It was around this time last year when several unlikely fantasy heroes emerged from waivers to catapult contending teams into championships. Players like Cole Ragans, Evan Carter, Luis Campusano, and others were among the top producers in their respective positions down the stretch. There’s no guarantee those type of impact players will appear this season, but the only way you can benefit is by making quick speculative adds. That’s why we provide a fresh batch of viable deep league waiver wire targets each week to help fantasy managers find that last critical piece to their rosters.
Deep League Waiver Wire Targets for Week 21
15-Team Mixed League Targets
1. Zebby Matthews, SP, Twins
Normally when a big-name prospect gets called up for their debut it’s not actionable in deep leagues as the player is already stashed on a roster. However, every now and then a player rises so quickly during the season that they are out there on waivers. That’s the case with Zebby Matthews of the Twins in most deep leagues. Not only did Matthews make his surprise debut this week but he flourished with only five hits and five strikeouts across five innings. For those who have followed his ascension in the minors this year, his success likely comes as no surprise. His 2.60 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in the minors demonstrate his potential to make an immediate impact down the stretch.
Zebby Matthews showed out in his MLB debut🌟
5 IP / 5 H / 2 R / 0 BB / 5 K @Twins | #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/jvajVG2dEM
— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) August 14, 2024
2. Will Wagner, 2B, Blue Jays
Over the last couple of years, multiple exciting new middle infield options have arisen on the Blue Jays roster. Last year it was Davis Schneider and now this year it appears as if Will Wagner is the next impact player to appear. In his first game on August 12, Wagner made quite the impression with three hits and an RBI. His additional two hits in his second game put him in the record books for Blue Jays’ rookie starts. While Wagner never showed much in terms of power and speed in the minors, he has a near .300 career batting average over his time in the minors. For those in deep leagues looking for positive contributions in batting average, runs, and on-base percentage, he should be a priority add this week.
Will Wagner’s only the fifth player in franchise HISTORY to record 5 hits in his first two @MLB games! pic.twitter.com/BF5KCQDpaa
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 14, 2024
AL-Only League Targets
1. Nick Sogard, SS, Red Sox
One aspect of player evaluation that gets elevated in AL or NL-only leagues is the strength of a team’s lineup. The ability for a team to score more runs often creates an extra little advantage between comparable players on different teams. One example of this is with Nick Sogard on the Red Sox. Since securing a steady presence in the lineup he has benefited from additional run and RBI opportunities. While he isn’t a standout in any hitting category with a batting an average of .250 on the season with no home runs, he can provide a key middle infield addition that offers consistency in playing time and scoring opportunities.
Nick Sogard continues to make the most of his opportunity in the majors. Good things happen when he is at the plate.
— Jamie Gatlin (@JamieGatlin17) August 14, 2024
2. Jake Cousins, RP, Yankees
Ever since Mariano Rivera’s retirement the closer situation for the Yankees has been erratic at best. As soon as it seems a new closer has a firm grip on the role they completely collapse. This is clearly the case with Clay Holmes who continues to falter at key moments. His recent struggles have opened the door for new faces to try out the role, as has happened with the surging Jake Cousins. While Cousins only has one save as of late, he appears to be the only reliable option in the Yankees bullpen now. In fact, he is putting up dominant numbers with a near league-leading strikeout rate and a minuscule ERA and WHIP. Cousins is worth a flyer for more saves and a good bet for strong ratio contributions moving forward.
Since June 27, Jake Cousins has the second-highest strikeout rate of any reliever with 20+ innings pitched (37%).
He has a 2.14 ERA and lowered his walk rate down to 7.4% in that span as well.pic.twitter.com/qJO2NtbI37
— Max Goodman (@MaxTGoodman) August 14, 2024
NL-Only League Targets
1. Jonah Bride, 1B, Marlins
A true dark horse candidate to become this season’s fantasy playoffs superhero is Jonah Bride. After two dismal seasons with the Athletics to start his career, it’s unlikely that he’ll emerge as a valuable long-term fantasy asset. Though, as we’ve seen many times before a player can catch fire for a portion of the season when in a new league and facing new pitchers for the first time. Right now Bride is on a heater, batting .308 with five home runs over his last 15 games. It’s hard to know how much longer it may last but it’s worth riding the wave while it has momentum.
Jonah Bride crushes his 5th HR of the season.
It's a 3-run shot.
3-0 @Marlins. pic.twitter.com/dKz4KkHlif
— Marlins Radio Network (@MarlinsRadio) August 14, 2024
2. Andres Chapparo, 3B, Nationals
Similar to the aforementioned Will Wagner, the recent debut of Andres Chapparo has quickly caught the attention of many fantasy analysts. In his first game in the big leagues, he incredibly hit three doubles. Unlike Wagner, extra-base hits are part of Chapparo’s game, with 51 in the minors this season, 23 of which were home runs. Perhaps more impressive was his rise in batting average in the minors from .247 in 2023 to .328 in 2024! A caveat is the switch to the PCL, but still there were clear gains made in his hit tool. Andres Chapparo presents a sneaky speculative add in NL-only leagues this week.
TRIPLE DOUBLE DEBUT pic.twitter.com/thmA6OqYRC
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) August 14, 2024
Got a few deep league waiver wire targets of your own? Don’t be greedy! Drop some names in the comments below.