By looking at our RotoCommunity Expert League bids, we can help you with your waiver wire considerations. Here are the leagues we're using as points of analysis (all $1000 FAAB budgets, weekly transactions):

• RotoCommunity.com's Triple Crown 12-team standard Roto Mixed League (TC)
• RotoCommunity.com's Blog Wars 15-team standard Roto Mixed League (BW)
• RotoCommunity.com's Mic Wars 12-team h2h Roto Mixed League (MW)

Ask a question about your players in our FORUM. Leave a comment about this article down below.

Brandon Lyon RP HOU ($100 TC drop Michael Wuertz, $33 MW)

Lyon takes the closing reigns from the DLed Matt Lindstrom. This is the same Lyon as before and the same Astros, but we are at the point where even a handful of saves can grab precious points. When picking, don't negate that there is still almost a fourth of the season left, so damage can still be done to your qualitative numbers. When taking on short term closers of known inflammability, be shooting at bunches of points.

Chris Denorfia OF SDG  ($100 BW drop David Freese, $12 MW)

Not that you wish to take these things too serious, but Denorfia is rated as the 86th best fantasy player in all of baseball by Yahoo over the last 30 days, batting .299 15-3-13 3 SB. With Tony Gwynn now lost for the season, Denorfia remains a keystone of the surprising Padres drive to the playoffs. This is not fantasy gold, but it's great late plug-in.

Hisanori Takahashi RP NYM ($75 TC drop Luke Gregerson, $41 MW)

Takahashi posted somewhat better numbers as reliever then as starter and has been given all the chances so far (Manny Acosta's early save was in an extra inning game where Takahashi had come on early). Jenrry Mejia, who might have been a logical take-a-look, has been flipped to the starting side in Buffalo (and had a terrific performance this week in that role after returning from arm difficulties earlier this summer).   

Jed Lowrie 2B/SS BOS ($65 BW drop Chris Getz)

There's nothing in Lowrie's resume that suggest he can continue his .305 rate since coming back over a full season.  But there's nothing to say he couldn't keep it up for another month (as indeed he did in his first season). We make no secret of liking the player dropped here, Chris Getz, but his is a one dimensional contribution and his playing time by no means guaranteed.  

Ramon Hernandez C/1B CIN ($61 MW drop Ronnie Paulino)

Hernandez is back and hitting (.395 with a 1.020 OPS in August). With Joey Votto missing time for various dings and bruises he stands to pick up reasonable playing time down the stretch if he can stay healthy. With cacthing so scarce you ought to be looking. 

Juan Gutierrez RP ARI ($29 BW drop Sean Burnett)

It was reumoured that Gutierrez was the closer when Kirk Gibson took over, but then Gutierrez went on the DL with shoulder weakness. Nothing has changed in the Arizona situation (Aaron Heilman or Sam Demel stepping up) that would leave the opportunity closed.

Homer Bailey SP CIN  ($27 BW drop Jacoby Ellsbury)

Bailey is always on everyone's list of prospects who might break out, yet never does. He made what seemed like a breakthrough in the minor leagues last season and returns to the division-leading Red for the playoff stretch. He's never been consistently good in the majors but at this point it is a pretty fresh arm on a team with a reasonable bullpen about to be reinforced by Aroldis Chapman.

Jeremy Hellickson SP TAM ($20 TC drop Tommy Hunter)

The thing not to forget about Hellickson in light of his being sent out after last night's no-decision in a Tampa loss (as this writer did last week) is that things do happen to starting pitching, Hellickson has been solid, and the Rays are still in the race. Bargain pick-up and drop Mike Gonzalez looks unlikely to regain the closer duties under new manager Buck Showalter.

Brian Duensing SP MIN ($11 BW drop drop Alfredo Simon)

Duensing's modest upside and iffy yearly totals (depressed by time in the bullpen) probably mean he is still on your waiver wire.  But why? 7-1 1.92/1.03 while pitching for arguably the best offense in baseball? And with Matt Capps added to an already deep bullpen.  

