Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson has enjoyed a strong start to the Triple-A regular season. Through his first four contests, Benson has tallied at least two hits in all but one and even posted a three-hit outing in the season opener. Across this stint, Benson has held a stellar .421/.421/.684 slash line with eight total hits. Benson has hit one triple and one round-tripper. The 26-year-old has brought in three runs and scored seven. This is a great sign for Benson, as he was unable to make the Opening Day roster. After posting a promising .275/.365/.498 slash line during the 2023 campaign in Cincinnati, Benson took a significant step back in 2024 as he slashed an underwhelming .187/.274/.376 line with just 14 long balls. Benson is worth monitoring in deeper formats as he could eventually earn another opportunity in the majors. He could be worth taking a flyer on when he does get the call, given his ability to hit for power and steal bases.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson was optioned to Triple-A Louisville. Benson was competing for a spot on the Opening Day roster but will instead begin his 2025 campaign in the minor leagues. Benson struggled at the plate last season as he held an underwhelming .187/.274/.376 slash line with 14 home runs and 16 stolen bases. He generated a poor .268 xwOBA with a .180 xBA. This was a sharp decline when looking at the .275/.365/.498 slash line with 11 home runs and 19 stolen bases. During that campaign, Benson generated a solid 42.3 percent hard-hit rate and drew walks at an elite 12.2 percent rate. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression at Triple-A as he should be in the mix to return to the big leagues as an injury replacement. When he does get the call, he could be worth a look in deeper NL-only leagues, given his ability to hit for power and steal bases.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson could open the season in the minor leagues. Given the depth in the Cincinnati outfield, Benson may be on the outside, given his poor performance in the majors last season. However, manager Terry Francona did note that the 26-year-old will be given opportunities in the spring. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his performance in spring training as it will likely provide clarity on where he will open the campaign. Last season, the former 14th overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft posted a poor .187/.274/.376 line with 14 home runs and 16 stolen bases across 128 games. This was a sharp decline from the .275/.365/.498 line he held during the 2023 campaign. He will compete for a corner outfield spot alongside Stuart Fairchild, Santiago Espinal, and Blake Dunn during camp.

According to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson has reworked his swing during the offseason. Rosecrans noted that the 26-year-old had done this to give him a better opportunity to earn a role in a crowded outfield. Last season, Benson took a significant step back as he held a .187/.275/.376 slash line with 19 doubles, 14 home runs, and 16 stolen bases. In 2023, Benson posted a strong .275/.365/.489 line with 11 home runs and 19 stolen bases. In 2024, Benson generated a 40.1 percent hard-hit rate and a hefty 39.7 percent strikeout rate, both worse than his 2023 production. During the offseason, the Reds added Austin Hays to their outfield and have expressed interest in moving Matt McLain to center field. In addition, the Reds also have Spencer Steer, TJ Friedl, and Jake Fraley in their outfield. As a result, Benson will need to perform very well in spring training to open the season with a starting role.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson (finger) is out of the lineup again on Thursday versus the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park. Benson injured his left middle finger on Sept. 12 and hasn't played since, but apparently he's feeling better after coming off the bench in the team's last two games. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger will continue to be an outfield bench bat to close out the season. He does have 14 round-trippers on the year and 14 stolen bases in 328 at-bats, but he's hitting just .192 (63-for-328). Benson has played in just seven games in the month of September and has only one hit, an RBI, three walks and five strikeouts in his 13 plate appearances. Since the All-Star break, he's hit .200 (14-for-70) with four homers, four doubles, 10 RBI, nine walks and 30 strikeouts in 79 plate appearances.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson (finger) was forced to leave Thursday's game early against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals when his fingers were hit while trying to bunt. X-rays came back negative on Benson, though, and he was diagnosed with a bruised left middle finger. Before exiting the eventual 6-1 loss, Benson was hitless in his only at-bat with a strikeout. He was replaced by pinch-hitter Amed Rosario and was eventually replaced in left field by Jake Fraley. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should consider Benson day-to-day, but don't be surprised if he's not available for Friday's series opener in Minnesota against the Twins at Target Field. The 26-year-old former 14th overall pick by the Cleveland Guardians in 2016 has a modest power/speed combination as a platoon player in Cincy with 14 homers and 14 stolen bases, but his .191 average (62-for-325) has been a real drag.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson played a role in Monday's victory versus the Atlanta Braves. Benson went 2-for-2 with a walk, two stolen bases and a solo home run, before being pinch-hit for with Austin Slater in the top of the ninth inning. On the season, Benson is only hitting .194, but he has provided 11 homers, 34 RBI and 13 stolen bases. With sporadic playing time, the outfielder does not offer much value outside of the deepest daily leagues. He can safely remain on the waiver wire for now, but could become intriguing if the Reds make moves at the trade deadline and Benson gets a bigger opportunity.

