For years, fantasy baseball managers have understood the "Coors Effect." Whenever the Colorado Rockies had a long homestand, it was time to load up your lineup with Rockies hitters and let the thin mountain air do the rest.
Lately, however, that strategy has lost some of its shine.
The Rockies have been one of baseball's worst teams, and outside of catcher Hunter Goodman, there hasn't been much fantasy production worth chasing. Many managers have simply stopped looking at Colorado's roster altogether.
That could be a mistake.
Sometimes the best fantasy value comes from teams everyone else has given up on, and I think the Rockies have two players who deserve your attention this week.
The first is third baseman Kyle Karros. Yes, he's the son of former major leaguer Eric Karros, but he's beginning to make a name for himself. Karros entered the season as a solid—but not elite—prospect, yet he has quietly started to put everything together.
He owns a .765 OPS, has scored 40 runs this season and caught fire in June, hitting .357. While he may not possess the massive home run upside many people associate with Coors Field, he can contribute across multiple categories and provide excellent value, especially in deeper leagues.
If you're searching for power, though, Charlie Condon should already be on your watch list.
In fact, I'd go one step further—I would add him now before everyone else does.
Condon, one of baseball's premier prospects and a Futures Game selection, has been scorching hot. Over his last 20 games, he's hitting better than .400 with 12 home runs and 31 RBIs, showing exactly why he's considered one of the game's future stars.
The Rockies have little to lose by giving their young slugger an opportunity, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him reach the majors within the next couple of weeks. When that happens, fantasy managers will rush to the waiver wire.
Don't be one of them.
The best fantasy managers don't react to trends—they anticipate them. While everyone else has written off the Rockies because of their record, you should be looking for the next breakout player. Karros can help you now, and Condon has the potential to become a league-winning addition before the rest of your league even sees it coming.