👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

2016 in Review: First Base (1B) Busts

Our review of the 2016 fantasy baseball season continues with a look at some first base bust. While some of these players contributed modest home run totals, they simply couldn't bring enough value to justify their ADP.

 

First Base Busts - 2016

Mitch Moreland, Texas Rangers

When Prince Fielder was forced to prematurely end his career, Moreland's responsibilities increased. Unfortunately, his production did not. On the surface, you could point to the fact that Moreland hit just one fewer home run (22) as the previous year in practically the same amount of at-bats. His 4.5% HR% and 20.9 AB/HR could even be considered assets in deeper leagues. That's where the value ends, however. Despite playing for a top contender all season, Moreland drove in 60 runs and finished with a poor .233/.298/.422 line. His 3.37 K/BB rate was also nearly identical to the previous season, so Moreland simply made less contact on his swings.

After an encouraging 2015, Moreland was expected to at least match his .278 average with 23 home runs and 85 RBI. That would have placed him near the top 10 at the first base position. Instead, he reverted to his old form. In fact, it's eerie how similar this season compares to 2013 when Moreland was considered nothing more than a borderline corner infield option. For comparison's sake, here are his 2013 primary stats: .232 AVG, .736 OPS, 23 HR, 60 RBI, 60 R, 117 K, 45 BB in 462 AB. In 2016, he produced much of the same: .233 AVG, .720 OPS, 22 HR, 60 RBI, 49 R, 118 K, 35 BB in 460 AB. If anything, 2015 appears to be outlier season in a mostly mediocre career. It seems increasingly unlikely that the 31 year-old will bounce back or produce more than he did this year. He is still usable in deep leagues for his power, but shouldn't be counted on for much more.

Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals

On the plus side, Zimmerman played his highest game total in the past three years and logged 467 at-bats. That's where the good news ends, however, as his .218 batting average was by far the lowest of his 12-year career. Zimmerman has battled injuries over the last three seasons, making him a risky pick entering the 2016 season. It may then be more concerning that, despite playing a majority of the year, he performed so poorly.

Although he logged 81 more at-bats than last season, Zimmerman ended up with 27 fewer RBI and one less HR. Moreover, his 22.3% K% was the highest in his career and his 6.2% BB% was the lowest since his rookie year. He is just 32 years old, so it's too early to write Zimmerman off completely. You could point to his .248 BABIP and argue that he is due for regression at least somewhat closer to his .308 career mark. Still, Zimmerman is trending downward and is not worth anything more than a late round pick. He can't be counted on to hold down a starting spot on fantasy rosters.

Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees

Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that a 36 year-old slugger suddenly declined, but few players have fallen so hard so fast (Bret Boone comes to mind). Remember that in 2015, Tex jacked 31 HR, 79 RBI and made the third All-Star appearance of his career. His power was invisible from the start, as he notched just three homers in April and May combined and only two more in June. In 2015, his 12.6 AB/HR rate was the best of his career, ahead of his typical 17.0 AB/HR mark. That number fell all the way to 25.8 AB/HR in 2016. The main problem is that his HR/FB% fell to 10.6%, rendering a once elite power hitter useless.

Tex likely wasn't expected to be a starting first baseman in most fantasy leagues, but he was universally drafted as a CI or Util player as a reliable power source. While 15 HR and 44 RBI in 387 at-bats are nothing to sneeze at, his lowly averages were an albatross around the collective neck of fantasy teams. He ended the season with a triple slash line of .204/.292/.362, all career worsts if you exclude the 2013 season in which he only made 63 plate appearances. His abrupt retirement was in the best interest of the rebuilding Yankees and Teixeira personally, but it's never a good feeling to see a player you drafted call it quits mid-season.

This serves as a reminder that selecting an aging star is often a double-edged sword. If you chose to ignore a player like Teixeira in 2015, you passed up a great late-round value who still appeared to have plenty left in the tank. If you took a chance on that same player in 2016, you were able to squeeze two good months of power out of him while taking a serious hit to other categories before ultimately having to drop him. Fantasy owners won't need to make any decisions about Tex now that he's out of the picture, but when considering a veteran like Carlos Beltran or Matt Holliday in next year's draft, be careful about overpaying for past success.

