
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Jorge Soler has struggled to get going with the Braves but has shown faint signs of life lately. He still has considerable power and a prominent place in the lineup, making him a reasonable bet to take advantage of the Braves' second-best hitter matchups this week.
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It may seem like Pete Crow-Armstrong's production has slipped in September, but he's still batting .343 (12 for 35) for the month. Though the Cubs have the fifth-best hitter matchups this week, they do have four lefties on the schedule, which works against a left-handed hitter like him. He does hang in pretty well against lefties, though.
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The hype has died down a bit for Jake McCarthy, but he's remained a steady contributor for the Diamondbacks, batting .310 (54 for 174) with five homers and eight steals since the All-Star break. He'll get to enjoy the third-best hitter matchups this week, including a series at Coors Field and then hittable righties like Aaron Civale, Colin Rea, and Frankie Montas in Milwaukee.
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Mastaka Yoshida used to play more consistently for the Red Sox, but lately, he's taken to sitting against lefties, much like Wilyer Abreu. That won't be an issue this week with nothing but righties on the schedule, and it just so happens that Yoshida is batting .315 with an .843 OPS against righties.
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Andres Chaparro has been an everyday presence in the Nationals lineup, holding his own as a hitter with low strikeout and ground-ball rates. He's been at his best against lefties, though, batting .344 (11 for 32) with a 1.104 OPS, and the Nationals have four of those on the schedule this week.
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Best hitter matchups for Week 26
1. Dodgers @ATL1, @MIA3, COL3
2. Braves LAD1, @CIN3, @MIA3
3. Diamondbacks @COL3, @MIL4
4. Pirates @STL4, @CIN3
5. Cubs OAK3, WAS4
Worst hitter matchups for Week 26
1. Rangers TOR3, SEA3
2. Reds ATL3, PIT3
3. Tigers @KC3, @BAL3
4. Athletics @CHC3, NYY3
5. Brewers PHI3, ARI4
