A high number of high-end pitchers are in line for two stats in Week 21 (Aug. 13-19) — the kind you normally wouldn't think twice about activating in those circumstances. It's 15, by my count.

(I include Nick Pivetta in that group even though he's owned in less than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues. The strikeout-to-walk ratio is just too good.)

And then there's No. 16, who's probably as exciting of a sleeper as we've seen in this space since April. German Marquez's curveball is playing up like never before, the result of a concerted effort to stay tall through his delivery. What do I mean by playing up? Well, it has yielded a 3.15 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings in his past seven starts. At this point, it doesn't really matter to me where he's pitching, but it's worth noting he hasn't needed any such breakthrough to dominate on the road this season, where he has a 3.09 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings in 11 starts. Both of his starts this week are on the road.

Looking deeper, I could see using ground-ball specialist Brad Keller in a points league, given his favorable matchups. He would represent the cutoff for that more forgiving format, though.

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Two-start pitchers for Week 21
Rank Pitcher Start 1 Start 2
1Justin Verlander, DETvs. COLat OAK
2Jacob deGrom, NYMat NYYat PHI
3Clayton Kershaw, LADvs. SFat SEA
4Zack Greinke, ARIat TEXat SD
5Luis Severino, NYYvs. NYMvs. TOR
6Mike Clevinger, CLEat CINvs. BAL
7Rick Porcello, BOSat PHIvs. TB
8Madison Bumgarner, SFat LADat CIN
9Miles Mikolas, STLvs. WASvs. MIL
10J.A. Happ, NYYvs. TBvs. TOR
11Mike Foltynewicz, ATLvs. MIAvs. COL
12Marco Gonzales, SEAat OAKvs. LAD
13Andrew Heaney, LAAat SDat TEX
14Nick Pivetta, PHIvs. BOSvs. NYM
15Jameson Taillon, PITat MINvs. CHC
16German Marquez, COLat HOUat ATL
17Jose Quintana, CHCvs. MILat PIT
18Sean Manaea, OAKvs. SEAvs. HOU
19Gio Gonzalez, WASat STLvs. MIA
20Anibal Sanchez, ATL*vs. MIAvs. COL
21Brad Keller, KC*vs. TORat CHW
22Jake Odorizzi, MINvs. PITvs. DET
23Reynaldo Lopez, CHWat DETvs. KC
24Andrew Suarez, SFat LADat CIN
25Ryan Borucki, TOR*at KCat NYY
26John Gant, STL*vs. WASvs. MIL
27Jaime Barria, LAAat SDat TEX
28Pablo Lopez, MIA*at ATLat WAS
29Tommy Milone, WASat STLvs. MIA
30Blaine Hardy, DET*vs. CHWat MIN
31Heath Fillmyer, KCvs. TORat CHW
32Andrew Cashner, BALvs. NYMat CLE
33Jason Vargas, NYMat BALat PHI
34Clayton Richard, SDvs. LAAvs. ARI
35Artie Lewicki, DET*vs. CHWat MIN

*RP-eligible