Sleeper of the Week

Danny Graves doesn’t get any respect, at least not from fantasy owners. In quite a few early drafts and mocks we’ve been following, Graves has been slipping to the bottom of the reliever barrel, often being drafted behind up-and-comer Ryan Wagner.

Yet from everything we know at this point, Graves will be Cincinnati’s closer going into the season, and in the past, he’s done an admirable job. Prior to joining the Reds’ rotation last year in an experiment that failed, Graves had served as the team’s closer for four seasons, averaging slightly over 30 saves a year and posting ERAs under 3.20 in all but one of those campaigns.

Wagner certainly has considerable talent and is also an interesting late-round pick. Chris Reitsma could be in the mix once again as well if Graves falters. For now, however, Graves has the job, and in the past, he has flourished in the role.

Danny Graves might not be among the elite fantasy closers, thanks to both Wagner’s presence and a pedestrian K/9 ratio. As long as he’s penciled in in that closer’s spot, however, fantasy owners shouldn’t ignore him.