Before you look into streaming hitters off the waiver wire, know this: the players you drafted to be your starters should probably be your starters. That’s especially true at the start of the year, when nobody has any idea how anything is going to play out. If you didn’t think they were the best men for the job, you wouldn’t have drafted them in the first place, right?
But sometimes you’re in a bind. You don’t have a replacement ready to go, or you didn’t have a great starter in the first place and think it’s time to make a change. That’s what this list is for.
This first week actually requires two lists. With the season beginning on a Thursday, some leagues will choose to treat opening weekend as its own scoring period (which is the CBS standard), but others will combine it with the first full week for an extra long 11-day scoring period. However your league has opted to tackle it, I have recommendations for you.
For now, I’ve limited the selection to players rostered in less than 75 percent of CBS Sports leagues. In future weeks, after all leagues are fully formed, I may have to raise it to 80 percent. If I used that cutoff this week, Miguel Vargas, Eugenio Suarez and Triston Casas would all rank at or near the top of the list.
Sleeper hitters for short Week 1 (March 30-April 2)
Best hitter matchups for short Week 1
1. Padres COL4
2. Rockies @SD4
3. Twins @KC3
4. Dodgers ARI4
5. Mariners CLE4
Worst hitter matchups for short Week 1
1. Cardinals TOR3
2. Rangers PHI3
3. Cubs MIL3
4. Nationals ATL3
5. Tigers @TB3
Sleeper hitters for long Week 1 (March 30-April 9)
Best hitter matchups for long Week 1
1. Red Sox BAL3, PIT3, @DET3
2. Braves @WAS3, @STL3, SD4
3. Rockies @SD4, @LAD2, WAS4
4. Rays DET3, @WAS3, OAK3
5. Dodgers ARI4, COL2, @ARI4
Worst hitter matchups for long Week 1
1. Cardinals TOR3, ATL3, @MIL3
2. Diamondbacks @LAD4, @SD2, LAD4
3. Tigers @TB3, @HOU3, BOS3
4. Marlins NYM4, MIN3, @NYM3
5. Mets @MIA4, @MIL3, MIA3
