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
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

The Waiting Game: 5 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values

This article originally appeared on We Talk Fantasy Sports. You can follow Brant on Twitter @BrantChesser.

Fantasy baseball drafts and auctions place owners in difficult situations at various times throughout each day. When should we draft the best player on the board? When should we fill out our roster? Quite a few owners would say that they choose the best player available in the first seven-eight rounds before they start filling needs.

We will explore some draft options that are available on positions that we can wait to fill at pick #200, which correlates to the 14th round in a 15-team league and the 17th-18th round in a 12-team league. Most of these players are worth $6-8 in an auction league.

 

Second Base Draft Value

If we prefer to wait on talent at second base, there is a solid option in the 14th round. Ben Zobrist also qualifies at OF, and NFBC owners are selecting him at #197 ADP. His 88% contact rate and 12% BB% provides a solid foundation for success, especially if we take risks with our earlier picks. As he is aging, his SB success rate has dropped from 67% in 2014 to 43% last year. His consistency to hit double-digit homers as a middle infielder will help roto owners, but he has hit 49% GB the last two seasons.

His .288 BABIP last season falls in line with his .292 career BABIP, and he provides strong value in 61% of his weeks for H2H owners. He provides close to league-average production at 2B in deeper points-leagues with -1% value. As a switch-hitter last year, he hit .252 as a LHB against RHP with 19 doubles and 40 RBI's as a LHB against RHP. He smacked ten of his twelve homers as a LHB, but he hits for a higher average, .329 last year and .290 career, as a RHB against LHP.

While we know the SB's will not return to double-digits, his ability to make contact and take walks will help his BA and runs, especially on a loaded offensive team. He has a good chance to provide $10-15 worth of value in an auction league, and he will be an average 2B in an 18-team league.

 

Outfield Draft Value

There is another NL-option at the OF position that would fill our #3 OF slot. Stephen Piscotty's 77% contact rate and 8% BB% gives hope for the future, especially after he hit .305 with 7 homers in 233 MLB ABs in 2015. Luck aided his BA with a .372 BABIP, and he only stole two bases last summer. He dominated 50% of his 12 MLB weeks for H2H owners, and he will could provide close to league-average production as a #3 OF in points leagues.

Auction owners will want to spend $8-10 for his $14 projection to hit .267 with 16 HR's and 58 RBI's in 2016. At 25 years old, there is more risk in this selection, but he could also turn into a deep-league keeper if he continues to lower his 33.5% of swings outside of the zone when he adjusts to NL pitching.

 

Middle Of the Rotation Draft Value

We can wait on SP, if we take this AL-SP after pick #200. Mike Fiers' 9.0 K/9 the last two seasons and 60% FpK shows his consistency, and his skills should not regress in 2016. Although his 4.04 xFIP hovered above his 3.69 ERA, his .283 BABIP almost mirrors his career .285 BABIP. His AL West team should provide decent run support to allow this SP to reach double-digit wins. His skills improved in the second half, especially when he dominated 69% of his 13 starts. His oOPS rose from .531 in 2014 to .713 last year, but his Fly Ball rate dropped from 47% in 2014 to 42% in 2015.

Even though we can wait to draft this SP, he will provide league-average value as a SP in an 18-team league, and he is 6% more valuable than the average #4 SP. Auction-league owners can hope to spend $7-8 on him and hope that he can earn $11-12 in 2015 if he can win 10-11 games with a 3.70 ERA. He has health on his side, but his BB/9 moved from 2.13 BB/9 in 2014 to 3.19 BB/9 last season.

 

Middle Reliever Draft Value

In shallow leagues, we can turn to an AL RP around pick #200. He can provide $6 of value for our fantasy teams in 2016. H2H owners can draft him in the 14th round and quickly raise their team's strikeout totals. Dellin Betances' 14.0 K/9 last year built on his 13.5 K/9 in 2014, and he has induced 46% GB the last two seasons. His FpK slipped from 66% in 2014 to 59% last year, which resulted in 4.3 BB/9 instead of 2.4 BB/9.

While we should not count on any saves this year, Betances saved 9 games last year, and he threw in 6 wins. His 2.41 xFIP shows that his ERA could rise some this year, especially if his .257 BABIP moves closer to his career .260-.270 BABIP. LHB's hit .134 against him last year, and RHB's hit .174 against him. Draft him and hope that he walks fewer batters in 2016, but we can count on 120-130 K's with a 1.0-1.1 WHIP, which will help most of our teams move up in the standings.

