This article is part of our In Some Depth series.
We are already over a week into September and past Week 1 of the fantasy football season. It's also probably the last weekly tour of the league's depth charts, as I will use the final few weeks to do some backward-looking and forward-thinking pieces.
Without any further ado...
White Sox 1B
In the mix: Jose Abreu, Andy Wilkins, Dayan Viciedo
Injured: Paul Konerko
Jose Abreu already has the AL Rookie of the Year award under his belt, and he should be a mid-ballot MVP candidate thanks to his AL-leading 172 OPS+. However, it appears his first major league season has taken a toll on the rest of his body not involved in hitting. "General soreness" has encouraged the team's management to slot him at DH for seven of the club's last eight contests. This has opened the door for Andy Wilkins to see playing time at first. Wilkins has struggled through his first half-dozen MLB games, but he slugged .558 at Triple-A Charlotte. It is not yet clear if that power will translate to the majors, but he could see major playing time if Abreu sticks at DH, with Paul Konerko out with a broken hand. Dayan Viciedo made his first appearance of the season in the infield Friday, and he could also slot here thanks to crowding in the outfield.
Pirates RF
In the mix: Andrew Lambo, Travis Snider, Jose Tabata, Gregory Polanco
The Pirates brought back Gregory Polanco from Triple-A on Sept. 3, but he has yet to start in right field since returning. Manager Clint Hurdle has said he will ride the hot hand in right, and Polanco is not "hot" at the moment. Instead, he has mostly used a tandem of Jose Tabata and Andrew Lambo, with occasional appearances by Travis Snider. Unless one of these guys starts going on a tear, it seems like playing time will remain unpredictable.
Dodgers CF
In the mix: Yaisel Puig, Joc Pederson
Next: Andy Van Slyke, Andre Ethier
Joc Pederson could not have arrived in the majors at a better time. There was a season-long question of where he would slot in a fully-stocked Dodgers outfield of veterans, so it is convenient he arrived while Yasiel Puig is dinged up and slumping. Unfortunately, Pederson is only 2-for-14 through his first six games without an extra-base hit or stolen-base attempt. The Dodgers have to fend off the surging Giants over the next few weeks, so they cannot afford to allow Pederson to struggle while he finds his stroke. If he can't hit, then he probably won't play. If he can hit, then I could see the Dodgers sitting their current left-field platoon of Andre Ethier, Scott Van Slyke and Carl Crawford to make a regular outfield of Pederson, Puig, and Matt Kemp.
Diamondbacks 2B/SS
In the Mix: Chris Owings, Didi Gregorious
Next: Cliff Pennington, Aaron Hill
Chris Owings returned from a two-month stay on the DL when rosters expanded in September, but he returned to the opposite side of the infield. The Diamondbacks have largely employed a middle infield of Owings and Didi Gregorious in September, relegating Aaron Hill into a platoon role with Jake Lamb at third base. Nick Ahmed should be back in Phoenix after Triple-A Reno concludes its run in the Pacific Coast League championship. However, I doubt he would play over Owings or Gregorious.
Angels LF
Starter: Josh Hamilton
Next: Grant Green, Brennan Boesch, Efren Navarro, Colin Cowgill
It is remarkable how steady the Angels' lineup has been in recent weeks as they have streaked past the A's for the AL West crown. Steady in all places except left field, where Josh Hamilton has been limited by hamstring and shoulder injuries, and the injuries may have had a hand in his .226/.282/.377 slash line since the break. If he is indeed wearing down, then the Angels will either bench and/or DH him more frequently as they cushion their lead over the A's. That leaves a smorgasbord of moderately interesting to not-very-interesting players in left field. Brennan Boesch led the PCL with a .332 batting average and .636 slugging, but he hasn't been a productive MLB player since 2011. Efren Navarro posted a .418 OBP this season at Triple-A Salt Lake City, but he is in his age-28 season and was repeating the level for the fourth time. Former infielder Grant Green and the unexciting Collin Cowgill could also see starts.
Royals DH
In the mix: Billy Butler, Josh Willingham, Raul Ibanez
Billy Butler slashed .288/.347/.450 in August as he filled in at first base for much of the month for Eric Hosmer, but he immediately ceded the position back to Hosmer upon the latter's return. Butler may have worn down a bit after playing in the field, as he slashed .163/.255/.306 over 49 at-bats before ceding the DH slot to Josh Willingham for a pair of games over the weekend. Butler probably has the edge over Willingham (and Raul Ibanez) on any given day, but manager Ned Yost has to go with the hot hand given the Royals' precarious lead over the Tigers in the AL Central.
Indians RF
In the mix: Tyler Holt, Zach Walters, Ryan Raburn, J.B. Shuck, David Murphy
Injured: Chris Dickerson
Chris Dickerson has been battling a back injury of late that probably would have sent him to the disabled list had roster space not been an issue after Sept. 1. His absence has allowed a mix of other players to get involved in the outfield, namely Tyler Holt, Ryan Raburn, J.B. Schuck, Mike Aviles, and a game of Zach Walters. Holt has seen the greatest number of starts of the bunch, but the frequency has declined a bit as the number of opposing left handers has gone down. Still, he is the biggest mystery of the bunch, which makes him a bit more intriguing than known commodities like Raburn and Shuck. Holt had a .416 OBP and an 84 percent success rate on the basepaths between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, but he probably isn't more than a reserve outfielder/spare set of wheels type. David Murphy returned from an oblique injury late last week, but it is not clear how soon he will be able to take the field.
