The first weekend after the All-Star break is one that different leagues handle in different ways. The default CBS setting is to treat it as its own four-day scoring period, with a new full-length one beginning Monday, but it's not uncommon to combine those four days with the following week for a supersized 11-day scoring period.
I have recommendations for each of those scenarios here.
- Week 16: Sleeper hitters
A word of warning, though: I'm mostly guessing as to who pitches when. The All-Star break gives teams a chance to realign their rotations as they see fit. They're not confined by an existing turn order, and it's difficult enough to predict matchups a week ahead of time when they are. Particularly for the default four-day scoring period, you'll want to know when pitchers are scheduled to take their first turn, so keep an eye out for any official announcements right up until the lineup deadline. For now, you'll have to make do with my guesswork.
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All pitchers depicted here are rostered in less than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues.
Garrett's overall numbers have been inflated by a bonkers 11-strikeout, 23-whiff effort against the Pirates last time out, but his velocity is up this year and, well, he faces that same lineup again this week.
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Brubaker's best outing of the year came just before the break against the same Marlins lineup he's scheduled to face this week, but he's been trending the right way for a while now with a 3.19 ERA and 13 percent swinging-strike rate in his past seven starts.
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Gibson threw back-to-back gems just before the break, allowing a combined one run on six hits. He draws a Cubs lineup this week that ranks 20th in runs scored and is especially prone to strikeouts.
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Keller's increased sinker use in recent starts has made him a more stable pitcher, if not a particularly exciting one. The current state of the Marlins offense is enough to elevate any pitcher.
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Rasmussen stretched out to six innings in his latest start, his third back from a hamstring strain, which puts him in good position to take advantage of the 27th-ranked Royals offense in the shortened Fantasy Week 16.
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Quintana's ERA has spiked in his past two starts, the last of which was at Colorado, but his FIP remains strong. He'll be facing the Marlins, who look like a particularly favorable matchup right now with the way they were hitting before the break.
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After seven straight quality starts, Plesac has delivered back-to-back clunkers against low-scoring teams. With options limited for the shortened scoring period coming out of the All-Star break, he's worth another shot against a White Sox lineup that is itself suspect.
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I'm loath to recommend Cueto given his shaky underlying numbers, but with options limited for the shortened scoring period, his 2.80 ERA and decent matchup against the Guardians earn him the green light for now.
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German will be making his season debut after sitting out with a shoulder impingement, but he looked pretty good on his rehab assignment, going six innings in his latest outing. It's a gamble, but the Orioles should make for a gentle landing.
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Matz was set to return from a shoulder impingement just before the break but had his final start rained out. You never know what to expect from a pitcher returning from injury, particularly one who was struggling before it, but the track record and matchup (Reds) are both decent.
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Sleeper pitchers for long Week 16 (July 21-31)
Matchups: at KC, vs. TEX
Back from the minors with a repaired slider, Detmers has looked strong in his past two starts and gets two favorable matchups, including the Royals, in the supersized Week 16.
Matchups: at PIT, at CIN
Garrett gets another crack at a Pirates lineup that he dominated last time out, and his second start against the Reds is a decent one, too. We'll see if his stuff continues to play up.
Matchups: at KC, at BAL
Rasmussen has had trouble going deep into games since returning from a hamstring injury three turns ago, but his matchups against the 27th-ranked Royals offense and 20th-ranked Orioles offense may be too good to pass up.
Matchups: vs. STL, vs. DET
The first matchup for Stripling (Cardinals) is a bit worrisome, but then he gets the Tigers, which is the most favorable matchup of all. He has a 2.13 ERA in eight starts since rejoining the rotation, though the lack of strikeouts makes it a bit suspicious.
Matchups: vs. MIA, vs. PHI
Brubaker dominated the Marlins just before the All-Star break and gets to face them again. His second matchup against the Phillies could be a problem, but he actually has a respectable swinging-strike rate for the year.