 

Closer Draft Value

If we wait to fill saves, we can take an NL-Closer option near pick #215. We should know that Brad Ziegler has warning signs, especially after his K/9 dropped from 7.3 k/9 in 2014 to a dreadful 4.8 k/9 last season. His 3.48 xFIP towered above his 1.85 ERA, and his .218 BABIP was much higher than his career .277 BABIP, but he has consistently outperformed xFIP most years.

On the positive side, he saved 94% of his games in 2015, and his 73% GB rate keeps the ball in the park with only three homers surrendered and a 14% FB rate. His 2.25 bb/9 helps keep runners off of the bases, and his 79.3% LOB% falls in line with his career 78% LOB%. Several services predict that he will save 30 games this year, which makes him 30% more valuable than the average RP #2 in an 18-team league, even though he loses -16% of value if we compare him to a #1 average Closer. Arizona spent more on their SP this winter so he could see more save chances in 2016 if he can keep his role.

Recap

We can find decent value with some of these players, even in the 14th round in a 15-team league. While Zobrist may return the most value this year, the Piscotty may turn into a keeper, and Ziegler provides 30 valuable saves at this point in the draft. If we choose to wait on SP, then we can find our #3-4 SP, and we can also find pay for an elite MR that will lower our team's WHIP and ERA.

 

MLB & Fantasy Baseball Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-12" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]

 


Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Deandre Ayton15 mins ago

Won't Play On Sunday Night
Carson Wentz19 mins ago

Patrick Mahomes Questionable To Return, Replaced By Carson Wentz
Scottie Barnes27 mins ago

