Next up in our 2024 fantasy baseball Sleepers and Busts series, we will focus on the Atlanta Braves. The Braves have players like Matt Olson, Ronald Acuna Jr., Spencer Strider, and Austin Riley, whom fantasy managers know to select early. However, they also have some solid fantasy baseball sleepers worth considering. Let’s discuss two sleepers and the biggest bust candidate from the Braves now.
Atlanta Braves Sleepers & Busts for 2024 Fantasy Baseball
Draft Day Sleepers
Bryce Elder, SP
Bryce Elder is a sleeper on the Braves who should be considered for your fantasy baseball team. The 24-year-old showed during the first half of last season just how effective he can be. He was simply excellent for the Braves, and it led to him being named to his first All-Star Game. However, Elder fell victim to the classic sophomore slump during the second half of the season, sporting a 5.11 ERA. As a result, he finished the season with a 12-4 record and a 3.81 ERA.
Elder’s disastrous second half of the season may lead fantasy baseball managers to avoid selecting him. However, he is a prime bounce-back candidate after seeing how well he did during the year’s first half. In his first 17 starts in 2023, he had a 7-1 record and a 2.45 ERA. Due to this, he’s the top Braves sleeper for 2024.
Chris Sale, SP
Chris Sale is another sleeper from the Braves whom fantasy managers should not overlook. The 34-year-old is coming off an average season, posting a 6-5 record, a 4.30 ERA, and 125 strikeouts in 20 appearances. While some managers may avoid him because of his injury trouble and fairly high ERA last season, he is a clear bounce-back candidate for 2024. In fact, as the 2023 season went on, he improved significantly for the Boston Red Sox.
In May, June, and August (he missed July), Sale only had one start where he allowed more than three runs. Yet, in September, Sale looked like his former All-Star self. In four out of his five starts that month, he allowed no more than one run. With that, he had two starts where he did not allow an earned run and ended the month with an impressive 29 strikeouts. Due to this, Sale has been trending in the right direction, and he warrants consideration in your fantasy draft this year. Perhaps playing for a legitimate contender again will be the boost he needs to pitch this way for the entire campaign.
Draft Day Bust
Jarred Kelenic, OF
After a rocky tenure with the Seattle Mariners, Jarred Kelenic is getting a fresh start with the Braves. The former top prospect has struggled to hit his full potential, and the hope is that he will in Atlanta. However, given how his season went in 2023, fantasy managers should be hesitant to bring him in.
At first glance, Kelenic’s 2023 season looks okay, as he had 11 home runs and a .253 batting average. However, the big concern is that his production at the plate rapidly dropped as the season went on. Ten out of his 11 home runs came in May, and his final one came on June 9 against the Los Angeles Angels. His batting average significantly dropped as the season went on, too. After ending April with a .308 batting average, he was at .277 at the end of May and then stayed in the .240/.250 range from mid-June until the end of the season.
While Kelenic showed great promise at the beginning of the season, he fell back down to Earth and was never able to heat up again following it. Due to this and a starting spot in the Braves lineup not being guaranteed, he’s a player to avoid until you get to the much later rounds.
For more of the great fantasy baseball rankings and analysis you’ve come to expect from FantraxHQ, check out our full 2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit! We’re here for you all the way up until Opening Day and then on into your championship run.