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
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

H2H Points League Strategy Primer

juan soto fantasy baseball rankings outfield MLB injury news

Draft strategy and advice for head-to-head (H2H) fantasy baseball points leagues. Connelly Doan provides advice on how to approach draft day and prepare for the 2022 season.

Spring Training has finally started, the hot stove is steaming, and draft season is fully underway!

Whether you are a Head-To-Head Points veteran or are interested in trying the format for the first time, there are essential preparations to be done prior to your drafts and the season.

My goal here is to outline the traditional format scoring while offering some thoughts on draft strategy that may help newcomers and inspire different strategies for those who are already familiar with the format.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Head-To-Head Points Format Breakdown

Hitting

Single: 1 point
Double: 2 points
Triple: 3 points
Home Run: 4 points
Walk: 1 point
Hit By Pitch: 1 point
Strikeout: -.5 or -1 point
Run Scored: 1 point
RBI: 1 point
Stolen Base: 2 points
Caught Stealing: -1 point

Pitching

Inning Pitched: 3 points
Hit Allowed: -1 point
Walk Allowed: -1 point
Hit Batsman: -1 point
Earned Run: -1 point
Strikeout: 1 point
Win: 5 or 7 points
Quality Start: 3 points
Loss: -3 or -5 points
Save: 5 or 7 points

At RotoBaller, we offer updated points league rankings, available by clicking here.

 

Strategy Primer #1: Know Your Scoring

This may seem obvious, but understanding the nuances of your league’s scoring is pivotal to capitalizing on potential value during your drafts. For reference, the top scores for starting pitchers in leagues following this format range from high 500s to high 600s, and the top scores for hitters range from 500 to low 600s. As such, pitchers are more valuable in general in points leagues. ADP for starting pitchers will be higher in points leagues in general compared to roto/category leagues, and the proportion of early-round picks used for pitchers will be higher. These trends will hold true across head-to-head points leagues, but even slight differences can have an impact on players’ values, so it is important to be aware of them prior to your drafts. Let’s take a look at a couple of examples.

Hitters

Two of the more important scoring options for hitters are how much they are punished for striking out and the fact that they are rewarded for walking. This can drastically alter a player’s value compared to roto leagues.

For instance, a player with poor plate discipline, such as Javier Baez, is still a solid roto option because he accumulates counting stats while posting a decent batting average. His low walk rate and extreme strikeout rate don’t directly hurt his fantasy value in roto leagues. However, his 184 strikeouts in 2021 (which was fifth-highest among hitters) cost him at least 92 fantasy points, with only 28 of those gained back from walks.

On the flip side, hitters who walk frequently but may be considered middling or unexciting in roto leagues, such as DJ LeMahieu, Jonathan India, or Joey Votto get a value bump in points leagues. A walk in a roto league is a missed opportunity to improve batting average and could indirectly lead to runs scored, but the walks those players had in 2021 would have directly gained fantasy managers an extra 70 to 80 points in points leagues.

Pitchers

As noted earlier, starting pitchers are more valuable in points leagues in general, but it is important to understand why that is. The main difference (which will be a recurring theme in this article) is that roto leagues place explicit value on certain player attributes, whereas points leagues allow more opportunities for a player to provide fantasy value.

One example is the value of innings pitched in points leagues. Innings eaters such as Adam Wainwright, Kyle Gibson, and German Marquez had explicit fantasy value in points leagues in 2021 because they logged 180+ innings. This would give them a base score of 540 points before considering their actual performance. However, each of these three pitchers would have limited perceived roto-league value because of their limited strikeouts and mediocre WHIP values.

The relative value of the relief pitcher position also changes between points and roto leagues, but we’ll get more into that in a bit.

 

Strategy Primer #2: Identify Points Tiers And Position Tiers

When it comes to drafting, it is always a good idea to have an understanding of position tiers, or a rank of players within each position who could provide a similar range of value. This holds true for any type of league format, as it helps fantasy managers create potential paths through the draft. Roto league rankings also need to consider category scarcity. For instance, a player like Adalberto Mondesi is boosted up the rankings in roto leagues because of his elite steal potential, despite the fact that he really doesn’t stand out in any other batting stats.