Ryan Raburn 2B/OF ($8 TC drop Maicer Izturiz)

Although this pick may not have been made with this in mind. Raburn's playing time looks safe for now with Magglio Ordonez being referred to a foot specialist and Carlos Guillen being sent to the DL again. He's been extremely hot and hitting for power. Drop Izturis is experiencing shoulder issues yet again. 

Danny Valenica 3B MIN  ($8 MW, drop Edinson Volquez)

We weren't surprised to see Valencia hitting .350 over the course of a month as he has the past 30 days. We were surprised to see that he had 100 at-bats for the Twins. Nick Punto has gone to the DL again after a Nelson-Cruz'ian day on the active roster, so this seems likely to continue.  Well worth an add in all formats as long as he his garnering playing time in that offense.

Bud Norris SP HOU ($8 TC drop Jorge Cantu, $27 BW, $17 MW)

Norris has won four of his last five starts including the superlative 14 K effort against the Pirates, followed by a good W Thursday evening at home against the Mets. Not a prototypical mixed-league alternative, but he's worth riding while he is hot. 

Pat Burelll OF HOU ($8 TC drop J.A. Happ) 

Burrell has been playing everyday and has hit a couple of home runs over the past week. Not a bad power chance given the uncharacteristic weakness of mixed league outfield alternatives at roto-format depth. Pay attention to the Giants reported waiver claim of Florida outfielder Cody Ross. If the report is true then any deal will need to have been completed by Sunday night pick-ups. It would make an awfully cramped roster for the Giants. 

Kevin Correia SP SDG ($8 TC Drop Alfredo Simon)

Since the all-star break, Correia looks like the Correia who had been so good for most of last season. 3.00/1.17 and a stellar 2.00/0.89 so far this month for the feisty Friars. Because his season numbers don't look so good (probably due more to his off-field family tragedy than to his pitching skills), he may be on your wire and if so he's a real good candidate.

David Murphy OF TEX ($3 TC drop Mike Lowell)

With Nelson Cruz following a strict regimen of 15 days on the DL between every week or half-week played, Murphy comes into play again. As with Burrell above, the uncharacteristically weak depth of the outfield in fantasy puts him into play....but just barely.   

Taylor Teagarden C TEX ($2 BW drop Ronnie Paulino)

Teagarden was very good at the end of the season a couple of years ago and despite the loss of Nelson Cruz (again) they remain a potent offense in a potent park. Teagarden is not a great opportunity nonetheless, but with Paulino hitting the suspended list, one must do something, this at least as the possibility of an upside. 

Chris Snyder C PIT ($1 TC drop Ronny Paulino)

With Paulino drawing the 50 day unpaid vacation for PED-use (and to be frank, we wouldn't at all be surprised if Paulino had picked up some inappropriately labeled supplement to try to get some extra energy, as he has been totally gassed since some time before the all-star break trying to catch everyday). Snyder draws the starting gig for Pittsburgh and presents the same set of skills and liabilities he always has. Good power, questionable average. 

ALSO

Yunieksy Maya SP WSN & Jordan Zimmerman S MSN may be joining the Nats this week. Zimmerman threw five shutout innings this week and looks pretty fully ripe, while Maya has made a couple of low-level appearances but wasn't expected to do much more than tune up.  As we've mentioned at RC before, the Nats are playing with some life here, and we wouldn't be surprised if they provided some value, high risk throw however...  Rich Harden SP TEX jumps in the rotation and gets a two start week for the Rangers. He was terrific in his last rehab appearance and brings all the risks and rewards as he always has... Xavier Nady 1B CHC - although word is that Tyler Colvin may play some first and the return (after a mandatory 10-day stay after being sent down) of Micah Hoffpauir, and he won't have it all to himself. He could win near full time work with his bat... Eric Young 2B/OF COL ($163 BW, $41 MW) - don't forget EY, he's playing with some fire and running. 2B eligible this year anyway... Steve Tolleson SS OAK may get some run with Adam Rolsaes going down for the year. Tolleson's .335 mark at Sacramento with nine HRs look like an outlier, as he had hit .300 only once before above rookie ball, and that was exactly .300 in a half season in hitter friendly New Britain. He will steal a base too but looks more like an AL-Only type. 

Again, ask a question about your players in our FORUM. Leave a comment about this article down below.