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nick Dunlap

Keeps Slugging Through Rough 2026 Season
Kyren Williams

Will Kyren Williams Remain the Undisputed RB1 in Los Angeles Going Forward?
Mason Taylor

Does Mason Taylor Have Breakout Potential in 2026?
Puka Nacua

Appears Poised to Dominate for Years to Come
Andrew Novak

Wants to Rebound After THE Players Championship
Austin Smotherman

on Baby Watch as Valspar Championship Approaches
Ben Sinnott

Does Not Appear to Be in Washington's Long-Term Plans
Luke Clanton

Might Have Issues at the Valspar Championship
Sam Darnold

Profiles as a Safe QB2 in Dynasty Formats Heading into 2026
Jerry Jeudy

Can Jerry Jeudy Bounce Back from Underwhelming 2025 Campaign?
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Must be Accurate at the Valspar Championship
Josh Emmett

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Kevin Vallejos

Scores First-Round TKO
Amanda Lemos

Drops Back-To-Back Fights
Gillian Robertson

Extends Her Win Streak
Zach Neto

to Take Batting Practice on Monday
Andre Fili

Drops Decision on Saturday
Cam Skattebo

Thinks he'll be 100 Percent Healthy in a Little Over a Month
Denny Hamlin

Dominates and Gets His Third Career Las Vegas Win
Chase Elliott

Earns Runner-Up Finish at Las Vegas
William Byron

Wins A Stage and Finishes Third at Las Vegas
Jeremy McNichols

Re-Signs With Commanders
Christopher Bell

Finishes Fourth at Las Vegas After Strong Run
Kyle Larson

Fades to Seventh Despite Leading Laps Early at Las Vegas
Justin Fields

Chiefs Acquiring Justin Fields From Jets
Andre Fili

Jose Delgado Edges Andre Fili in Split-Decision Win
Oumar Sy

Suffers First-Round Submission Loss
Ion Cutelaba

Returns To The Win Column
CFB

CJ Carr Enters Sophomore Season as Heisman Favorite
CFB

Aaron Philo Not a Lock to be Florida's Starting QB?
CFB

George MacIntyre the Favorite to Win Tennessee Quarterback Battle?
CFB

Keelon Russell, Austin Mack Battling for Alabama QB1 Duties
Connor McDavid

Records Three Assists Sunday
Bo Groulx

Makes Big Impact Sunday
Drake Batherson

Pots Two Goals in Sunday's Win
Bobby McMann

Continues Dream Start in Seattle
Kirby Dach

Injured on High Hit
Alexander Wennberg

Without Timeline for Return
Leon Draisaitl

Exits Early with Injury Sunday
Harold Fannin Jr.

Officially Steps Into the Top Role
Max Strus

Makes Impact in Season Debut
Troy Franklin

Ready to Take on an Even Larger Role?
Seth Curry

Sidelined for at Least One Week
Brenton Strange

Trending Up Despite Anticipated Competition?
Al Horford

Set for Re-Evaluation Next Week
A.J. Brown

Eagles to Revisit A.J. Brown Trade Situation in June
Kawhi Leonard

Doubtful Monday Against Spurs
Kayshon Boutte

Steps Into a Larger Role for Now
Santi Aldama

Set for Season-Ending Knee Procedure
Christian McCaffrey

Tough to Justify Trading in Dynasty Leagues
Drew Eubanks

to Undergo Thumb Surgery
Isaiah Collier

Exits Early Sunday with Knee Injury
Troy Terry

Adds Three Points in Return to Lineup
Leo Carlsson

Picks Up Trio of Points on Sunday
Dejounte Murray

Battling Illness Ahead of Monday
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Could Miss Another Game Monday
Noah Clowney

Sidelined Monday Versus Trail Blazers
Michael Porter Jr.

to Miss Third Straight Game
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez is Day-to-Day with Shoulder Inflammation
Alexandre Sarr

Out Monday Against Golden State
Jeremy Sochan

Returns to Action Sunday
Ömer Yurtseven

Omer Yurtseven Set to Debut Sunday for Golden State
Quinten Post

Cleared to Play Sunday Against New York
Malik Monk

to Miss Third Straight Game Sunday
Devin Carter

Sidelined Sunday Versus Utah
Brendan Gallagher

Rejoins Canadiens Lineup Sunday
Russell Westbrook

Won't Play Sunday Versus Jazz
Josh Hart

Cleared to Play Sunday Against Golden State
Daniil Tarasov

Starting Against Kraken
Quinn Ewers

Set to Back Up New Quarterback
Ty Emberson

Remains Out Sunday
Chris Brooks

the Preferred Handcuff in Green Bay?
Bobby Brink

Questionable Sunday
Kendre Miller

Continues to Fall Out of Favor in New Orleans
Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Unavailable Against Wild
Brashard Smith

