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It is not unusual in fantasy baseball for a player to fly under the radar who can really help your roster in a myriad of ways. In most cases, it is due to the fact that the player is signed to an unpopular or small-market team the majority of MLB fans just don’t pay adequate attention to. Perhaps this is the case with Washington Nationals outfielder Denard Span in 2014, because his statline indicates he is being underrated.
Span is your prototypical leadoff hitter in the sense that he will never produce a ton of RBIs, but that should not diminish what he does offer. Thus far in 2014, he is hitting .275 with one HR and 19 RBIs in 388 plate appearances, but is tied for 17th overall in runs scored with 57, and tied for 18th overall in stolen bases with 16.
While these statistics are not overwhelming at first glance, they are also nothing to sneeze at — particularly in head-to-head category scoring settings, where the difference in winning and losing either the runs or stolen base category is often decided by just one.
Span is currently available in 70.8 percent of ESPN leagues, and in 80 percent on Yahoo, so there clearly is not a line to acquire his services; but don’t let that deter you from picking up a player who could help you win a week simply because no one else seems to be using him. Span is a great option on your bench, or late in a week on the waiver-wire when you need a run or stolen base to solidify a win for the week.
Timothy Downs is a fantasy sports writer for www.RantSports.com. You can add him on Google or follow on Twitter @Tidow1212.
