Kole Calhoun (OF, LAA) – Waiver Wire Pickups

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ANALYSIS: Kole Calhoun isn’t generally regarded as an exciting fantasy option, but he had an outstanding month of August. In that month, Calhoun hit four home runs, scored 20 runs, and driven in 14. The recent additions of Justin Upton and Brandon Phillips will likely shift Calhoun’s fantasy profile, as their additions have moved Calhoun out of his usual second spot in the lineup. For example, over the weekend series, Calhoun batted fifth, sixth, and seventh respectively in the Angels’ lineup. While this hurts him in the context of plate appearances and run scoring upside, the overall strength of the Angels’ lineup has increased and should allow Calhoun to see more opportunities to drive in runs during the stretch run of the season.

Overall, Calhoun is only the 76^th rated outfielder on the ESPN Player Rater for the season, but over the past 30 days he has been the 28^th ranked outfielder. While the past month is likely the ceiling for Calhoun in terms of fantasy production, he is a steady producer for those in five outfield leagues or deeper mixed leagues.