Well, that was a fun trade deadline. Did you hate your team’s moves, or are you a Padres fan?

We have a pretty good idea of how things are shaking out with rotations, so let’s get right into it as we look ahead at Week 17 of the fantasy season.

Like I do every week, I’ll break the pitchers down two-start pitchers into six categories:

• Don’t Think Twice: These are the aces that you start no matter what.
• Widely-Rostered Options: Players rostered in the majority of leagues who should provide a positive return.
• In the Danger Zone: It’s a dice roll to start them given matchups or other factors.
• Streamers Rostered in Under 50% of Leagues: These guys should live on the waiver wire, but you can start them this week.
• Streamers Rostered in Under 25% of Leagues: Same as above but applied to deeper leagues.
• Not Unless You’re Desperate: I don’t recommend these guys unless you’re swinging for the fences.

Let’s take a look at those pitchers scheduled to make two starts for the upcoming week, as projected on CBS as of Friday evening.

Don’t Think Twice

• Zack Wheeler (SP – PHI): (8/9 vs. MIA, 8/14 vs. MIN)
• Shane Bieber (SP – CLE): (8/9 @DET, 8/14 @TOR)
• Chris Bassitt (SP – NYM): (8/8 vs. CIN, 8/14 vs. PHI)
• Luis Castillo (SP – SEA): (8/8 vs. NYY, 8/14 @TEX)
• Jose Urquidy (SP – HOU): (8/9 vs. TEX, 8/14 vs. OAK)
• Blake Snell (SP – SD): (8/8 vs. SFG, 8/14 @WAS)
• Lance Lynn (SP – CWS): (8/9 @KCR, 8/13 vs. DET)

Widely-Rostered Options

Zac Gallen (SP – ARI): (8/8 vs. PIT, 8/13 @COL)

I’d love to just put Gallen in the top tier, but we know the rule about a pitcher throwing in Colorado. Gallen did throw a quality start in his last outing at Coors, but it was the minimum (6 IP, 3 ER).

Blake Snell: (8/8 vs. SFG, 8/14 @WAS)

Snell has been sneakily good since July, which shouldn’t come as a major surprise given his track record of being a streaky pitcher. But it’s been next level with a 2.56 ERA. That should continue this week as he gets the Giants and Nationals in a juicy two-step.

In the Danger Zone

Miles Mikolas (SP – STL): (8/9 @COL, 8/14 vs. MIL)

Blah. Mikolas has been fun this season and a nice surprise, but it’s probably best to fade him with Coors on the docket.

Martin Perez (SP – TEX): (8/9 @HOU, 8/14 vs. SEA)

The downfall has to happen, right? I say it to myself after every single Perez start. But he’s sort of maintained his success this season, posting a 3.41 ERA in July despite a 22 K%. I still don’t think he’s good (comparatively, of course), and have a hard time trusting him against two good offenses.

Jameson Taillon (SP – NYY): (8/8 @SEA, 8/14 @BOS)

You don’t know what to expect from Taillon in any given start this season, which has me leaning toward sitting him in these two matchups.

Alex Wood (SP – SF): (8/8 @SDP, 8/14 vs. PIT)

I love, love, love the Pirates matchup. But with the new-look Padres lineup, it’s best to sit him this week to limit the damage.

Streamers Rostered in Under 50% of Leagues

Cole Irvin (SP – OAK): (8/8 vs. LAA, 8/14 @HOU)

Irvin has a sub-2.50 ERA over his last 40 innings pitched, which dates back to July 1. Be careful, though, as there has been a ton of BABIP luck (.186 in July). I’d start him against the Angels but not the Astros if I had the choice.

Johnny Cueto (SP – CWS): (8/9 @KCR, 8/14 vs. DET)

It’s still weird that Cueto is having a good season in 2022, but here we are. I don’t trust him overall, but if you aren’t starting him against the Royals and Tigers, when are you starting him?

Keegan Thompson (SP – CHC): (8/8 vs. WAS, 8/14 @CIN)

B.O.B. wants to pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars, and I want to pretend like Thompson’s last start didn’t happen. He was pretty, pretty good in July, posting a 2.57 ERA with just one home run allowed in 21 innings. He gets the stripped-down Nats and Reds this week, making him a sneaky start.

Braxton Garrett (SP – MIA): (8/9 @PHI, 8/13 vs. ATL)

Garrett has been really solid of late for the Marlins, but he goes from a cupcake two-start week to facing two top offenses in Atlanta and Philadelphia. I’m benching him, but if he can survive this week, he’s on the 12-team radar for the rest of the season.

Streamers Rostered in Under 25% of Leagues

Yusei Kikuchi (SP – TOR): (8/8 @BAL, 8/14 vs. CLE)

I don’t really want to start Kikuchi here, but I’m not fearful of the matchups. In four of his last five starts, Kikuchi has had a K% of 31.3. We’re seeing nice signs and he can be used in 15-teamers this week.

Not Unless You’re Desperate

• Jordan Lyles (SP – BAL): (8/8 vs. TOR, 8/13 @TBR)
• Graham Ashcraft (SP – CIN): (8/8 @NYM, 8/14 vs. CHC)
• Kris Bubic (SP – KC): (8/9 vs. CHW, 8/14 vs. LAD)
• Kyle Bradish (SP – BAL): (8/9 vs. TOR, 8/14 @TBR)
• Rich Hill (SP – BOS): (8/9 vs. ATL, 8/14 vs. NYY)
• Zach Thompson (SP – PIT): (8/9 @ARI, 8/14 @SFG)
• Tyler Alexander (SP – DET): (8/9 vs. CLE, 8/14 @CHW)
• Anibal Sanchez (SP – WSH): (8/8 @CHC, 8/14 vs. SDP)
• Tommy Henry (SP – ARI): (8/9 vs. PIT, 8/14 @COL)

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Michael Waterloo is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Michael, check out his archive and follow him @MichaelWaterloo.