AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week

1. Identify likely free agents and discuss their strengths and weaknesses.
2. Estimate how much of your $100 starting free-agent budget you should bid on them.

This year, we're incorporating grids into the FAAB articles, so users can easily see at a glance how certain players stack up against others and how much they should command in a variety of formats.

The grids, which are sortable by column (click on the header), include a very basic "player grade" column. This serves as a reflection of a player's skills and role on an A-E scale. Rafael Devers would have been an "A" grade player last year -- that mark will be reserved for similar high-impact prospects stepping into an everyday role.

As always, if there is a player that was not discussed in the article that you would like to know about, feel free to ask about the player in the comments.

Starting Pitcher

Yonny Chirinos, Rays: The Rays refuse to name Chirinos as part of their official rotation, but the rookie has effectively turned one of their "bullpen days" into his personal playground, keeping a pristine 0.00 ERA and solid 12:2 K:BB through 14.1 innings and pitching at least five innings in each of his two starts. You can't hand-wave away those performances as coming against inferior competition, either, as one of his two starts came in Fenway. The 24-year-old doesn't have elite stuff, but he's no junkballer – Chirinos is averaging 93.6 mph with his fastball so far – and much like Jakob Junis with the Royals, he has impeccable command of a diverse arsenal, which allows his offerings to play up. Someone will hang some crooked numbers on him eventually, and he's still looking for his first big-league win, but Chirinos' stock is rising rapidly. 12-team Mixed: $2; 15-team Mixed: $5; 12-team AL: Owned

Alex Cobb, Orioles: Cobb finally made his Orioles debut Saturday, but he looked like maybe they should have given him a little more time in the minors to get ready for it as he got crushed by the Red Sox. Despite last year's big decline in his strikeout rate, I don't think the veteran righty can be completely written off as a possible impact arm, as it was his first full season following his 2015 Tommy John surgery. Staying in the AL East and moving out of its one pitcher's park won't do his numbers any favors, but if he can get his K/9 back into the 8.0 or better range, as opposed to the mid-sixes he's been in post-surgery, Cobb could still be a useful mid-rotation arm. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Mike Fiers, Tigers: The righty's first start of the season against the White Sox went swimmingly, but then he got wrecked by the Yankees, which gives you a clear look at the full Mike Fiers Experience. Pitching in the AL Central should give him a few more of the former outings, although he'll miss out on facing the Tigers' own meager lineup. The right-hander has seen his ERA and WHIP inexorably rise each of the last two seasons – three, if you count his partial big-league campaign with the Brewers in 2014 – and while his breaking pitches can produce strikeouts, his sub-90 mph fastball is very hittable, which can lead to some ugly outings. He should take a regular turn for Detroit, though, at least until a younger arm demands a spot, and given the state of the team's farm system, that could take a while.12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Andrew Heaney, Angels: The Angels keep trying to use a six-man rotation to accommodate Shohei Ohtani, but so far they haven't been able to get six starters healthy at the same time, making the plan somewhat moot. Heaney got called up to make his first start Friday and provided a mixed bag of results against the Royals, giving up four runs in five innings but racking up a 7:1 K:BB. Being a fantasy tease is pretty much the lefty's MO – he's rarely healthy, making only 30 big-league starts since 2014, and when he is in the lineup the results never seem to quite match his stuff. He's still only 26, so you never know when things might click for him, but until he puts together an extended run of success Heaney's not the sort of pitcher you should get too attached to. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Brian Johnson, Red Sox: The 27-year-old lefty will get another start Monday while the Red Sox exercise caution with David Price, and why do I get the feeling that won't be the last time I write those words in this column this season. Johnson's looked good in his swing role for the Red Sox so far, posting an 11:4 K:BB in 10 innings, and facing a struggling Orioles lineup gives him some definite streaming appeal. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Ariel Miranda, Mariners: His callup keeps getting bumped, but right now Miranda seems set to join the big-league rotation Tuesday for a home start against the Astros. The lefty has decent stuff, but he's just too hittable – he carried a HR/9 north of 2.0 in the majors, and that's with Safeco Field as his home park. That makes him extremely volatile, especially when facing a lineup like Houston's. He'll get some wins and Ks as Seattle's fifth starter, but the cost in ERA could be high. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Eduardo Rodriguez, Red Sox: Rodriguez came off the DL last Sunday and has looked like his usual self in two starts, striking out plenty of guys and allowing more baserunners than he should. E-Rod is still only 25, but his lack of efficiency continues to cost him wins and innings, and until he shows some sign of sorting that out, his fantasy value will be lower than his K/9 rate implies. Rodriguez is an easy guy to fall in love with and wishcast a breakout, though, and if you feel you need to take some chances on your pitching staff, there are worse gambles out there. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $11; 12-team AL: $23

