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With the first two months of the 2015 season in the books, you should have a pretty solid idea of where your strengths and weaknesses lie on your fantasy rosters. Is one of those weak spots for you in the outfield? Perhaps you've been victimized by injuries to Yasiel Puig or Corey Dickerson. Maybe you bet big on rebounds from guys like Carlos Gonzalez and Jay Bruce that have yet to materialize.
Regardless, don't lose hope. There's plenty of season left, and the players we'll cover below can help you turn things around. As usual, these outfielders are available on the waiver wire in the majority of fantasy leagues. Happy hunting.
Editor’s Note: To read about even more waiver wire options for the outfield, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily.
Week 9 Outfield Waiver Wire Adds
Steven Souza, Tampa Rays (49 percent owned)
We've talked about Souza before in this space. He suffered a wrist injury over Memorial Day weekend after a collision with Oakland's Stephen Vogt. Since his return, he's homered in three consecutive games, with two doubles and a walk. Again, Souza strikes out a ton, so his batting average is always going to be a liability. But he provides undeniable category juice (10 homers and seven steals), plus his patient approach plays well in OBP leagues. Souza appears to have justified the sleeper hype he generated before the season began. Those 20/20 projections might end up looking conservative.
Ender Inciarte, Arizona Diamondbacks (41 percent)
With only one hit in eight tries during yesterday's 17-inning marathon against the Brewers, Inciarte's line has dropped to .290/.318/.380. He's also only 6-for-10 in steal attempts. However, he still has a grip on the leadoff gig in Arizona and remains on pace to score 100 runs. Inciarte has also historically been a much more efficient base stealer, including going 19-for-22 last season as a rookie. You won't get much help in the homer or RBI departments, but Inciarte can still provide value to your virtual squad.
Billy Burns, Oakland Athletics (19 percent)
After a late season collapse cost the A's their third straight AL West title last season, they've been amongst the worst teams in baseball in 2015. Burns has been one of the few bright spots in Oakland since being called up on May 2. He's on a six-game hitting streak with multiple hits in each of the last four contests, bringing his slash line up to .327/.373/.436 with nine steals in 11 attempts. He's even hit two home runs after only leaving the yard twice during his entire minor league career. While that's almost certainly a fluke, the speed is legitimate. His .374 BABIP is probably due for a correction, but for the moment Burns has earned a sest at the table.
Cameron Maybin, Atlanta Braves (10 percent)
Maybin was a top-10 pick back in 2005 and the centerpiece of the Miguel Cabrera trade. After a few years in Miami, Maybin was flipped to the Padres. His first season in San Diego, he stole 40 bases and played excellent defense in center field, and was ultimately rewarded with a five-year, $25 million extension. His performance since then was so middling that the Padres dealt him at the beginning of the season. Maybin's been seeing regular time in the outfield since April ended, however, and he's making the most of it. With five homers and seven steals plus a walk rate in the double digits, perhaps he's finally delivering on the promise shown earlier in his career. Certainly worth a flier in deep and NL-only leagues.
Preston Tucker, Houston Astros (6 percent)
As Jake Marisnick has returned to earth, Tucker has ascended. He's got a .306/.377/.516 line with a pair of homers and seven doubles in 19 games since reaching the majors. Tucker is a speculative add at this stage, but the Astros' surprisingly strong performance makes them more likely to ride the hot hand. Don't be surprised to see Marisnick lose at-bats to him if their current trends continue. Tucker was a standout performer in his college career at Florida and hit well at every stop in the minors. Houston might have another valuable young asset on their hands.
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