Welcome to the Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers article for Week 8 (5/24-5/30). I will cover some of the hottest and coldest players in baseball over the last week. This weekly column aims to provide insight into the featured players’ success and/or struggles. We’ll discover if their recent performances have any staying power or if it was just a flash in the pan.

We’re nearly a third of the way through the season, if you can believe that. We’ve just about reached the point where you need to decide whether to hold, sell high, buy low, or simply cut bait on some of these names. This upcoming week, as always, is big for some of the fallers mentioned below. It should also shed light on the sustainability of some of the risers. With that said, let’s get into it.

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Risers

Zack Wheeler (SP – PHI)
Wheeler only had one start last week, but it sure was a good one. He struck out a career-high 14 batters over seven innings in a no-decision against the Rays on May 29. He’s now struck out 10, 12, and 14 batters over his last three starts and has a sterling 2.52 ERA (2.46 FIP), 0.93 WHIP, and a 92:16 K/BB ratio over 75 innings (11 starts). He’s looked like a certified ace thus far and is proving that his stellar 2020 was no fluke; he posted a 2.92 ERA over 71 innings last season. The difference between 2020 and 2021 is that he registered a career-low 18.4% Strikeout rate last year and currently has a career-high 31.7% K rate. He’s also increased velocity on his four-seam fastball (97.2 mph), slider (91.2 mph), and curveball (81 mph).

There were worries about Wheeler’s ability to miss bats after last year’s low strikeout rate, but he’s allayed those concerns with a career-high 30.7% CSW rate so far. The 31-year-old has notched eight quality starts in 11 games for the Phils and will look to keep things rolling in his next start against the Nationals on June 4.

Brandon Woodruff (SP – MIL)
Woodruff was already having a great season, but he further solidified himself as a bona fide ace after his performance last week. He posted a 2-0 record, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, and an 18:2 K/BB ratio over 14 innings in two starts against the Padres and Nationals. He’s now logged 10-straight quality starts, allowing two earned runs or less in each one. The phenomenal week lowered his season ERA to 1.27 to go along with a 0.69 WHIP and an 83:16 K/BB ratio over 71 innings (11 starts). He ranks in the 90th percentile or better in xERA (2.35), fastball velocity (96.6 mph), xSLG allowed (.292), and xwOBA allowed (.245).

Brandon Woodruff, Pretty 85mph Curveball. 🌈 pic.twitter.com/nQOhIldxEZ

– Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 30, 2021

Liam Hendriks (RP – CWS)
Hendriks has been everything the White Sox could have hoped for back when they signed him to a three-year, $54 million deal in the offseason. He notched four saves last week, working four scoreless innings to go along with eight strikeouts and zero hits allowed. He even recorded two saves on the same day back on May 29, in a doubleheader against the Orioles. He’s throwing his fastball 73.9% of the time at an average of 97 mph while mixing in his slider, which has been unhittable. The slider has a 66.7% whiff rate, and opponents are batting just .095 off of it. On the year, Hendriks is 13-for-15 on save chances with a 2.05 ERA, 0.818 WHIP, and 36:3 K/BB ratio over 22 innings.

The 32-year-old’s 43.4% Strikeout rate and 39.2% Chase rate both rank in the 99th percentile, while his 3.6% BB rate is in the top 4% as well. He hasn’t allowed a run since April 29, and the White Sox are in first place in the AL Central with a 32-20 record. He should continue to rack up up the saves for the Sox as they look to distance themselves from the rest of the pack.

Evan Longoria (3B – SF)
Longo had himself a week! He smashed three dingers and drove in 10 runs while batting .391/.417/.870 over 24 plate appearances. The Giants went 5-1, which included taking 3-of-4 games from the rival Dodgers. The stellar week lifted his season batting line to a respectable .265/.352/.484 with eight home runs and 27 RBI. He continues to mash against left-handed pitching as well with an impressive .372/.500/.791 triple-slash line over 43 at-bats. Longoria has been hitting the ball with authority this season, which has been a key factor in his resurgence at the dish. His 60% Hard Hit rate ranks in the 100th percentile, while his Average Exit Velocity (95.8 mph) is in the 99th.

His .290 xBA, .397 xwOBA, and .573 xSLG tell us that his real numbers aren’t flukey either. He’s become a viable fantasy option in deeper 12 and 15 team fantasy leagues once again. He should also always be considered in DFS and/or as a streamer whenever the Giants are facing a lefty.

Tommy Pham (OF – SD)
Pham got off to a poor start at the plate this year. He was batting .193/.342/.261 with one home run and 10 RBI over his first 44 games. But he’s flipped a switch over the last seven games, posting a .323/.400/.540 batting line with two home runs and five RBI. The recent heater has elevated his batting average to .220 to go along with a .673 OPS. While both numbers are well off his career averages (.269 BA, .820 OPS), he’s been showing some encouraging signs over the last week. He should continue to move closer to his expected slash line with a .252 xBA, .366 xwOBA, and .444 xSLG.