Tyler Skaggs, Angels: Oh look, another talented but frustrating-to-own left-handed starter. Joy. Skaggs has had an electric beginning to 2018, posting a 17:6 K:BB through 16 innings with a 1.69 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, but as with most of the guys I just wrote about above, staying healthy and lasting long enough in his starts to pick up consistent wins or quality starts remain elusive traits for the 26-year-old. He's pitching well enough right now to be worth grabbing in shallow formats just in case he's finally putting things together, but don't hesitate to bail if it all goes south once again for the southpaw. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Owned

Nick Tropeano, Angels: He missed all of 2017 after Tommy John surgery, so his innings will likely be limited this season (a common refrain among the Angels' staff), but unlike Heaney or Skaggs, Tropeano has actually had more than brief flickers of success in the big leagues. His first start Thursday was excellent, as he shut down the Royals for 6.2 innings with a 6:2 K:BB, and while he doesn't have the raw stuff to profile as a future ace, for fantasy purposes he should be a solid mid-rotation arm for however many starts he's able to make. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: $15

Relief Pitcher

Danny Barnes, Blue Jays: Barnes has a solid 2017 in a middle relief role for the Jays, but so far in 2018 he's been far more than solid. The right-hander has reeled off seven straight scoreless appearances since allowing one run on Opening Day, and his 10:0 K:BB in 7.1 innings is worth a double-take. He might not be in line for saves even if something were to happen to Roberto Osuna, but in holds leagues or formats where high-K relievers are worth rostering, the 28-year-old is worth a look. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Bartolo Colon, Rangers: I'd call Colon a swingman, but a swing doesn't seem like it'd get the job done. Big Sexy will make his second start of the season Sunday, and it seems likely that he'll keep bouncing between the rotation and bullpen all season depending on the Rangers' needs. He's had a good start to the season in that role, too, posting a 1.64 ERA and 10:1 K:BB in 11 innings. It's tough to imagine him keeping that up, but it's tough to imagine a 44-year-old with his girth even having a big-league job, yet here we are. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Nate Jones, White Sox: Jones got his first save of the season Wednesday, but before you empty your wallet of FAAB dollars chasing after him, it was a fluky save situation – he'd begun warming up in the eighth with the White Sox down by a run, but they plated two in the bottom half of the inning and manager Rick Renteria decided to just roll with it. If the front office's focus is the same as last year when it comes to the bullpen, they want to maximize the trade returns on their relievers, and that means giving Joakim Soria the closing job, as a healthy Jones already has plenty of marketability as a high-K setup guy. It's nice to know that Renteria isn't strict with his bullpen roles, though, and if Soria gets dealt away first, there should still be a window (however brief) in which Jones will be the man in Chicago's 'pen. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: Owned

Ryan Pressly, Twins: Pressly's big fastball has never produced consistent results, but it's producing right now – he's started off 2018 with a crispy 0.00 ERA and 7:2 K:BB in six appearances. As the weather warms up he might have trouble keeping the pitch in the park again, but maybe this is the year the 29-year-old finally steps up as a valuable high-K relief arm. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Bruce Rondon, White Sox: The former Tiger prospect got called up last week and made an immediate splash against his old club, striking out all four batters he faced Sunday. Rondon's fastball is an elite pitch, touching triple digits on the radar gun, but control has always been his bugaboo. The 27-year-old might have taken a step forward in that department, however – a 5:0 K:BB in 2.1 innings is cute and all, but the sample size gets a little more intriguing when you include his 7:1 K:BB in 5.1 spring innings. If he has a clue where his high-90s heat is going now, Rondon could quickly emerge as an elite relief arm – which makes him either an appealing trade target for a contender, or the next man up for saves once Soria and Jones are sent packing. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

First Base

C.J. Cron, Rays: With Brad Miller out, Cron has been seeing regular playing time for Tampa, and while he hasn't exactly taken full advantage – he's got a .231/.300/.385 line over the last week – he did hit his first homer. If he continues getting regular starts and settles into a groove at the plate, he'll have plenty of fantasy appeal, but for the moment he still falls into that gray zone of long gone in deep leagues, but not yet worth using in shallow ones. If you need CI help he could be worth stashing, though. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Owned

Yulieski Gurriel, Astros: Gurriel finally made his 2018 debut this weekend and promptly socked a homer in his second game back. The 33-year-old has a solid stick, but given the Astros' depth he won't quite play every day, and his merely average power makes him better suited as a bench bat and injury plug-in in shallow formats rather than someone you want as a regular part of your active lineup. 12-team Mixed: $4; 15-team Mixed: $9; 12-team AL: Owned