Goes Through A "Light Workout" On Sunday
Alvin Kamara45 mins ago

Questionable To Return Against Commanders
Nick Chubb50 mins ago

Won't Return In Week 15
Mason Rudolph55 mins ago

Will Levis Benched, Replaced By Mason Rudolph
Spencer Rattler1 hour ago

Jake Haener Benched, Replaced By Spencer Rattler
Dalton Kincaid1 hour ago

Active For Week 15
Josh Downs1 hour ago

Active Against Broncos
Ladd McConkey1 hour ago

Officially Active Sunday
Tommy DeVito1 hour ago

Ruled Out With A Concussion
Bucky Irving1 hour ago

Active Against Chargers
Jalen Hurts1 hour ago

Arrives To Stadium With Bandage On Broken Finger
Jaylen Waddle2 hours ago

Questionable To Return
Zach Ertz2 hours ago

Ruled Out With A Concussion
Marquise Brown4 hours ago

Could Make Season Debut In Week 16
Breece Hall4 hours ago

Active Against The Jaguars
Kenneth Walker III4 hours ago

Won't Play In Week 15
Tony Pollard4 hours ago

Officially Active Against Bengals
David Njoku5 hours ago

Out For Week 15
Ladd McConkey9 hours ago

Chargers Optimistic Ladd McConkey Can Play Sunday
Bucky Irving9 hours ago

Expected To Play In Week 15
Las Vegas Raiders16 hours ago

Maxx Crosby Confirms His Season Is Over
Jared McCain19 hours ago

Out Indefinitely
De'Anthony Melton19 hours ago

On The Move To Brooklyn
Dennis Schröder19 hours ago

Dennis Schroder Heading To Golden State
Tyler Toffoli20 hours ago

In Danger Of Missing Saturday's Game
SJ20 hours ago

Will Smith Back In Sharks Lineup Saturday
Dustin Wolf21 hours ago

Takes On Prolific Panthers Saturday
Andrei Kuzmenko21 hours ago

Will Not Play On Saturday
Jesús Luzardo21 hours ago

Cubs Showing Interest In Jesus Luzardo
Kevin Lankinen21 hours ago

Unavailable On Saturday
Elias Lindholm21 hours ago

Good To Go Saturday
Cam Fowler21 hours ago

Blues Pick Up Cam Fowler In Trade With Ducks
Jalen Johnson1 day ago

Will Suit Up For Saturday's Game
Bogdan Bogdanovic1 day ago

Playing Against Milwaukee
Trae Young1 day ago

Available On Saturday
Khris Middleton1 day ago

Active Versus Atlanta
Giannis Antetokounmpo1 day ago

Good To Go Against Atlanta
Kevin Huerter1 day ago

Suffers Another Shoulder Injury
1 day ago

Pistons Waiving Paul Reed
Paolo Banchero1 day ago

Spotted Shooting On Saturday
Nolan Arenado1 day ago

Astros Serious About Trading For Nolan Arenado
Jeffrey Springs1 day ago

A's Acquire Jeffrey Springs From Rays
Samuel Ersson1 day ago

Faces Wild On Saturday
Marc-Andre Fleury1 day ago

In Wild Net For Saturday's Matchup
Linus Ullmark1 day ago

Records 10th Career Shutout
Nick Jensen1 day ago

Continues Prolific Month In Friday's Win
Shane Pinto1 day ago

Ends Dry Spell With Two-Goal Effort
Evan Bouchard1 day ago

A Game-Time Call On Saturday
Donovan Clingan2 days ago

Returning On Friday
Bradley Beal2 days ago

Downgraded To Out
Jamal Murray2 days ago

Upgraded To Available
Christian Braun2 days ago

To Play On Friday
Aaron Gordon2 days ago

Available On Friday
Joel Embiid2 days ago

Won't Return On Friday
Bradley Beal2 days ago

Now Questionable Versus Utah
LeBron James2 days ago

JJ Reddick Doesn't Know When LeBron James Will Return
Christian Walker2 days ago

Seattle Would "Love" To Sign Christian Walker
Carson Kelly2 days ago

Agrees To Two-Year Contract With Cubs
Houston Astros2 days ago

Cam Smith Traded To Houston
Hayden Wesneski2 days ago

Shipped To Houston
Alec Martinez2 days ago

Added To Injured Reserve
Anthony Stolarz2 days ago

Day-To-Day With A Lower-Body Injury
K'Andre Miller2 days ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Dan Vladar2 days ago

Considered Day-To-Day
Cam Talbot2 days ago

Re-Aggravates Lower-Body Injury
Matt Dumba2 days ago

To Remain Out On Saturday
Linus Ullmark2 days ago

Seeks Fourth Straight Win Friday
Isaac Paredes2 days ago

Shipped To Houston
Kyle Tucker2 days ago

Cubs Acquire Kyle Tucker From The Astros
Kyle Tucker2 days ago

Cubs Close To Acquiring Kyle Tucker From The Astros
Nestor Cortes2 days ago

Traded To The Brewers
Adrian Yanez2 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Tampa
Daniel Marcos2 days ago

Looks To Remain Undefeated At UFC Tampa
Vitor Petrino2 days ago

Looks To Return To Win Column At UFC Tampa
Dustin Jacoby2 days ago

A Big Underdog At UFC Tampa
Cub Swanson2 days ago

Searching For 30th Career Win At UFC Tampa
Billy Quarantillo2 days ago

Faces A Legend At UFC Tampa
Devin Williams2 days ago

Traded To The Yankees
Joaquin Buckley2 days ago

Looks For His Sixth Win In A Row
Colby Covington2 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Bruno Silva2 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Manel Kape2 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Tampa
Tuco Tokkos2 days ago

Looks For His First UFC Win
Navajo Stirling2 days ago

Set To Make His UFC Debut
Kevin Lankinen2 days ago

Frustrates Panthers With Shutout Performance
Kyle Bradish3 days ago

Begins Throwing Program
Nolan Arenado3 days ago

Would Approve Of Trade To The Bronx
Francisco Lindor3 days ago

Back Injury In The Rearview Mirror
Rafael Devers3 days ago

Red Sox Prepared To Keep Rafael Devers At Third Base
Cody Bellinger3 days ago

Yankees Targeting Cody Bellinger
Pete Alonso3 days ago

Mets Still Trying To Bring Back Pete Alonso
Corbin Burnes3 days ago

Giants The Favorites To Land Corbin Burnes
Brenton Doyle4 days ago

Rockies Plan To Hit Brenton Doyle At Leadoff
Mitch Keller4 days ago

Jared Jones, Mitch Keller Available For Trade
Alexandre Pantoja6 days ago

Gets Second-Round Win At UFC 310

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Jordan Addison - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 15 Fantasy Football Projections: (Half-PPR) - Jordan Addison, Amari Cooper, Rico Dowdle, Isiah Pacheco, Jayden Reed, Sincere McCormick, Tank Dell

The fantasy football playoffs are slated to begin this week, so fantasy managers should use all available resources to nail their optimal lineups. Using our Week 15 fantasy football projections for the 2024 NFL season will help you understand where our rankings come from and see how players are expected to perform. Ahead of Week […]


Jaxon Smith-Njigba - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Packers vs. Seahawks Sunday Night Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Jordan Love, Geno Smith, Josh Jacobs, Zach Charbonnet, Jayden Reed, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and more

With the fantasy football playoffs underway in the vast majority of leagues, we have an excellent matchup for Sunday Night Football between two of the league's most intriguing teams, as the Packers and Seahawks meet in an NFC clash. Both of these squads are fighting for NFC playoff berths. First-year Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald […]


Video: Fantasy Football Playoff Stashes and Streamers to Win Your League - Week 15, 16, and 17 Start 'Em Analysis