Fantasy managers in points leagues don’t need to worry about category scarcity. It is a mindset change, but fantasy points are fantasy points, regardless of how they are compiled, or from what position. As such, fantasy managers may find surprising value throughout a points draft, particularly if they haven’t played in the format before.

A prime example of this is at first base. This is usually one of the deeper positions across league formats, but there are pockets of players (say Anthony Rizzo, Josh Bell, Jake Cronenworth, Joey Votto, and C.J. Cron) who are all projected to score between 430 and 460 fantasy points. However, these players have ADP values as much as 30 picks apart. As such, fantasy managers may want to prioritize filling a position with less depth overall and fewer fantasy points to go around, such as third base, knowing that they can wait a bit later to draft a productive first baseman. Only D.J. LeMahieu, Matt Chapman, and Austin Riley are projected to fall into that 430 to 460 point range this season.

This is just one example of prioritizing positional rankings and projected points rankings, but it is an important nuance unique to points leagues. Understanding a player’s points value, regardless of their roto value is key to making wise draft decisions, knowing when to reach for a position, and knowing when to wait.

 

Primer #3: How To Use Your Bench, How To Approach Waivers/Streaming

How you utilize your bench spots will change between league formats as well as whether the lineups are set daily or weekly. Regardless of league size or bench size, I tend to prioritize the majority of bench spots in points leagues for starting pitchers. There are a few reasons for this.

The first is that starters are more valuable over the course of a season, and most head-to-head leagues will implement a start limit each week. As such, it is nice to have more higher-quality pitchers on your roster to start each week. Fantasy managers will have the option to swap those extra starting pitchers into their rotations for daily lineup leagues, and they will have a higher likelihood of having two-start pitchers available for weekly lineup leagues.

The second is that decent hitters are easier to find on the waiver wire in points leagues because pitching is prioritized. Having backup hitters on your bench won’t directly add points to your team unless one of your starting hitters gets hurt. As I mentioned earlier, however, having backup starting pitchers can benefit your point total each week. Rather than hold multiple position players on your bench, you can more easily find replacement value on the waiver wire should you need to replace an injured player or swap a slumping hitter for a hot one.

 

Primer #4: What To Do With Relief Pitchers

To this point, I’ve discussed starting pitchers and hitters, but haven’t really mentioned relief pitchers. Firstly, this is because the state of the closer in baseball has become more nebulous for a number of teams. Also, as you may be able to guess at this point, even the most established closers in baseball do not provide as many fantasy points as middling starting pitchers or hitters. For reference, the top-10 closers are projected to score in the mid to low 400s. While it is always nice to lock down a solid source of saves in any league, fantasy managers can find greater value in points leagues later into their drafts comparatively since they don’t have to chase saves as a category.

This brings up another useful tactic for utilizing relief pitcher roster spots in points leagues: the SP/RP. These pitchers are typically guys who served as both long relievers and spot starters the previous season, but they are essentially starters who are relief-pitcher eligible for the current season. Drafting SP/RP pitchers can help maximize the number of fantasy points that managers get out of their relief pitcher roster spots. Simply being a SP/RP does not make a pitcher valuable in points leagues, as there may be a reason they weren’t in a team’s starting rotation. However, SP/RPs who end up making their way into a team’s rotation for the following season can be great fantasy values. For reference, some notable SP/RPs for the 2022 season are: Ranger Suarez, Cal Quantrill, Carlos Hernandez, and Cristian Javier.

