Jeremy Hazelbaker (OF, STL) - Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Pick Up in 12+ Team and NL-Only Leagues

OWNED IN: 28% of Flea Flicker Leagues

ANALYSIS: Jeremy Hazelbaker has sure been the fantasy darling during this first helping of games in 2016. In the first eight games of both this season and his Major League career, he is hitting an absurd .500 with all the counting stats a fantasy owner craves. He has two home runs, five runs, five RBI and two stolen bases, all the major fantasy food groups. At this early stage in the year, those numbers pop of the screen as elite-level numbers, making Hazelbaker not only one of the top fantasy outfielders but batters in general.

With his production currently unwavering and a unique roster situation that allows this unheralded rookie to play over established veterans without costing anyone a roster spot, Hazelbaker is a must own in 12 teams or greater and NL-only leagues, if for no other reason but to keep his stats out of another owner's pocket. If anyone deserves those stats, it is you, my fantasy brothers and sisters.

The term riding the hot hand is usually saved for real-life baseball, but in Hazelbaker's case, it's appropriate from a fantasy perspective. Regardless of his current production and how much I feel like the career .264 minor league hitter (and that's over seven seasons, including parts of four in Triple-A) is going to hit a wall once we get out of small sample size territory, on paper it looks mighty unlikely he'll stick on the roster as injured Cardinals return, specifically original fourth outfielder Tommy Pham. For now, that is no one's concern but Pham's, so squeeze all you can out of this fantasy fruit before it's bled dry.