Ronald Guzman, Rangers: The 23-year-old prospect made his big-league debut Friday, taking Elvis Andrus' spot on the roster. And much like Gurriel promptly went yard in his second game. In fact, the 23-year-old's minor-league numbers peg him as a very Gurriel-like bat in the bigs – good hit tool, modest power. That decade difference in age is a big one, though, and there have been plenty of prospects recently who didn't hit for a lot of power in the minors, only to discover the wonders of launch angle once exposed to big-league hitting coaches and clubhouses. Guzman might only be up until Rougned Odor gets healthy, so he's more of a stash than a player with a lot of short-term value, but his fantasy ceiling may not be as low as it seems. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Joe Mauer, Twins: Mauer's last hit was the 2,000th of his career, but he got to that mark a little quicker than anyone anticipated this offseason. The 34-year-old has hit safely in every game this season and sports a .412/.545/.529 slash line through 10 games. He doesn't have a homer, of course, and his fantasy value is all tied up in his BABIP, but Mauer's hot right now so if you need someone to plug into a CI spot, he might be your best option. 12-team Mixed: $3; 15-team Mixed: $7; 12-team AL: Owned

Danny Valencia, Orioles: Jonathan Schoop is the latest Baltimore hitter to hit the DL, and rather than calling up a weak-hitting middle infielder to take his place, the O's will shift Tim Beckham to second base and let Valencia handle the hot corner. The veteran hasn't done much with his 25 plate appearances so far, but with regular playing time he could contribute some HR and RBI at a bargain price for the next week or two. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: $9

Second Base

Brock Holt, Red Sox: Xander Bogartes' injury leaves Holt as Boston's top option at shortstop, which isn't saying much. The 29-year-old has never been much of a fantasy asset, but with regular playing time in a dangerous offense, the utility player will has some short-term value. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: $2; 12-team AL: $5

Yolmer Sanchez, White Sox: Sanchez has had a surprising good start to the season at the plate, slashing .289/.341/.500 through 12 games with a homer and nine RBI. His .272/.322/.377 line in 323 Triple-A games is probably closer to what he'll produce moving forward, but at 25 years old he could be growing into a bit of power, and he still offers the potential for double-digit steals. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $4; 12-team AL: Owned

Shortstop

Aledmys Diaz, Blue Jays: With Josh Donaldson back on the shelf and Troy Tulowitzki no closer to a return, the shortstop spot in Toronto is all Diaz's, and he's beginning to take advantage. The 27-year-old has homered in his last two games, giving him four dingers on the season, and while he still hasn't flashed the plate discipline he showed as a rookie in 2016, his batting average will rise towards respectability once he stops hacking at nearly half the pitches he sees outside the strike zone. If the 27-year-old gets hot over the next few weeks, Tulo may not have a job to come back to. 12-team Mixed: $4; 15-team Mixed: $9; 12-team AL: Owned

Ryan Goins, Royals: Alcides Escobar's miserable start at the plate has resulted in Goins seeing a little more playing time lately, and the veteran utility player has started four of the last eight games. He offers very little fantasy upside, but he could fall into some counting stats. In the long run, though, the Royals beginning to nudge Escobar aside is better news for anyone who's been stashing Adalberto Mondesi rather than those who scoop up Goins. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Rangers: With their starting double-play combo on the disabled list, the Rangers are currently trotting out Jurickson Profar at shortstop and unheralded minor-leaguer Kiner-Falefa at the keystone. The 23-year-old did hit .288 and swipe 17 bases in 129 games last year at Double-A Frisco, so he's not entirely bereft of fantasy upside, but expectations should be kept very low for a player with only five games at Triple-A under his belt and little in the way of scouting buzz. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Tzu-Wei Lin, Red Sox: Called up when Bogaerts got hurt, Lin put together back-to-back two-hit games this weekend, but he's purely a glove-first shortstop with no real power and little speed. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Engelb Vielma, Orioles: Vielma got called up Wednesday and has yet to get a plate appearance, so, yeah. The 23-year-old looked overmatched at Triple-A last year, slashing .206/.233/.260 in 87 games, so even if Schoop's injury gets him a little more action, Vielma isn't likely to do anything useful with it. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Outfield