This was a quick overview of the Head-To-Head points format for fantasy baseball. There are so many more things to dive into, but hopefully this served as a helpful introduction, highlighted some of the unique aspects of points leagues, and presented some tactics that could aid in your draft strategy.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More 2021 Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

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

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Griffin Conine

To Have Shoulder Surgery On Tuesday
Luke Keaschall

Twins Prospect Luke Keaschall Suffers Broken Forearm
Logan Gilbert

Leaves Friday's Start With Forearm Tightness

Vikings Select Tai Felton To Finish Day 2

Seahawks Select Quarterback Jalen Milroe With The 92nd Pick Overall

Browns Select Dillon Gabriel 94th Overall

Packers Pick Savion Williams At No. 87 overall

Steelers Snag Kaleb Johnson In Round 3

Broncos Select Wide Receiver Pat Bryant With The 74th Overall Pick

Texans Select Jaylin Noel With 79th Pick

Lions Select Wide Receiver Isaac TeSlaa With The 70th Overall Pick
Jack Leiter

To Start On Sunday

Patriots Add Wide Receiver Kyle Williams In Round 3

Browns Draft Harold Fannin Jr. With 67th Pick
Garrett Mitchell

Makes Early Exit
Luke Keaschall

Removed Early On Friday
Blake Snell

Likely Avoids Major Injury
Cole Ragans

Dealing With Mild Groin Strain

Broncos Add RJ Harvey To Backfield With 60th Pick

Raiders Select Jack Bech With 58th Pick

Chargers Add Wide Receiver Tre Harris In Round 2
Detroit Lions

Lions Acquire 57th Pick From Broncos

Seahawks Draft Elijah Arroyo 50th Overall
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Acquire 51st Pick From Broncos
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Snag Will Johnson At No. 47

Jets Add A Pass-Catcher With Mason Taylor At No. 42

Rams Select Terrance Ferguson With 46th Pick
Houston Texans

Texans Acquire 48th Pick From Raiders, Draft Aireontae Ersery

Saints Snag Tyler Shough At No. 40
Brenton Doyle

Out For Personal Reasons On Friday
Brandin Podziemski

Not On Injury Report For Game 3
Jimmy Butler III

Warriors Optimistic About Jimmy Butler III Playing Saturday
Jae'Sean Tate

To Remain Out Saturday
Jock Landale

Unavailable For Game 3
Terry Rozier

Out On Saturday
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Orlando
Kevin Love

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Available For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Magic
Gary Payton II

Iffy For Saturday's Action
Jayson Tatum

Officially Available On Friday For Game 3 Against Magic
Will Smith

Back From Injury On Friday
Luke Kennard

Questionable For Game 4 On Saturday
Darius Garland

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Ja Morant

To Miss Game 4 On Saturday
Rui Hachimura

Available For Game 3 In Minnesota
Aaron Ekblad

Available To Return Saturday
Erik Swanson

Ryan Burr Progressing
Daulton Varsho

To Return On Tuesday At The Latest
Max Scherzer

Takes Positive Step On Friday
Aleksander Barkov

Questionable For Saturday
Gabriel Landeskog

Set For Larger Role In Game 4
Calvin Pickard

To Start Game 3 For Oilers
Randy Arozarena

Resting For First Time This Year
Jonas Siegenthaler

To Play Limited Minutes In Game 3
MLB

Red Sox-Guardians Game Postponed On Friday
Luke Hughes

Remains Out On Friday
MLB

Tigers-Orioles Postponed On Friday
Patrik Laine

A Game-Time Decision Friday
Yainer Diaz

Out On Friday Against Royals
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Hopes To Start Rehab Assignment Next Week
Salvador Perez

Sitting Out For First Time This Season
Jaylen Brown

Questionable For Game 3 On Friday
Brendan Donovan

Back In Action On Friday
Jimmy Butler III

Could Miss Game 3 On Saturday
Coby Mayo

Getting On A Roll At Triple-A
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Cade Cunningham

Collects Double-Double In Loss
Jalen Brunson

Drops 30 Points In Game 3
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Victory
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Nicolas Dalby

An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
Randy Brown

A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Set To Open Up UFC Kansas City Main Card
Ikram Aliskerov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Sergei Bobrovsky

Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
Cam Fowler

Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
Robert Thomas

Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
Pavel Buchnevich

Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
Dylan DeMelo

Battling An Illness
Marcus Johansson

Exits Early Thursday
Aleksander Barkov

Hurt In Game 2
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF