Sleeper of the Week

Need to replace Chipper Jones or Adrian Beltre at the hot corner in your playoff league now that their teams have been eliminated, but don’t quite have the budget to pick up Scott Rolen or Alex Rodriguez? Why not go with Houston’s Morgan Ensberg instead?

With five RBI after the opening round, Ensberg is tied for fourth in the playoffs, trailing only teammate Carlos Beltran (9), Manny Ramirez (7) and Vladimir Guerrero (6). Batting sixth in the Astros lineup behind Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman and Jeff Kent, Ensberg should continue to find plenty of opportunities to drive in runs.

Ensberg might not cross the plate himself quite so often as he knocks in teammates, but if he continues to hit for a solid average (.368 in five games), he’ll be a solid addition to your playoff roster. Above all, he’ll come at a far lower price than Rodriguez and Rolen, leaving you with more of your tight budget to spend on other positions.

(If you can shuffle your lineup on a day-by-day basis, keep in mind that Ensberg’s regular-season OPS was nearly 200 points higher in games played in Houston (.835) than it was on the road (.644). In eight games at Busch Stadium this season, Ensberg hit just .214.)