Abraham Almonte, Royals: Called up Tuesday to fill in for Alex Gordon, Almonte's gone 1-for-11 since then. The 28-year-old didn't show much power while bouncing through four different organizations over the years, but he has shown a little speed (8-for-8 on steals in 67 games for Cleveland in 2016), so Almonte could make a small contribution there while he's in the bigs. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Mark Canha, Athletics: Canha's just about the definition of a Quad-A player at this point, as the 29-year-old has nothing left to prove in the minors but can't hang onto a job in Oakland. It took injuries to Chad Pinder and Boog Powell to get Canha back on the 25-man roster, which suggests his time in the majors will be short, and his path to consistent at-bats won't get any easier once Dustin Fowler is deemed ready to take over in center field. As a short-term pickup, though, Canha's power could play, as he homered in his first start Saturday. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Johnny Field, Rays: It would've been better for fantasy GMs if Tampa had called up Johnny Hit instead, but what can you do. Field does have a smidge of power and speed, recording 12 homers and 12 steals in 111 games for Triple-A Durham last year, but his hit tool isn't special and he only got the promotion over Justin Williams (a much better prospect) because the Rays wanted a right-handed hitter to provide some balance in the outfield. Kevin Kiermaier 2.0, he isn't. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $1

Craig Gentry, Orioles: Gentry still hasn't worked his way into a starting job for the O's, even with Colby Rasmus out, but he is running when he gets a chance, stealing three bases in three attempts on the season despite only 20 plate appearances. It's been a while since he made an impact in that category (2014, to be exact, when he swiped 20 bags for Oakland) and Gentry only managed five steals in nine attempts for Baltimore last year, but his early success could earn him more green lights going forward. If you need speed, he's worth taking a chance on. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Teoscar Hernandez, Blue Jays: Called up when Donaldson hit the DL, Hernandez made a quick impact for the Jays, rapping out two doubles with two RBI and a steal Friday. The 25-year-old will likely be on the short side of a platoon in left field with Curtis Granderson, but his tools remain intriguing – 26 homers and 16 steals between Triple-A and the majors last year – and he could be just one more injury away from regular at-bats. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $3

Aaron Hicks, Yankees: Hicks came off the DL late this week and after going 0-for-4 on Thursday, slugged two solo shots against the Tigers on Saturday. Health, not ability, remains the biggest obstacle to Hicks having significant fantasy value, but he's the Yankees' best option in center field and he'll keep getting chances to prove he can stay on the field. Ride him while he's in the lineup, but have a contingency plan ready. 12-team Mixed: $8; 15-team Mixed: $21; 12-team AL: Owned

JaCoby Jones, Tigers: The Tigers gave up (again) on Mikie Mahtook, leaving left field in the shaky hands of Jones and Rule 5 pick Victor Reyes. It's possible Christin Stewart will get a chance at the job later in the year, but he's struggling out of the gate for Triple-A Toledo, so for now Jones will see the majority of the playing time. As yet, though, there's no reason to think the 25-year-old will make much of a fantasy contribution, even in a starting role. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Steve Pearce, Blue Jays: He's fallen into a regular role by default with Donaldson and Kendrys Morales both sidelined, and Pearce responded with homers in three straight starts early in the week and six RBI in his last six games. Having to hit RHP as well as LHP won't help his batting average, but the veteran should be able to supply useful counting stats until someone comes off the DL to push him back into a platoon role. 12-team Mixed: $1; 15-team Mixed: $3; 12-team AL: Owned

Jurickson Profar, Rangers: After a career that's seemingly been cursed by injuries, it's somehow fitting that Profar finally finds himself as the starting shortstop for the Rangers only because other people got hurt. He's hitting near the top of the order and has reached base seven times in the last three games, adding an RBI, two runs and a steal. Until he begins making regular contributions in the traditional five roto categories, the 25-year-old might be a better fit in OBP leagues thanks to his dazzling 9:6 BB:K in 12 games, but between his current role and his upside, he should be a target in just about every format – even if that upside seems more theoretical than immediate at this stage of his career. 12-team Mixed: $5; 15-team Mixed: $13; 12-team AL: Owned

Victor Reyes, Tigers: The 23-year-old switch hitter hadn't played above Double-A before this season, but his minor-league profile indicates a player with a decent hit tool and some speed. If Reyes gets even semi-regular playing time in left field he could surprise, as it's not like Jones is likely to seize the job, but right now Reyes seems like a younger version of Paulo Orlando – a player with intriguing athleticism, but without the polished skills to fully utilize it on the diamond. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2

Anthony Santander, Orioles: Santander, the AL's other athletic young Rule 5 outfielder, is already getting that semi-regular playing time – at least since Rasmus landed on the DL – and he's doing about as well as you might expect with the at-bats. The 23-year-old has more power than speed in his minor-league profile, but after spending basically all of 2017 dealing with his own injuries, he's got an awful lot to prove before he should be on anyone's fantasy radar as anything more than a deep flier in a dynasty league. Even if he does begin to hit, he's only holding down the fort in right field until Austin Hays is ready for another crack at the majors. 12-team Mixed: No; 15-team Mixed: No; 12-team AL: $2