Addison Russell (SS, CHC) - Waiver Wire Pickups

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ANALYSIS: Last year, Addison Russell was one of the fastest risers on the fantasy scene. This year, much like the rest of his team, Russell has fallen hard and fast. Not only did he miss out on an All-Star nod, he may not even match the numbers from his rookie season in 2015 where he managed 13 home runs and 54 RBI with a .242 average. Was last year simply an outlier in a magical season for the Cubbies? Russell hasn't brought a high average with him to the majors, hitting .242, .238, and now .232. His .283 BABIP is actually higher than last season, so expecting a big bump in that area is unreasonable. That leaves us hoping for a power surge in the second half. Russell's 10.4% HR/FB is lower than last year, but still above league average. He is hitting less fly balls in general, down to 35.8%, which is something that is becoming a trend over his three MLB seasons.

Of course, there's also the cloud of personal issues that have hovered over him recently, including allegations of domestic abuse against his wife. If Russell can put the first half behind him and get more support from the rest of the lineup ahead of him, there is hope for a return to last year's form. May was just miserable, but he showed improvement in June and has gotten off to a decent start in July. The middle part of the season is when Russell did most of his damage in '16, so if you're in need of power at middle infield, he could be worth a chance.