Arizona Diamondbacks left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez is putting together one of the better seasons of his 11-year career so far in 2026, with a 2.25 ERA and 1.21 WHIP through eight starts, 48 innings pitched, with 33 strikeouts. In his recent start on Sunday, he went 8 1/3 innings and held the New York Mets to one run. While Rodriguez has had an impressive run, most of his underlying metrics suggest series regression, as evidenced by his 4.70 xFIP, 4.59 xERA, and 5.02 SIERA. Now, that is not to suggest he can't be useful in fantasy; however, it should also suggest that fantasy managers who are viewing him as one of the best fantasy arms in baseball should temper expectations. His 5.9 percent SwStr% and 17.2 percent strikeout rate are very concerning as well, as he clearly doesn't have any of his swing-and-miss stuff going right now, limiting his overall upside in the long run. Up next for Rodriguez is a start at Coors Field over the weekend, making him a risky start in Week 8.

Chicago White Sox ninth overall-ranked prospect Sam Antonacci has been very consistent throughout his first 87 plate appearances at the MLB level, slashing .268/.376/.394 with two stolen bases, six walks, nine RBI, one home run, two triples, and 12 runs scored. More impressively, his plate discipline has been rock solid, striking out only 10.8 percent of the time (95th percentile), whiffing 17.1 percent of the time (85th percentile), and chasing 23.7 percent of the time (82nd percentile). His xBA is also .322, which showcases that even after the impressive start, he could be in line for additional positive regression. Additionally, Antonacci hit .291 in the minors last year and has hit at nearly every stop of his career, showcasing an overall track record of success that should give fantasy managers confidence he will provide value in most categories. Due to his lack of power, Antonacci remains a better points player than a categories player, but is still useful in all formats and should be rostered across all types of leagues.

Washington Nationals right-hander Gus Varland has struggled in recent outings, posting a 7.11 ERA across his last seven appearances. His season ERA has climbed to 4.80 during his first year in Washington, and his role in the back end of the bullpen may begin to shrink. Varland is still 4-for-6 in save opportunities and has added four holds this season, showing the confidence the Nationals coaching staff initially placed in him during high-leverage situations. The 28-year-old is now on his fourth MLB organization after not appearing in a major league game during 2025. Varland will need to limit damage more consistently if he hopes to maintain a steady role in the struggling Nationals bullpen.

Texas Rangers first baseman Jake Burger has struggled through the early portion of the 2026 season, slashing .208/.242/.362 with a .604 OPS across 38 games. The power remains present for Burger, as he has already launched six home runs, but his 27.4 K% has continued to hurt his overall offensive production. Burger has not appeared in a game since Friday and could be receiving additional time away from the lineup to reset at the plate. The 30-year-old is now in his second season with Texas and has yet to fully recapture the form he showed in 2023, when he posted a .827 OPS with 34 home runs.