Fantasy Baseball Week 1 Hitting Waiver Options: Luis Campusano, Jose Abreu, Brendan Donovan, JP Crawford, Charlie Blackmon and More

Discussing some week 1 fantasy baseball waiver wire hitting options, with help from the FantasySP projections page.

The MLB season kicks off Thursday, March 28, so it’s time to get those starting lineups locked in.

There’s been a ton of early injuries, which might leave you scrambling for starting options early in the season. Today, let’s use the FantasySP fantasy baseball projections page to highlight some waiver wire options that might be able to help you out.

We’ll stick with hitters only in this story. Check back soon for the waiver wire story for pitchers.

Get ready for draft season! Check out our Mock Draft Simulator, Average Draft Position list and Draft Genius!

Catchers

San Diego Padres’ Luis Campusano is projected to have the second-most fantasy points in the first week of the fantasy baseball season (March 28-31). He’s only owned in 29% of leagues, according to our charts.

Campusano looked good in the Seoul Series last week, collecting three hits and two RBIs and scoring twice. Two of his three hits were doubles.

While a handful of teams only play three games in their first regular season series, the Padres play four games. It’s unlikely that Campusano starts at catcher all four games, but even if he sits once, he’ll likely play just as much or more still as most of the other catchers around the league.

Cleveland Guardians’ Bo Naylor is another catcher who has four games in week one. He only hit for a .237 average a season ago, but did club 11 homers across 67 games played. Naylor has a favorable week ahead, as the Guardians take on the Oakland Athletics.

Naylor, owned in 48% of leagues, likely will get three starts this week, so if your catcher is injured and unavailable in week one, Naylor is a good waiver wire option.

First Base

Our projections like San Diego’s Jake Cronenworth as well. He’s owned in 49% of leagues right now.

Cronenworth also was great in the Seoul Series, finishing with a .500 average. He had four hits, four RBIs and two runs scored.

The nice thing with Cronenworth is that he’s likely playable at several positions, so he could be one of the more impactful waiver wire adds, even if it’s only for a few days. He plays nearly every day when he’s healthy, so there’s a good chance he’ll be in the lineup four times this week.

Houston Astros’ Jose Abreu, owned in just 47% of leagues, also has four games scheduled this week. 

Abreu had a down season in 2023, but still drove in 90 runs and clubbed 18 homers across 141 games. He’s projected to hit fifth in the order, and will be going up against a New York Yankees’ rotation that’ll be without Gerrit Cole.

Abreu is one of those guys that could go from waiver wire add to everyday fantasy starter if he’s able to bounce back a bit this season. Give him a try if you are after a first baseman.

Second Base

St. Louis Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan is a sparsely-owned fantasy player that catches my eye at the 2B position. He’s owned in only 19% of leagues and should have position eligibility all over the field.

He’s projected to start most days as the team’s designated hitter, but should find his way into the lineup just about every day in some fashion. The matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers isn’t super favorable, but as the projected leadoff hitter for St. Louis, he’ll have plenty of opportunities to help you out.

Seattle Mariners’ Jorge Polanco is already owned in 76% of leagues, but is a good option if you need a 2B, and might just be a long-term option too.

He’s projected to hit in the heart of the team’s lineup, after J.P. Crawford and Julio Rodriguez and before Mitch Garver and Cal Raleigh. It’s a good spot to be, and I’m honestly a little surprised his own percentage is as low as it is. 

Add Polanco now, and I’m guessing he’s a guy you’ll not only be able to start for games in week one, but throughout the season.

Shortstop

Apparently fantasy owners have an issue with Seattle players, because Crawford is another waiver wire option at shortstop. He’s owned in 75% of leagues and projected for the most points at the position in week one.

This is another head scratcher to me. Crawford has solid career numbers and is coming off his best season in 2023. I like Seattle’s lineup better now, so his fantasy value should only rise.

Add Crawford now, and like Polanco, you probably have yourself a starter for the rest of the season. At the very least, he should play in four games this week.

Houston’s Jeremy Pena, rostered in 67% of leagues, is a player I’ve been talking about all spring in the leadup to the season. He doesn’t hit for a ton of power, but he plays nearly everyday and has a solid .259 career average and .307 on-base percentage. He’s also just 26, and I think his best days are still ahead of him.

Four games this week definitely gives Pena a boost, and makes him a solid streaming option for the first few days of the season.

Third Base

Arizona Diamondbacks’ Eugenio Suarez, owned in 39% of leagues, is an intriguing streaming option at third base. 

He’s projected to hit in the bottom half of a really good Arizona lineup, so he still should have plenty of RBI chances. Suarez’s home run total dropped last season, but could jump back up in a better all-around lineup.

Suarez will have four games against a lackluster Colorado Rockies’ pitching staff to open the season, so I’m definitely open to adding Suarez for week one.

On the other side of that series is Colorado’s Ryan McMahon, who is rostered in 40% of leagues.

McMahon is a player I’ve told everyone to watch for this season, especially if the Rockies can stay healthy. He’s projected to hit fifth, and should be given plenty of RBI chances. 

The Arizona starting rotation is pretty strong, but given his spot in the Colorado lineup, I’m fine taking a gamble on McMahon as a streaming option in week one.

Outfield

Colorado’s Charlie Blackmon might not be the player he once was, but batting atop the team’s lineup will give him plenty of chances to make a fantasy impact. He’s owned in just 12% of leagues.

Again, the Diamondbacks’ rotation is pretty solid, but Blackmon might get the most plate appearances among all the waiver wire options out there this week, so he’s worth a try if you need an outfielder.

Minnesota Twins’ Byron Buxton only plays in three games this week, but his games will come against a fairly lackluster Kansas City Royals’ rotation, so I still view Buxton as one of the better waiver wire options in week one. He’s owned in 66% of leagues right now.

Buxton has struggled to stay on the field in his career, and he’s struggled at the plate when available the past couple seasons. He’s still going to hit near the top of the Twins’ order, so if he can stay healthy, there’s bounceback potential with him.

Buxton is another player who could turn from a week one streaming option to a long-term fantasy asset if he can get things turned around. He’s at least a solid option for the few games in week one.

#2024-fantasy-baseball #waiver-wire