Chris Carter (1B / OF / DH, HOU) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper / AL-Only Leagues (if looking for power)

ANALYSIS: Chris Carter broke out with the A's in 2012, belting 16 home runs in just over 200 at-bats as a 25-year old, and was on some fantasy baseball sleepers lists after that. Despite hitting only .239, he found ways to get on-base, and posted a .350 OBP as a rookie. He was traded to the Astros in 2013, and his power numbers remained the same, but he struggled mightily to reach the basepaths, finishing the year with a mere .320 OBP. That number has dropped even more in 2014, and his OBP currently sits at .281 at the All-Star break.

But Carter is still on pace for well over 30 home runs, with 19 at the moment. Otherwise, his numbers are not all that impressive. He has only driven in 40 runs for the lowly Astros, and may end up striking out over 200 times for the second straight year. In a deep head-to-head, mixed, or AL-Only league, Carter may be valuable given his pure power. He gets hot in bunches, and goes on HR binges, as evidenced by his 6 HR over the last 14 days. But he doesn't help in too many other ways. Carter is worth owning in deeper leagues if you are desperate for power help, or looking to catch a hot streak. However, in a league where batting average or on-base percentage is weighed more heavily, he is better left untouched, as he can be seriously detrimental to your success in those particular categories.