Ascension Put on Pause?
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

a Game-Time Call Sunday
Corbin Carroll

to Resume Playing Defense This Week
John Carlson

Set for Ducks Debut
Francisco Lindor

Non-Committal About Status for Opening Day
Nathan Eovaldi

Named Rangers' Opening Day Starter
Hayden Birdsong

Diagnosed with Grade 2 Forearm Strain and UCL Sprain
Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars Eyeing Defensive Linemen and a Tight End in the NFL Draft?
Davante Adams

Rams Explored Trading Davante Adams
Karl-Anthony Towns

Rejoins Knicks Lineup Sunday
Marcelo Mayer

Scratched With Left-Knee Soreness
Zach Neto

Tests Come Back Negative, Dealing With Sprained Hand
Ausar Thompson

Returns to Action Sunday
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption, Wins Pole at Las Vegas
Denny Hamlin

Should Contend for Another Vegas Win
Chase Briscoe

Qualifies 18th Despite Toyota Dominating at Las Vegas
Chase Elliott

May Fly Under the Radar at Las Vegas
NASCAR

Ross Chastian Has Been As Solid As They Come at Las Vegas
Ty Gibbs

Could Ty Gibbs Finally Break Through With a Win at Las Vegas?
Brad Keselowski

a Solid DFS Pick at Las Vegas
Francisco Lindor

is Making Spring Debut on Sunday
Carter Verhaeghe

Anton Lundell Expected to Return Sunday
Kyle Larson

Should Kyle Larson be Considered A Favorite for Las Vegas?
Sam Bennett

Considered Day-to-Day
William Byron

Could Compete for a Top-Five Finish at Las Vegas
Sam Reinhart

Not Traveling on Four-Game Road Trip
Ryan Blaney

Is Ryan Blaney Worth Rostering in Tournament DFS Lineups for Las Vegas?
Michael Rasmussen

Ruled Out for One Week
Tyler Reddick

Could Continue his Top-10 Streak at Las Vegas
Declan Carlile

to Miss 4-5 Weeks
Joey Logano

Should DFS Managers Underestimate Joey Logano for Las Vegas?
Chris Buescher

Is Chris Buescher Worth Rostering For Las Vegas DFS Lineups?
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace is A Risky DFS Option Who Could Pay Off at Las Vegas
Josh Berry

Has Plenty of Upside for Las Vegas DFS Lineups
Ryan Preece

Scores his First Las Vegas Top-10 Starting Spot in Qualifying
Seiya Suzuki

Leaves WBC Game on Saturday With Right-Knee Discomfort
Zach Neto

is Removed After Suffering Hand Injury
Joe Ryan

Won't Pitch in the World Baseball Classic
Zack Wheeler

Throws First Live BP Session on Saturday
Merrill Kelly

Expected to Open Season on the Injured List
Kevin Gausman

Named Toronto's Opening Day Starter
Kyle Stowers

Back in Grapefruit League Lineup
Francisco Lindor

Takes Full Batting Practice on Friday
Brandon Woodruff

Still TBD for Opening Day
Trevor Rogers

to Start on Opening Day for Orioles
Kevin Vallejos

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Josh Emmett

In Dire Need Of Victory
Gillian Robertson

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 114
Amanda Lemos

Set For Co-Main Event
Oumar Sy

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Ion Cutelaba

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Blake Snell

Around Six Weeks From Being Fully Built Up
Zack Wheeler

to Face Hitters in Live Batting Practice on Saturday
Hideki Matsuyama

Brings Strong Course History to TPC Sawgrass
Adam Scott

in Strong Form Ahead of The Players
Rickie Fowler

on Quite the Run Heading to TPC Sawgrass
Sepp Straka

Needs to Forget What Happened Sunday at Bay Hill
Jordan Spieth

an Enigma Heading to The Players Championship
Justin Rose

Trying to Pick Up the Pieces in Florida
Maverick McNealy

Bounces Back at Arnold Palmer Invitational
Brooks Koepka

Continues His Florida Swing With Some Momentum
Nicolai Hojgaard

in Strong Form Ahead of The Players
Robert MacIntyre

a Volatile Option at The Players
Matt Fitzpatrick

Looks to Return to Top Form at The Players
Sam Burns

a High-Risk, High-Reward Option at The Players
Keegan Bradley

Hard to Trust at The Players
Xander Schauffele

Rounding into Form Heading to Players Championship
Rory McIlroy

Set to Return at Players Championship to Defend Title
Jake Knapp

Set to Return at Players Championship
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF