The concept of buying low in fantasy can be a tricky one to navigate. Whether or not you're truly buying low can depend on the size of your league, and how savvy your competitors are. You might have free-agent budgets to consider, or an intransigent owner who won't trade the guy you want, even with a strong offer.

Best we can do is dig up a few players having regrettable seasons, factor in their reputations, then sort them by three categories: buy low, buy lower, and buy lowest. Think of the buy-low players as waiver pickups or trade possibilities in standard (12-team) mixed leagues, on down to target guys in 20-team mixed, or AL-/NL-only leagues.

Here are your nominees:

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Middle Relief, our midweek look at news and nonsense from around the majors.

When Scott Podsednik jogged to center field in the eighth inning of Tuesday night's game against the Orioles, he thrust the Red Sox into rarefied air. No, he didn't win the game for Boston — Baltimore walked away 4-1 victors. No, he didn't change Boston's place in the standings — the Sox remain cellar dwellers and below .500, the longest they've gone without topping .500 in 15 16 years. In making his first appearance in a Red Sox uniform, Podsednik became the 12th player to man their outfield this year.