Fantasy Baseball 2019: Ranking Sleepers to Track for MLB Week 18

Some of the top sleepers available in fantasy baseball will be given the opportunity to play more in August and September thanks to deals that sent players at their position elsewhere. 

Other under-the-radar stars worth considering have performed well at the plate recently and are worthy of pickups before everyone else in your league finds out about them. 

While there are a good amount of sleeper prospects on the waiver wire, there are a few who have stood out among the pack in recent weeks that warrant immediate additions.

Top Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

Josh VanMeter, OF, Cincinnati

Josh VanMeter has emerged as one of the top sleeper picks in fantasy baseball over the last week, and his role in Cincinnati could grow even more with Yasiel Puig off to Cleveland. 

In his last five starts, the outfielder recorded 10 hits, including three base knocks in back-to-back contests versus Milwaukee and Colorado. 

During that stretch, VanMeter played three different positions, drove in four runs and crossed home plate on seven occasions. 

Because he was trending in the right direction, he warranted your attention before Puig was shipped to the Indians in the three-team deal that brought Trevor Bauer to the Reds. 

Now there is an outfield position open in the Cincinnati starting lineup, VanMeter should receive more opportunities to showcase his bat. 

Over the next few weeks, he is likely to benefit from hitting in his home stadium, with the Reds playing four of their six series between August 1 and 21 at Great American Ball Park.

VanMeter has a .381 batting average and 1.123 OPS inside the confines of his own dwelling. 

The 24-year-old is owned in 33 percent of Yahoo leagues and 28 percent of ESPN competitions, per FantasyPros.com.

Before he extends his current run of form and pops on to the radar of more owners, you should find a spot for VanMeter in your lineup before he takes advantage of his additional opportunities in the Reds order.

Manuel Margot, OF, San Diego

Manuel Margot is not as hot at the plate as VanMeter, but he is worth a look since he is owned by so few teams.

The San Diego outfielder is on the roster in 19 percent of Yahoo leagues, and that total drops to nine percent if you participate in an ESPN contest. 

Margot has had a successful July with five multi-hit games, four of which occurred over the span of five days. 

Since July 20, the 24-year-old has three hits to his name, but two of them were recorded against the San Francisco Giants in the Padres' most recent weekend series. 

While San Diego's string of road games in the next week against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners may scare away some prospective owners at first glance, Margot has found success on his travels. 

All five of his multi-hit performances in July have come away from Petco Park, with the first of them occurring against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who the Padres visit for four games from Thursday to Sunday. 

A trip to Seattle should help Margot build confidence at the plate since the Mariners are mired at the bottom of the American League West. 

If he continues to hit the ball well in August, he could end up as a solid value pickup to help your squad over the next two months. 

Anthony Santander, OF, Baltimore

Do not lost sight of Baltimore just because it is at the bottom of the standings. 

The Orioles still possess players with fantasy value, including outfielder Anthony Santander. 

The outfielder will not receive as much as attention as the two players mentioned above because of where he plays, but some owners are taking notice, earning him a roster spot in 35 percent of Yahoo leagues and 18 percent in ESPN.

Santander has swung an effective bat for most of July, with a four-hit day against Boston on July 20 the standout game at the dish. 

Since reaching base on four occasions versus the Red Sox, the 24-year-old earned four more multi-hit games to raise his batting average to .298.

During the Orioles' last home stand, Santander earned 12 hits over a nine-game span, and he will have a chance to replicate that with 10 matchups against Toronto, the New York Yankees and Houston from August 1-11.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference.