This week’s two-starter broadcaster slate is one of the weakest we’ve seen to this point in the fantasy baseball season. There are only two surefire broadcasters across all formats and three more guys who could be considered in deep roto and one-on-one leagues. On the hitting side, loading up on the Mets should be the plan for the next few days.

Two-Starting Pitchers (listed in order of preference)

Hayden Birdsong, 41% (@WSH vs. DET)

Birdsong is undoubtedly the most exciting option on this week’s slate, as he’s allowed two runs on 11 hits while striking out 20 batters in his last two starts, albeit both starts against the lowly Rockies. Still, he has a lot of potential for two starts against offenses that score slightly below average runs and rank in the bottom seven in OPS. Birdsong should be active in all leagues.

Sean Manaea, 54% (@STL, @SEA)

Thanks to some luck (. 265 BABIP), Manaea has posted respectable numbers this year (3.50 ERA, 1.20 WHIP). The left-hander is racking up his share of strikeouts (8.9 K/9 ratio) and is primed for a middling matchup against the Cardinals and a favorable matchup against a Mariners offense that ranks 27th in runs scored and first in strikeouts. Available to stream in all leagues.

JP Sears, 31% (vs. CWS, @TOR)

Sears would normally be near the bottom of this list. After all, he’s played on one of the worst teams in baseball, has struggled to record whiffs (6.9 K/9 ratio) and has posted unimpressive percentages (4.53 ERA, 1.25 WHIP). But in a weak weakling for two-starting pitchers, Sears could be a serviceable option thanks to matchups against a Blue Jays team that ranks 24th in runs scored and a White Sox club that ranks last by a wide margin. The lefty also deserves credit for posting a 3.07 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 9.2 K/9 ratio in his last five starts.

Colin Rea, 41% (@ATL vs. CIN)

Rea has more than exceeded expectations, going 9-3 with a 3.59 ERA and 1.20 WHIP, as the Brewers tend to maximize the efficiency of their pitchers. The veteran has a 4.45 FIP and could see regression soon, but those who need to chase volume at this point in the season may want to take the risk that he could keep things going for another week. Rea has a pair of matchups against middling lineups on his schedule.

David Festa, 7% (@CHC, vs. CLE)

Festa’s third career start was his best yet, when he collected six hits and held the Mets to two runs in five innings on July 30. The rookie has struck out 89 batters in 60.1 Minor League innings this year, which shows plenty of potential for managers who need to make aggressive moves in the final two months of the season. Still, Festa has allowed 12 homers in his first two MLB starts, making him the ultimate boom-or-bust option for the two starts against middle-of-the-pack offenses this week.

Andre Pallante, 10% (NYM vs @KC)

Pallante has been useful in 10 games as a starter, producing a damaging 1.26 WHIP while using a heavy groundball tilt to limit the scoring (3.61 ERA). But his per-game results are all over the place, as his starts are largely determined by whether grounders sneak past the infield at the wrong times. Two tough matchups against top-10 offenses this week push Pallante down this list.

Max Meyer, 30% (vs. CIN, vs. SD)

Meyer is one of baseball’s most exciting pitching prospects, despite allowing seven earned runs in nine innings in two starts since being recalled on July 27. The youngster will be happy to make two appearances on his pitcher-friendly home field this week, but one of those will be against a dangerous Padres offense. Meyer’s poor recent results and lackluster supporting cast put him lower on this list than one might expect.

Bailey Falter, 5% (vs. SD, @LAD)

Feeling lucky? Falter has respectable numbers (3.95 ERA, 1.19 WHIP) that would have looked even better if not for a few rough outings prior to his IL tenure. He returned on July 30 and limited a struggling Houston lineup to one earned run in 5.1 innings, and now he’ll face two more high-scoring offenses. With a particularly weak strikeout ability (6.0 K/9 ratio), Falter has a low ceiling and a low floor.

Single Startup Publishers

The top publishers of the week, their start dates, and Yahoo! listing rates are given in parentheses, respectively.

• José Quintana @SEA (Friday, 39)

• Jose Soriano @WSH (Friday, 21)

• Tobias Myers vs. CIN (Saturday, 53)

• River Ryan vs. PIT (Saturday, 41)

• Joey Estes vs. CWS (Wednesday, 5)

• Martín Pérez @MIA (Saturday, 9)

• Luis L. Ortiz vs. SD (Thursday, 25)

• Kyle Gibson vs. TB (Thursday, 34)

• Michael Lorenzen vs. STL (Friday, 20)

• Yariel Rodríguez – OAK (Saturday, 8)

• Simeon Woods Richardson vs. CLE (Saturday, 26)

• Dean Kremer @TOR (Thursday, 20)

• Carson Spiers @MIL (Friday, 17)

• Mitch Spence @TOR (Friday, 4)

• Keider Montero @SEA (Wednesday, 1)

• Javier Assad vs. MIN (Wednesday, 29)

• Aaron Civale vs. CIN (Friday, 33)

Matches available Monday-Thursday

Mets @Cardinals, Rockies

New York will have by far the best matchups in the first half of the week, as they will play four games, including three at hitter-friendly Coors Field, against the worst pitching staff in baseball. Harrison Bader (9%) is the best broadcaster in this group.

Giants @ Nationals

San Francisco plays four games over the next four days, three of which will be against manageable lefties. Casey Schmitt (0%) is an underrated broadcaster for this series, as he usually plays second in the lineup against lefties.