QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots
He’s coming off of a bad performance in Week 2 — but don’t let that get you down. He was going against a very good New York Jets defense and once he regains confidence in his knee, he should return to fantasy greatness.

RB Matt Forte, Chicago Bears
Even though Matt Forte has started 2009 with a dud, don’t lose hope. His Week 2 stinker came against he stout Pittsburgh Steelers defense. Expect him to bounce back in a big way in the next two weeks.

WR Anquan Boldin, Arizona Cardinals
Anquan Boldin has been slowed to start the season due to injury. But in Week 2, he showed that he’s on the right track. Over the course of the year, expect Boldin to regain his standing as a top fantasy receiver.

TE Greg Olsen, Chicago Bears
Don’t give up on Greg Olsen yet. Jay Cutler is getting more and more comfortable and once he’s totally comfortable, expect Olsen to be a big part of the passing attack.

Tom Brady - New England Patriots (Image: Zuma Press)

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Mitre has most recently made news for getting suspended 50 games for testing positive in the MLB’s drug program. In the minor leagues this season, he had a 1.93 ERA in Single-A and a 2.40 ERA in Triple-A.

While his minor league numbers look good, don’t expect him to be much of a fantasy baseball savior. His best year was in 2007 and he wasn’t even that good. In 27 starts, he had a 5-8 record with a 4.65 ERA. In 149 innings, he had only 80 strikeouts.

Mitre’s main value in fantasy baseball would simply be the fact that he pitches for the Yankees and could pick up a few wins for your fantasy team while Chien-Ming Wang is out. There’s a chance that Mitre could surprise and stick in the starting rotation, but don’t count on it.

Sergio Mitre - New York Yankees (Image: Zuma Press)

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But can Pedro Martinez help lead your fantasy baseball team to a championship? Despite his great play in the past, there’s not much statistical support that he can.

The 37-year-old didn’t pitch very well for the Mets last season. In 20 starts, Martinez had a 5.62 ERA and only struck out 87 batters in 109 innings. In fact, Martinez hasn’t won double-digit games since 2006 when he won 15 games for the Mets. In the last three seasons, he’s been average at best.

All that said, he’s had a long time to rest his arm and knowing that he doesn’t have to survive an entire season, we may see an inspired stretch from Martinez. He’s someone who could elevate his game simply because he has something to prove.

In fantasy baseball, keep an eye on him. If he puts together a few solid starts, it may be time to roll the dice.

Pedro Martinez - Fantasy Baseball - Phillies (Image: Zuma Press)

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While fantasy baseball owners can’t be happy that Hamilton will be out up to six weeks, the Rangers are actually elated with this news. Initially, the team thought that Hamilton had suffered a hernia — an injury that could have had him out until September. Now, there’s a chance that Hamilton could be back around the 2009 MLB All-Star Game.

Hamilton, who on June 2nd went on the DL, is hitting .240 with six homers and 24 RBI. He also has 20 runs and three stolen bases.

For fantasy baseball owners, now would be a good time to buy low on Hamilton. Once he returns, he should be able to return to his All-Star form.

If Hamilton is already on your team, go ahead and keep him. The only reason why a trade would make sense is if your team is struggling and you simply cannot afford to wait.

Josh Hamilton Injury Update (Image: Zuma Press)

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One problem — the Atlanta Braves released Glavine on Wednesday. In a written release, Braves general manager Frank Wren wasn’t very specific about why Glavine was released:

Said Wren: “We appreciate and respect everything Tom has done for and brought to the Atlanta Braves organization and our fans. His accomplishments for our club during his Hall of Fame career is a measure of his dedication that we will always respect and admire. We wish him nothing but the very best.”

The truth is that Glavine was due $1 million if he was added to Atlanta’s active roster. Considering that he had thrown 11 consecutive scoreless innings in his last two rehab starts, Glavine wanted to be called up to the big leagues.

But scouts for the Braves have indicated that they don’t think Glavine has enough velocity left to get major league hitters out. As a result, the Braves decided to cut him now rather than give him the $1 million.

Does Glavine have any fantasy baseball value? That’s unlikely. The Braves usually know what they are doing with pitchers. That said, expect for Glavine to sign with another team soon and be added to the starting rotation. If he performs well in his first few starts, it might be time to start considering the future Hall of Fame hurler for your fantasy team.