After fighting all season long, it is time for the fantasy football playoffs! Our YouTube team is bringing you sharp advice for the postseason. Check out our fantasy football playoff stashes and streamers that can help you win your league! NFL Network and RotoBaller contributor LaQuan Jones gives in-depth fantasy football advice, breaking down some […]


Drake London - NFL, Fantasy football rankings, waiver wire, dfs

Falcons vs. Raiders MNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Drake London, Sincere McCormick, Jakobi Meyers, Kyle Pitts, Kirk Cousins, Darnell Mooney, Brock Bowers

The last game of the all-important Week 15 fantasy football slate features two struggling squads from different conferences. Read our Monday Night Football matchups analysis article for the Falcons vs. Raiders game to help make any fantasy football lineup decisions for both season-long and DFS. Kirk Cousins and the Falcons have choked away the lead […]


Sam Darnold - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Bears vs. Vikings MNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Aaron Jones, D'Andre Swift, DJ Moore, T.J. Hockenson, Caleb Williams, Sam Darnold, Jordan Addison, more

The fantasy football playoffs are here, and it's never been more critical to set optimal lineups. Read our Monday Night Football matchups analysis article for the Bears vs. Vikings game to help make any fantasy football lineup decisions for both season-long and DFS. While this game is viewed as a mismatch, anything can happen on […]


David Njoku - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Lineup Picks

Fantasy Football Injury Reports For Week 15 (Sunday Morning Updates): Breece Hall, Bucky Irving, Ladd McConkey, Josh Downs, David Njoku, and more

Heading into Week 15 of the NFL season, injuries continue to impact the upcoming schedule. These play a huge factor in start/sit decisions for fantasy managers. Our injury updates and reports for Week 15 as of Sunday, December 15, 2024, will give you the latest updates on key fantasy football players. The injury news for […]


Josh Allen - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

NFL Week 15 Predictions: Picks and Analysis for Every Game

The NFL regular season is heading into the homestretch! Several divisional titles are still very much up for grabs as we kicked off Week 15 with a pivotal clash between the Rams and Niners and now move into a jampacked slate with exciting matchups. With every team in action, Week 15 includes two Monday Night […]


Zach Charbonnet - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

NFL DFS Lineup Picks For FanDuel, DraftKings - Packers vs Seahawks SNF Showdown (Week 15)

Welcome back, RotoBallers! We have a big Sunday Night Football matchup between two teams that could be seen as rivals over the last decade and a half. Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers (9-4) are heading west to take on Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks (8-5). Let’s see how this one plays out.   […]


Derrick Henry - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Week 15 Matchups Analysis

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to another start'em and sit'em piece as we look ahead to Week 15! This Week 15 matchups analysis and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em will help you make the right lineup decisions in the first round of the fantasy football playoffs.  It's wild to think we are already in Week 15 of the NFL season and […]


DeAndre Hopkins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Wide Receiver Matchups to Target in Week 15 - Adam Thielen, DeAndre Hopkins, DeMario Douglas, Rashod Bateman

Welcome to WR Matchups to Target for Week 15. Last week we landed two 2x multiplier picks but failed to secure any home run (3x DK salary multiplier) picks for only the third time this year. This week’s main slate is missing a handful of the highest floor receivers, giving way to pay up elsewhere […]


Jordan Love - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Landmines to Avoid for Week 15 - Jordan Love, Tyrone Tracy Jr., DeVonta Smith, and more

The fantasy playoffs are here, and congratulations -- you made it! With no byes left and managers facing a full roster, it’s all about optimizing matchups. The pressure is on, the stakes are sky-high, and the margin for error is low.  Managers may have relied on certain players to get them here, but the cold […]


Blake Corum - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

High-Upside Bench Stashes: Weekend Waiver Wire Adds for Week 15 Includes Blake Corum, Trey Benson, Kendre Miller, Cam Akers, Kimani Vidal, and more

Mastering the waiver wire is a crucial skill that can lead you to a fantasy football championship. It's not just about strategically placing your FAAB budget on specific players but also about knowing when to stash players. This dual strategy keeps you engaged and focused on your ultimate goal of winning a fantasy championship. As […]


DeVonta Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 15 Fantasy Football Busts? Players Who May Disappoint Include Alvin Kamara, DeVonta Smith, Tyrone Tracy, Jayden Reed, Nick Chubb, Cade Otton

Welcome to the fantasy football playoffs! Week 15 of the fantasy football season has arrived, and the stakes are higher than ever. Whether you successfully navigated difficult matchups and injuries or lucked into drafting Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry in the first two rounds, you've made it to the dance and have a shot at […]