Fantasy Baseball 2026: Stock Report – Risers, Fallers & Early Trade Targets

We know that fantasy baseball is a long season and we travel through some ups and downs along the way. And how you handle those ebbs and flows will determine who wins fantasy leagues. That and avoiding major injuries also helps. We are just a month into the season and we have already watched several player's values shift from late March when this all got started. Let's take a look at whose stock is climbing and who is falling.

Biggest Risers Since Opening Day

Players Whose Value Has Surged

Chase Dollander, Colorado Rockies. A highly touted prospect coming into 2025, Dollander did not look the part last season as he had an ERA of 6.52. He came out of the gate rocky (pun intended) giving up four runs in his first game and then unable to get through five the next two. He had a bullpen showing and then since then something changed. Dollander has been dominant his last three times to the mound, including a seven-inning showing and has thrown over 90 pitches in all three. He has suddenly shown great swing and miss stuff with 25 strikeouts in his last 18.1 innings. Sometimes it takes a bit for a young guy to figure it out. This might not quite be for real, but the arrow is certainly pointing in the right direction for him.

Bailey Ober, Minnesota Twins. People gave up on this guy coming into this year, with good reason. His velocity has been awful, which has torpedoed his swinging strike and strikeout rates. His ERA being near 5.00 certainly was not helping either. Despite one rough outing, he still has 21 strikeouts in his last 18.1 innings. He has not raised his velocity, which is definitely a red flag, but the games were against Tampa, Cincinnati, and Boston so they are not horrible offensive teams. I cannot say with confidence that I expect Ober to be effective all season, but his stock is definitely up and can be used at least for the short term in fantasy leagues.

Ranger Suarez, Boston Red Sox. This one is cheating a little because I do not think that anyone thought he would be bad. He does have two starts where he has allowed four runs, but the reason he is in this article is because of his strikeout rate. While he has never been an elite swing and miss guy, he had a paltry 16 strikeouts in 22.2 innings in his first four starts. His last one he finally came to life with ten strikeouts in eight shutout innings, allowing just one hit. This feels like Suarez is on the right track and will be back to the guy you expected on draft day.

Louie Varland, Toronto Blue Jays. Once a fairly well thought of starting pitching prospect, Varland could not get it done over several seasons with the Twins despite showing glimmers of success. He then went to the bullpen and only found mild success. Something has clicked this year and not only is his ERA under 1.00, he has been nearly unhittable and appears to have taken the closer's job from Jeff Hoffman. Well, one might say Hoffman gave it away with his 6.39 ERA. Closers are strange. Sometimes it just clicks for a guy and his whole trajectory changes. Could this be what is happening with Varland? Hard to say for sure but I know he is now on several of my fantasy teams.

Biggest Fallers Since Opening Day

Players Whose Value Has Dropped

Michael Wacha, Kansas City Royals. I know, it was one bad start. And yeah, he was in my sell high article a couple weeks back. Do I just dislike Michael Wacha? He was always just average or worse for a good portion of his career, this late resurgence just seems like it is going to burst at any time. He is nearly 35, his strikeout rate continues to get worse, and he is walking batters at a higher rate. He got shelled for six runs his last time out which is a potential sign of what is to come.

Jeffrey Springs, Athletics. This is a guy that I actually have been a fan of for a few years but somehow lets me down more than he helps me to this point. For that reason, I did not really draft him much this year and he got off to a really hot start. And right on cue he has given up 11 runs in the last two starts including five home runs. After a promising beginning, I fear that we may be on the brink of the same old Springs story. While I would run him out again his next time out, the stock is definitely on the way down currently.

Carmen Mlodzinski, Pittsburgh Pirates. He gained some momentum in draft season once he was named to the rotation, and Mlodzinski was looking like a late round darling through three starts where he allowed just two earned runs in 16 innings. The last two have been just the opposite though as opposing teams have put up nine earned runs in just eight innings. He only has 22 starts in 115 lifetime appearances, and unless things turn around maybe Mlodzinski was best kept in the bullpen.

Pete Fairbanks, Miami Marlins. He was getting saves but when he was not good, Fairbanks was real bad. He lost his closer's job and then was placed on the Injured List. The question now is will he get the job back when he is able to return? He has had trouble with nerve issues in the past and it flared up against the Dodgers. The good news is that the Marlins do not really have another established starter on the roster, so unless someone really steps up (which is possible), Fairbanks should have a shot to retain the role but right now things are very bleak for him.

Fantasy Baseball 2026 Stock Report Questions, Answered

Which players have seen the biggest value increases since Opening Day?

Players like Chase Dollander, Bailey Ober, Ranger Suarez, and Louie Varland have surged due to improved performance and recent results.

Which players have seen the sharpest value drops since Opening Day?

Michael Wacha, Jeffrey Springs, Carmen Mlodzinski, and Pete Fairbanks have dropped due to poor outings, inconsistency, or role concerns.

Who are the best early trade targets in 2026 fantasy baseball?

Players showing improved strikeout rates or role stability, like Dollander or Varland, can be targeted before their value fully peaks.

Should dynasty managers act on these stock-report moves now?

Yes. Acting early allows managers to capitalize on rising value or move off declining assets before the market adjusts.

How long until these early-season value changes stabilize?

The next several weeks of performance will help determine whether these trends are sustainable or short-term fluctuations.

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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 1:08 PM.