Paul’s Fantasy Baseball FAAB Recommendations – The Finale

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  • By Paul Williamson

    Last Updated on September 20, 2026 1:24 pm by Paul Williamson | Published: September 20, 2026

    First, major thank you to any and all who have read my articles and listened to the Fantasy MLB Today podcast. It means the world to me.

    If you are still making moves on the final FAAB run of the year, kudos to you! You are either trying to win or claw your way into cashing out in a roto leauge, or you made it to your finals where the league decided to make the title be decided on the final week of the year (don’t do this again next year, BTW). Let’s dive into the players that should be targeted.

    You won’t see any advanced stats. Throw them out the window. It is all about riding hot hands to end the season.

    12-TEAM LEAGUES (YAHOO ROSTER%)

    Henry Bolte (43%) – ATH – The Athletics play their final games in Sacramento and Bolte is the biggest must add, if he is somehow still available.

    SS Anthony Volpe (6%) – NYY – Since returning from AAA, he has four steals in 33 PA with a homer and seven RBI. The slash is .290/.333/.452 and the Yanks will play him all week.

    2B, OF Jonah Cox (10%) – SFG – He will face off against a Twins and their pitching staff is mid, at best before finishing off against the Dodgers, who are going to rest their best starters. Cox is a solid option for managers needing steals or average with four steals in his last 53 PA with a .283 average.

    2B, SS Brayan Rocchio (19%) – CLE – Rocchio is ending the year the way he started it, On fire! He is slashing .308/.386/.487 in his last 45 PA with a couple of steals and 11 RBI. We rode him while he was hot earlier, why not do it again?

    2B, 3B, SS Donovan Walton (1%) – ATH – Walton is getting some serious run for the Athletics to end the year and the A’s play all their games in Sacramento and they face all RHP in all games but one. Walton has hit three homers with a steal and a .256 BA (despite a .222 BABIP!) in his last 39 PA.

    OF Cam Smith (10%) – HOU – The Astros finish the year out with four games in Sacramento as this recommendation is for managers hunting for homers in the final week of roto leagues. Smith has hit three of them over his last 40 PA and is not doing much else.

    3B Nolan Arendado (32%) – ARI – He has been on fire all month for the D’Backs with a 1.031 OPS and five homers in 64 September PA. Scoop him up and ride him to the end.

    3B, SS – J.P. Crawford (8%) – SEA – He started out the year on a home run explosion. The homers went away but have come back in force in September with three in 78 PA as he has a .289/.395/.444 slash.

    OF Griffin Conine (8%) – MIA – The lefties he is scheduled  to face this week will likely see abbreviated starts as teams like the Braves and the Cubs work the set their rotation for the playoffs. So don’t be too afraid of Shota Imanaga and Martin Perez. Conine has hit three homers in 65 September PA with 11 runs and a .271/.338/.458 slash.

    2B, OF  Richie Palacios (5%) – TBR – Again, like Conine, the Rays face off against playoff teams trying to set their rotations so when you see tough lefties lined up this week like Wheeler, Sanchez and Rodon, consider those limited or totally skipped starts. Palacios has been one of the hottest bats in September with five homers in 43 PA, four steals, 14 RBI and a .297 BA despite a .214 BABIP.

    2B, OF Angel Martinez (9%) – CLE – The Guardians are fighting for their playoff lives and Martinez has done his part with four homers in 49 PA this month as he has slashed a .326/.367/.717.

    1B Ty France (31%) – SDP – How on earth is his roster% still so low? In case you were wondering, his magical campaign has continued into September with a  .389/.433/.630 slash.

    1B, 2B, 3B, OF Brett Baty (4%)- NYM – The Mets are trotting him out there to end the campaign and he has delivered in September with a .343/.442/.629 slash with 10 RBI in 60 PA and two homers.

    3B, SS Joey Ortiz (6%) – MIL – He has been swinging a hot bat for a while now and it hasn’t stopped in September with a .373/.407/.569 slash with a couple of homers and 10 runs scored in 54 PA.

    P Elmer Rodriguez (3%) – NYY – With the Yanks looking to set up their rotation for the playoffs, Rodriguez is likely to get a two start week beginning with the Rays on Tuesday and then the Orioles on Sunday. He started to get the strikeouts going with 11 in his last 9.2 innings with the Yanks. This is a great chance to get some volume to end the year.

    P Zebby Matthews (20%) – MIN – Worst case, you get one start in San Francisco. Best case you get a second start on Sunday as the Twins are unlikely to pitch Joe Ryan the final week of the year. After a run of three straight one run outings he had a couple of hiccups but got back at with eight Ks in six scoreless last time out.

    P Drew Anderson (10%) – DET – He has allowed three ER or less in eight straight starts as he has gotten stretched out to five+ innings in three straight. Like Zebby, he could benefit from the Tigers likely protecting their  young arms like Jackson Jobe and Troy Melton in he final weekend series and toss him out for a second start this week. First up is the Nats then the Pirates.

    P Cristian Javier (16%) – HOU – The Astros are in serious risk of coughing up their AL West to the Rangers and will be fighting to final day, which gives Javier a great chance at a two-start week. I’ve discussed the velocity and swing and miss being back for Javier before and he has been on a roll lately.

    P JR Ritchie (3%) – ATL – Another potential benefactor of playoff teams resting the starters and setting up a playoff rotation. Ritchie has some potential juicy matchups with the Reds outside of Cincy and the Marlins in Atlanta.

    P Justin Wrobleski (38%) – LAD – He is likely to see some action in the final weekend of the season with the Dodgers resting up their main starters. We all know about the season he has been having but he would face a Giants squad that is dead last in wRC+ vs. LHP since the beginning of August.

    P David Peterson (31%) – CHC – I know he hasn’t been what I hoped he would be as a Cub but he is likely to see a full start this weekend against the Red Sox who are 24th in wRC+ vs. LHP since Aug. 1.

    P Jonah Tong (25%) – NYM  – he faces off against a weak Nationals offense to end the year as he has been on fire with a 3.27 ERA and a 29.5% K% since rejoining the Mets.

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    September 20, 2026, 1:24 pm