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Jeimer Candelario and outfielder Will Benson are not in Wednesday's lineup as the Reds look to clinch a series victory over their division rival Pittsburgh Pirates. Candelario has started in each of the past five games with a modest .182 AVG. Benson usually slots in right-field against right-handed pitching, but Wednesday will be an exception. As a result, Santiago Espinal will man the hot corner and bat eighth, and Jake Fraley will cover right field and bat third. They will face Pirates right-hander Luis Ortiz who enters this game with an overall 3.45 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP and allowed 10 hits and six earned runs in his previous start. Both are solid options in DFS this afternoon with a great matchup and playing in hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson (elbow) is starting in left field and is batting eighth against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander Mitch Keller on Tuesday. Benson was hit by a pitch on his left elbow on Sunday and he missed Monday's contest, but X-rays came back negative and he's back in action against a right-handed pitcher. The 26-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder should probably be avoided in DFS lineups on Tuesday for a variety of reasons, though. For one, he's hitless in six career at-bats against Keller. Second of all, Benson has really looked bat at the plate in the month of June, batting .156 (7-for-45) with a double, five RBI, one steal and 23 strikeouts in 19 games to drop his season line to a weak .192/.287/.379. Benson hasn't gone yard since May 28.

X-rays came back negative on Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson (elbow) after he was hit by a pitch in Sunday's 7-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox, according to manager David Bell. Benson went 0-for-3 and set a career-high hitless streak with an 0-for-21 slump before getting hit on the inside of his left elbow by a pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning. He stayed in the game to take first base but was eventually replaced on defense in right field by Nick Martini in the top of the ninth inning. The 26-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder appears to have escaped a serious injury but he's unlikely to play on Monday for the series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates, especially with the team facing a left-handed pitcher. Benson's cold stretch has dropped his season slash line to .192/.287/.379 with eight homers, 22 RBI and nine steals in 214 at-bats.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson left Sunday's game against the Boston Red Sox after he took a 97 MPH fastball off of his left elbow. He initially stayed in the game to run the bases but exited once the Reds took the field defensively. Benson will likely head for X-rays after the game to see the extent of the injury. The 26-year-old has struggled mightily at the plate over the past few months and is hitless in his past nine games. He is slashing .192/.287/.379 with eight home runs, 22 RBI, and nine stolen bases this season. He can be considered day-to-day for now, but his fantasy value has already been drastically drained.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson turned in an excellent night at the plate in a 13-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Monday. Benson went 2-for-3 with a triple, two runs, and three RBI to help power Cincy to the blowout win. The 25-year-old outfielder has struggled this season, posting just a .205 batting average along with eight homers, 20 runs, 20 RBI, and eight steals across 176 at-bats. That being said, he's showing signs of life of late, hitting .385 over his past seven contests. With a skillset that blends power and speed, Benson is worth rostering in deeper fantasy leagues moving forward.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson went 1-for-1 with a walk in Tuesday's loss versus the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday. His lone hit would be a home run and the only offense for the Reds on the day. Benson was eventually removed in the 8th inning with a left-hander on the hill. Benson has shown power with eight home runs and 17 RBI to go along with eight stolen bases to his name. The 25-year-old entered the season with high hopes and despite some good power numbers, Benson has been more of a platoon player and will continue to be with outfielder TJ Friedl (thumb) expected to return as soon as this weekend or the beginning of next week. Benson is an intriguing player, but is a better real-life option versus fantasy. Outside of the deepest leagues, he is best suited as a DFS pick.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson went 1-for-4 with a home run in Tuesday's victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Benson's homer would come with one runner on and would break a 2-2 tie in the top of the fifth inning to be the eventual game-winning hit. Benson was a hot name heading into the season, but has struggled with a .193 batting average. That being said, he has shown some power with five longballs and 13 RBI. He has also been productive on the basepaths with 8 stolen bases. With TJ Friedl (thumb) landing back on the 10-day injured list, Benson's playing time remains safe. Although he hasn't been helping with batting average, Benson has shown the power and speed that makes him worth rostering in deeper mixed leagues.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jake Fraley (illness) and Will Benson are both out of the lineup on Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies and left-hander Ranger Suarez. Fraley is missing his third straight game due to an illness, while it appears Benson is being rested with a lefty on the mound in this one. Stuart Fairchild is starting in right field and batting leadoff, while Bubba Thompson gets a start in center field and is batting in the nine-hole. Fairchild might be worth a look as a low-cost DFS sleeper in the leadoff spot. He's hitting .250 (10-for-40) so far with no homers, five RBI and five stolen bases in 2024. Fairchild is hitless in his five career at-bats against Suarez, while Thompson has never faced the soft-tossing lefty in his career.

