Fantasy Baseball 2021: Highlighting Top Sleepers for MLB Week 25
Still have a pulse in your fantasy baseball league?
You probably wouldn't be reading this unless you did, although let's send special kudos to those fantasy managers who run through the tape regardless of their place in the standings. The best leagues are the most competitive ones, and that means everyone is competing from top to bottom.
Still, with the 2021 MLB campaign closing on Oct. 3, those still invested are probably competing for all the marbles, be that a head-to-head championship or the race to No. 1 in a rotisserie league.
In other words, stakes could not be higher, and there is zero margin for error. Roster maximization is a must, so let's spotlight three sleepers—available in 50-plus percent of Yahoo leagues, per FantasyPros—capable of contributing over the final week-plus.
Austin Hays, OF, Baltimore Orioles (43 Percent Rostered)
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Entering Tuesday night, Austin Hays had played 18 games in September and hit safely in all but two of them. In fact, his heater predates the month, as he entered it on an eight-game hitting streak.
After batting .274 in August, he's up to .292 in September. He's even taking a few free passes, too, which has helped him bump his on-base percentage to .346 this month, up from .294 in August. In points leagues or roto leagues that use OBP, that's a significant spike.
So, too, is the power he is suddenly displaying. He had just 10 homers between April and July. He's up to 11 since the start of August with seven in September alone. The month-plus also accounts for 31 of his 67 RBI.
The schedule gods also have him positioned for a strong finish. The Toronto Blue Jays, who rank 10th in team ERA, are the strongest pitching staff he'll face. His other opponents are the Boston Red Sox (15th), Philadelphia Phillies (20th) and Texas Rangers (25th).
Jesus Sanchez, OF, Miami Marlins (19 Percent Rostered)
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Playing time can sometimes be tough to gauge this late in the season. Playoff participants might search out some rest opportunities ahead of the postseason, while bottom-feeders can back off of their veterans with nothing to play for.
For a youth-filled rebuilder like the Marlins, though, Jesus Sanchez is exactly the kind of player who should comfortably be plugged into an everyday role. He's a 23-year-old prospect getting his first real taste of MLB action, and he's devouring every second of it, especially lately.
Entering Tuesday, he had six home runs and 13 RBI in just his last 10 games. He has four multi-hit games and a .333 over this stretch.
The Marlins have two off days left on the schedule but also a double-header, so Sanchez should be plenty busy over this final stretch. That's a big enough opportunity for power-needy teams to take note.
Lane Thomas, OF, Washington Nationals (32 Percent Rostered)
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For much of the year, season-long stats are the best resources to use. Since you're banking on sustainability, it's best to trust the biggest sample size.
However, the exception to that rule is right now. You don't even need the numbers to hold up for two weeks, so consider this your green light to go streak-chasing.
Which leads us to Lane Thomas, who is streaking through the month of September and seems ready to race to the finish line. Entering Tuesday, he had four multi-hit games in his last six contests, including five extra-base hits with two home runs.
The 26-year-old is hitting .300 with a .380 on-base percentage for the month. All six of his home runs and 17 of his 24 RBI this season have come in September.
With the Nationals' current road trip soon featuring stops in Great American Ball Park (Cincinnati) and Coors Field (Colorado), all arrows point to an electric finish for Thomas.