He’ll always be an asset in OBP leagues, and he’s on pace to draw more walks than he has in any season in his career. His 16.7% BB rate ranks in the 97th percentile, and he’s 6-for-8 on stolen base attempts so far. He should remain a fantasy-relevant player the rest of the way, especially if he remains atop the San Diego lineup.

Tyler O’Neill (OF – STL)
O’Neill was in the midst of a career breakout before fracturing his middle finger back on May 16. It was disappointing for the Cardinals, fantasy managers, and O’Neill himself, who was crushing the ball prior to his injury. Well, he was activated from the IL back on May 27, and it looks like he hasn’t missed a beat. He homered in his first game back and ended up going deep in three straight contests. He only played four games last week, all coming against the lowly Diamondbacks, but he batted .389/.389/1.056 with three home runs and seven RBI. He’s now up to 11 home runs, 25 RBI, and four stolen bases on the season. He’s finally getting a chance to play every day and has already set new career highs in homers and runs batted in.

He’s got an impressive 22.7% Barrel rate, which ranks in the 100th percentile, while his sprint speed (99th percentile) and 50.7% Hard Hit rate (88th) are also elite. The combination of his 33.1% Strikeout rate and 2.5% Walk rate is not pretty, and that could hurt him as the season wears on, but his .682 xSLG and .625 xwOBAcon prove that his power is legitimate. Fantasy managers can live with a lot of strikeouts and a low walk rate as long as he keeps smashing the ball.

Fallers

Blake Snell (SP – SD)
It was a forgettable two-start week for Snell, who pitched a combined 6 2/3 innings against the Brewers and the Astros, respectively. He surrendered 12 earned runs in those games while giving up 10 hits and issuing six walks, which was good for a 16.20 ERA and 2.40 WHIP. He now owns an unsightly 5.55 ERA, 1.596 WHIP, and 70:31 K/BB ratio over 47 innings (11 starts). He’s only recorded one quality start this season and has lasted until the fifth inning in just five appearances.

He’s been disappointing to both the Padres and fantasy managers alike. His 4.66 xERA and 4.39 FIP, while an improvement on his actual ERA, is still well below what we expected from the 28-year-old southpaw. The velocity and movement on his pitches seem just fine, but he’s struggled with control. His 13.9% Walk rate is a career-worst, and his 31 walks are tied for second-most amongst qualified pitchers. His control should come along as the season progresses, and he’s got a great bounce-back spot in his next start against the beleaguered Mets in San Diego.

Matt Chapman (3B – OAK)
Chapman just can’t seem to get going at the plate this season. In five games last week, he hit a paltry .167/.389/.167 (18 plate appearances) with one RBI. For the year, he’s slashing .208/.321/.348 with five home runs and 21 RBI over 178 at-bats. There isn’t a large gap between his expected stats and the actual ones, either. You can’t sugarcoat his .199 xBA, .297 xwOBA, and .351 xSLG. He’s striking out a lot (31.3% K rate) and not hitting the ball very hard, which has always been a trademark of his. His 14.2% Walk rate, which ranks in the 92nd percentile, is a career-best but the high strikeout rate and low batting average put a damper on his OBP.

His lack of power–he’s gone deep just once in May– is a definite cause for concern. There’s still a ton of baseball left to be played, though, so fantasy managers should stay the course for now. He hit 10 home runs over 37 games in 2020 before a hip injury cut his season short, and he’s just two years removed from a 36 home run, 91 RBI campaign. Give him another few weeks to see if he can turn things around.

Mookie Betts (OF- LAD)
Betts’ second year in Los Angeles has not gone according to plan. To be fair, he’s battled injuries throughout the season, and they could be affecting him more than the Dodgers would like to admit. He’s been dealing with shoulder soreness most recently, but he was also struck by a pitch in the forearm earlier this year and dealt with a back issue at the beginning of the season. Manager Dave Roberts gave him the day off on Saturday to “recalibrate” after going 0-for-6 in an extra-innings loss to the rival Giants on Friday night. He also rested on Sunday due to allergies, according to Roberts. He ended up batting just .063/.250/.188 with one RBI over 20 plate appearances (five games) last week.

He’s slashing .240/.355/.427 with five home runs, 17 RBI, and five stolen bases on the year. The batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS (.782) are career lows for the 28-year-old outfielder. His expected stats aren’t much of an improvement either with a .258 xBA, .348 xwOBA, and .413 xSLG. Betts’ 38.3% Hard Hit rate and 6.4% Barrel rates are four-year lows, and he’s also shown decreases in his Z-Contact and Chase-Contact rates. It’s very likely that Betts is playing injured, and it may take more than a day or two off for him to get right. It’s a long season, and the Dodgers always have their eyes on the October prize, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see them rest him further this upcoming week. Ultimately, he should be fine, but it’s understandable that fantasy managers are running out of patience with their underperforming first-round draft choice.