Cincinnati Reds outfielders Jake Fraley and Will Benson are not in Saturday's lineup against the Chicago White Sox. Benson and Fraley will sit versus White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet. Both outfielders should be available off the bench and will look to re-enter the starting lineup for the series finale on Sunday. Bubba Thompson and Stuart Fairchild will replace Benson and Fraley in the outfield. Thompson is starting in center field, batting eighth, and is hitting .250 (2-for-8) with four stolen bases over nine games this season. Fairchild is starting in right field, hitting fifth and slashing .304/.385/.304 with four stolen bases over nine games in 2024. Fairchild and Thompson are deep-league streamers at best in a tough matchup against Crochet.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson will stay in the team's starting lineup on Monday while facing left-hander Cristopher Sanchez and the Philadelphia Phillies. Meanwhile, left-handed-hitting outfielders Jake Fraley and Nick Martini will both retreat to the bench. Benson is in right field and is hitting in the nine-hole. To begin the year, the Reds are viewing the 25-year-old left-handed hitter as an everyday player, as he hasn't been benched for either of the two lefties the team has faced. He's obviously not as attractive at the bottom of the order against a southpaw in fantasy, but Benson is off to a strong start in 2024 for the Reds, going 5-for-12 (.417) with a home runs, three RBI and two runs scored in three games played.

The Cincinnati Reds announced their starting lineup for Opening Day on Thursday in Cincinnati against the Nationals, with outfielder Will Benson penciled into the second spot in the order. Benson gets the start in centerfield after the projected Opening Day starter T.J. Friedl fractured his wrist in a spring game and was officially placed on the 10-day IL on Wednesday. Benson is intriguing for fantasy purposes, as while he's in there he brings a solid power-speed profile to the table, with the six-foot-five-inch lefty hitting 11 home runs and stealing 19 bases last season in just 329 PA. Benson will face the Nationals' RHP Josiah Gray whom he is 2-for-3 off of in his career, including a double and a strikeout.

With Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (wrist) set to open the 2024 season on the injured list with a fractured right wrist, Will Benson and Stuart Fairchild could see additional playing time to start the season, per MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. Manager David Bell said, "It's all going to work out. I'm focused on the guys we have here." The 25-year-old Benson had a successful 2023 season in limited playing time but is batting just .200 in 25 spring at-bats. Fairchild has yet to stick in a big-league role but is hitting .360 with three home runs in 25 spring at-bats. From a fantasy perspective, Benson's potential to provide power and speed seems to give him the edge over Fairchild in deeper leagues. However, fantasy managers should watch for further news as the regular season approaches.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson is not in Tuesday night's starting lineup against the Cleveland Guardians and left-hander Logan Allen. The 25-year-old had a nice day as part of a doubleheader Sunday versus the Pirates, combining to go 2-for-5 with a triple, two walks, two runs scored, and a stolen base while the Reds split the twin bill with their NL Central foe. It's been a big season for Benson who is hitting .283 with seven home runs, 12 stolen bases, and a .902 OPS across 69 appearances. However, Benson's unsustainable .402 BABIP and elevated 30.2% K% are indicators of regression to come while his .326 xwOBA sits well below his current .387 wOBA in 215 plate appearances on the campaign.