Tom Glavine Rumors (Image: Zuma Press)

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Tim Lincecum, Fantasy Baseball (Image: Newscom)

Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
Coming into the 2009 fantasy baseball season, Tim Lincecum was considered as the best fantasy starting pitcher. Even though his stats are down a little bit, he looks primed for a dominant run. Get him now if you can.

Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
After helping Philadelphia win the 2008 World Series, Cole Hamels got off to a slow start this start. But now he’s turning it around and is value is sure to sky rocket over the next few weeks. Buying low would be a smart move.

Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox
This year, the Red Sox’s ace has either been really good or really bad. But his stuff looks solid and there’s a very good chance that he’ll be money during the stretch run. Send out trade offers now before he heats up.

Brandon Webb, Arizona Diamondbacks
If your fantasy baseball team is performing well, consider trading for Brandon Webb. Although he’s injured, he should return within six weeks and when he’s pitching there are few better fantasy baseball pitchers in the game.

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Jose Reyes, New York Mets
Although his numbers aren’t horrible, Reyes just hasn’t produced like a top five pick so far in the 2009 fantasy baseball sesaon. He’s hitting .284 with two homers, 15 RBI and 18 runs.

Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians
Not only was a lot expected of Sizemore in the fantasy baseball world, many experts begged Sizemore as the likely AL MVP. So far, his .215 batting average is damaging his fantasy worth.

Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies
Rollins didn’t have a great season last year but most thought he’d bounce back with a stronger 2009 campaign. That hasn’t been the case to date.

B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay Rays
After a strong postseason run last year, Upton was expected to burst upon the scene thsi year. Try again. He’s hitting .183 with only two homers and six RBI.

Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox
The reigning AL MVP hasn’t lived up to the hype this year. Although he’s hitting .315, the rest of his numbers are down across the board.

Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox (Image: Zuma Press)

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Richard Hamilton, Detroit Pistons
There is a lot of turmoil surrounding Richard Hamilton. He’s now coming off the bench to help balance out the Pistons’ starting lineup. While that may have soured a few Hamilton owners, he’s still a player that can help your fantasy team. Get him now before he fully adjusts to his role and his value increases.

Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns
If there’s a time to get Amare Stoudemire for a reduced rate, now would be that time. He’s laid a few eggs recently and hasn’t looked nearly as good as usual. That said, the Suns will figure out a way to get him more involved and his fantasy value will again rise. Trade for him now if at all possible.

Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
Derrick Rose has hit the rookie wall — much like almost all rookies do. The good news is that many rookies are able to regroup and get over the wall. Rose should be one of those rookies so if you have a panicking Rose owner in your league, now is the time to pounce.

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RB Michael Pittman, Denver Broncos
Selvin Young is out for Week 6 and Andre Hall isn’t 100%. With that in mind, Michael Pittman could become the lead back in Denver very soon. He already gets goal line carries and a lot of 3rd down action. Pretty soon he may become the lead back.

WR Chad Johnson, Cincinnati Bengals
Can Chad Ocho Cinco play any worse? The answer is likely no. With his status at an all-time low, now is a great time to go out and buy. If you can hold him on your bench for the time being, he could regain his mojo later in the year and be one of the best fantasy receivers.

TE Kellen Winslow, Jr., Cleveland Browns
The entire Cleveland Browns offense isn’t as strong as it was last year. Kellen Winslow, Jr. is feeling the effects of the downturn. The good news is that he’s still very talented and chances are very good that he’ll end the year as a top five tight end.

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RB Ryan Grant, Green Bay Packers
Slowed by injuries early on, Ryan Grant has been a bust so far in the 2008 fantasy football season. But his schedule gets easier and he seems to be healthy, so he should become halfway decent soon.

WR Randy Moss, New England Patriots
Many fantasy owners have written off Randy Moss after the loss of Tom Brady. While his value certainly has suffered, expect him to step it up in forthcoming weeks as Matt Cassel adjusts.

TE Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts
In Week 1, Dallas Clark got injured. Combine that with a bye week and it seems like the fantasy world has forgotten about Clark. However, as Peyton Manning gets healthier, expect Clark to produce.

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