{"id":640609,"date":"2026-03-24T12:29:35","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T12:29:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/640609\/"},"modified":"2026-03-24T12:29:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T12:29:35","slug":"risers-fallers-2026-fantasy-baseball","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/640609\/","title":{"rendered":"Risers & Fallers (2026 Fantasy Baseball)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to our weekly column on fantasy baseball risers and fallers. Each week, I\u2019ll dive into players who are getting a bump up in value and those who are trending downward.<\/p>\n

This week, we\u2019re still a few days before Opening Day, so the focus is on players who have made their respective rosters.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s find out who\u2019s rising and falling as we get closer to the season.<\/p>\n

\"FantasyPros<\/a><\/p>\n

Risers & Fallers (2026 Fantasy Baseball)
\nFantasy Baseball Risers<\/p>\n

JJ Wetherholt (2B\/SS \u2013 STL)<\/a><\/p>\n

We were always pretty confident that JJ Wetherholt would make the Cardinals\u2019 Opening Day roster, but it\u2019s nice to see that confirmed today. Wetherholt is going to be the Cardinals\u2019 everyday second baseman, with a clear path to playing time on a rebuilding team.<\/p>\n

This is a top prospect who slashed .314\/.416\/.562 with 10 homers and nine steals in 221 plate appearances in Triple-A last season. He\u2019s a polished hitter with elite plate discipline, as highlighted by a 20.5 percent walk rate and a 15.9 percent strikeout rate in 44 plate appearances in spring training. There\u2019s 20-20 upside in this 23-year-old rookie.<\/p>\n

Zach Eflin (SP \u2013 BAL)<\/a><\/p>\n

Zach Eflin is coming off a disappointing season where he put up a 5.93 ERA in 71.1 innings, but there are reasons for optimism here. For one, Eflin is only one year removed from a 3.59 ERA in 165.1 innings. That year, the veteran righty put up a respectable 3.97 SIERA. There\u2019s a track record here, as this is an innings-eater with elite control.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s great about Eflin is that he looks like his former self this spring, where he tossed 7.1 scoreless innings with one walk and 10 strikeouts. Playing for a contending Orioles team, Eflin will be in a position to rack up wins. Pick him up if he\u2019s on your waiver wire. Take him late if you\u2019re still drafting.<\/p>\n

Paul Sewald (RP \u2013 ARI)<\/a><\/p>\n

Paul Sewald is the current favorite to become the Diamondbacks\u2019 closer. This is a veteran with 86 career saves under his belt, including 34 back in 2023. D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo recently mentioned that \u201che loves where Sewald is at\u201d when discussing the team\u2019s plans for the ninth inning.<\/p>\n

Given the lack of viable options, coupled with Sewald\u2019s experience, it makes sense for him to emerge as the closer. Whether you\u2019re desperate for saves or looking to stack up that category early in the year, Sewald makes sense as a waiver wire pickup or late-round sleeper.<\/p>\n

\"2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Fantasy Baseball Fallers<\/p>\n

Konnor Griffin (SS \u2013 PIT)<\/a><\/p>\n

Konnor Griffin is the consensus top prospect in baseball, boasting 20-50 upside as soon as this season. While there were rumblings that the Pirates could work out an extension with Griffin, things are now trending downward.<\/p>\n

Griffin is going to start the year in the minors. If you\u2019re still drafting, this gives you a chance to \u201cbuy the dip,\u201d as his ADP has decreased significantly. You should be able to grab him outside the top 200, which is a nice move. I don\u2019t think it will take long before we see Griffin up in the big leagues.<\/p>\n

Spencer Strider (SP \u2013 ATL)<\/a><\/p>\n

Spencer Strider has been placed on the injured list with an oblique injury. The Braves hope that Strider will be able to return to the team in a couple of weeks, but this is the latest bad news for a player with a lot of red flags.<\/p>\n

The former ace was a shell of his former self last season, and then he was showing decreased velocity in spring training. It\u2019s hard to feel encouraged about his value for this year, especially with the latest injury. If you draft him, a conservative estimate would be a mid-May return. Make a plan for the worst.<\/p>\n

Dennis Santana (RP \u2013 PIT)<\/a><\/p>\n

Pirates manager Don Kelly<\/a> spoke about how Dennis Santana won\u2019t always be used as a traditional closer, sometimes deployed in high-leverage situations. That means that we could see veteran Gregory Soto<\/a> get some chances here and there. Keep an eye out for Mason Montgomery<\/a>, who has the best stuff in this bullpen.<\/p>\n

As for Santana, it\u2019s hard not to be a bit disappointed with this news. Expect him to fall more in late drafts, as most fantasy baseball players don\u2019t want to deal with this headache.<\/p>\n

\"Fantasy<\/a><\/p>\n

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