Elder has heated up, delivering four quality starts in five and benefiting from a slider that's finally coming around. The Houston matchup is manageable for a floor-based streamer who can generate weak contact and groundballs, supporting ratios with decent strikeout upside if his slider continues to sharpen.

Elder is framed as a key Braves arm in a Cubs-focused slate, offering a manageable floor with limited upside against Atlanta’s offense support; a pivotal GPP decision in Cubs stacks.

Elder delivered another seven-inning gem, allowing one earned run with six strikeouts and efficient run support, reinforcing his value as a reliable long-start option for Atlanta.

Elder has been a step back from his 2023 peak, posting a high ERA across recent starts and facing Chicago’s offense in a game that could set the tone for Braves’ late-season push. His strikeout potential remains, but control and consistency have been uneven, making him a matchup-dependent fantasy asset.

Elder was once the All-Star spark, but over the past two seasons he has posted a 6.04 ERA over 174.1 innings as an innings-eater with below-average results. The article argues Elder should be moved if the Braves want to reset the rotation, suggesting a trade as the most likely path to inject a different dynamic into the staff.