Fantasy Baseball Week 17 Waiver Wire: Second-Half Targets
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- The Week 17 waiver wire column shifts focus from hot pickups to players rostered in at least 25% of CBS leagues who could make an impact over the next two and a half months, framing the All-Star break as the start of a "stretch run" rather than a true second half.
- Royce Lewis (56% rostered) headlines third base with a 162-game pace of .270 average, 37 homers, 99 runs, 84 RBI and 16 steals since his return from Triple-A, presented as a fit at either corner spot.
- Catcher Ryan Jeffers (66%) returned from the injured list Saturday after recovering from a hamate bone fracture and could slot into a better Twins lineup by the trade deadline, while Francisco Alvarez (44%) is cited for manageable strikeout rates and top-12 upside.
- Trade deadline candidates dominate the deep-league picks, including Cubs outfield prospect Owen Ayers (2%, hitting .319/.419/.641 at Double-A), Cubs infielder Pedro Ramirez (6%), and Brewers third-base prospect Andrew Fischer (11%, hitting .291/.437/.690 with 28 homers in 75 games).
- Yankees shortstop prospect George Lombard (20%) has been publicly mentioned by Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman as nearing a promotion once he returns from a hand injury, with eight homers and 12 steals on the season at Triple-A.
- The FBT Newsletter and podcast will continue publishing through the All-Star break, with upcoming content including first-half recaps, buy-low candidates, a first-two-rounds redraft, and second-half bold predictions.
- Trade deadline proximity is the article's organizing tension: with games resuming next weekend, fantasy managers in points leagues are urged to make the playoffs before chasing September upside, while Roto players are advised to trade from positions of strength to shore up weaknesses.
Why it matters: Fantasy managers in points and Roto leagues face diverging deadlines — points players must prioritize short-term contributors to make the playoffs, while Roto players need to position for September — and the article explicitly ties waiver targets to how the trade deadline could reshape lineups for players like Jeffers, Ayers, and Lombard over the next two and a half months.
