Fantasy Baseball Risers & Fallers: Week 1 (2026 Fantasy Baseball)

Welcome to our weekly fantasy baseball risers and fallers column. In this article, I’ll provide three risers and three fallers in fantasy baseball based on what has transpired in the previous week.

Given that we’re past opening week, there are more options to choose from. We now know how managers are deploying their players, with some surprisingly getting less playing time than initially expected. We also have a few young hitters who are making their presence felt immediately.

So, without further ado, let’s find out why Chase DeLauter, Sal Stewart, and Munetaka Murakami are my risers, while James Wood, Noelvi Marte, and Kyle Manzardo are my fallers.

Fantasy Baseball Risers & Fallers

Risers

Chase DeLauter (OF – CLE)

Chase DeLauter has gotten off to a phenomenal start for the Guardians, going 6-for-17 (.353) with five runs, four home runs, and five RBI. He’s proving why he was such a highly touted prospect, one who dealt with several injuries over the last two seasons, which caused him to fall down the ranks.

While there’s not going to be many stolen bases here, as he swiped only two bags combined in his last two years, it’s clear that DeLauter has 30+ home run upside. I wouldn’t suggest selling high because it’s the case of a first-year player showing immense talent. It’s hard to gauge how high the upside can be. Just look at Nick Kurtz last year. Imagine how you would have felt if you sold ‘high’ on him. Just ride the wave here.

Sal Stewart (1B – CIN)

Sal Stewart is proving why so many spoke highly of his hit tool, going 7-for-10 (.700) with three doubles, one home run, and three walks, with zero strikeouts. This is a legitimate .300 caliber hitter; one who has the ability to add both 2B and 3B eligibility if Reds manager Terry Francona chooses to deploy him there at times.

Hitting cleanup in a rock-solid lineup in one of the best hitter’s parks in baseball, Stewart is in a good spot to absolutely smash his ADP. Like DeLauter, you’re going to want to ride this one out. It’s the perfect combination of situation and talent.

Munetaka Murakami (1B/3B – CWS)

The consensus was fading Munetaka Murakami due to contact concerns. I was all-in on him because he showed elite production at a young age in Japan, hitting 56 home runs in his age-22 season. I also liked that Murakami had elite walk rates, consistently around 15 percent. So far, he’s proving me right, homering three times in his first three games.

As great as that’s been, we have to acknowledge that there are going to be some major slumps here. He’s your classic slugger who walks and strikes out a lot, sort of like Adam Dunn. But Murakami is going to come close to 40 home runs this season, so you’ll be happy to hold him all year. However, if you’re in a batting average league and someone offers you a proven stud off to a slow start (like Matt Olson), you make that move. I just don’t think that will happen for you, as so many fantasy players seem to dislike Murakami due to the contact concerns.

Fallers

James Wood (OF – WSH)

James Wood is a talented young hitter who walks a lot and has terrific power. Like Murakami, the concerns have been about the strikeout rate. So far, Wood hasn’t shown improvement in that regard. The Nationals’ slugger has seven strikeouts in three games already, which works out to a 50.0 K%.

The difference between Wood and Murakami is that Wood was being drafted in the third or fourth round, while Murakami was consistently available after pick 200. You have to be concerned if you paid a premium for Wood. While I wouldn’t sell low, I’d wait for a hot streak and then try to trade him.

Noelvi Marte (3B/OF – CIN)

Noelvi Marte is a 20-20 threat playing in a hitter’s park. That was the appeal in taking him this offseason, especially with 3B and OF dual eligibility. However, with Stewart emerging as one of the best hitters on the Reds, Marte has become a part-time player. Even worse, he’s basically only playing against lefties right now.

Here’s a case where I’m willing to sell low. It’s just hard to justify rostering a part-time player, unless you’re in a deeper league. If there’s an emerging young player on the wire, I wouldn’t be opposed to dropping Marte. For example, Jordan Walker is mashing right now, fresh off positive reports in the offseason, when he went to Driveline to work on his swing. This would have sounded wild a week ago, but dropping Marte for Walker isn’t all that crazy right now.

Kyle Manzardo (1B – CLE)

Kyle Manzardo is off to a horrendous start, putting up a 58.8 percent strikeout rate in four games. Now, obviously, this is a small sample, but it’s hard to justify holding onto a relatively unproven first baseman who struggles against lefties. You can easily drop Manzardo for a streamer like TJ Rumfield, who gets a series at Coors this week.

Manzardo doesn’t have enough of a track record to warrant holding him through this rough patch. You can just pick him back up once he starts to show signs of life.