Three Third-Year Starting Pitchers Poised to Break Out

The dreaded sophomore slump strikes yearly, leading to disappointment for those who excelled in their rookie seasons. There are other cases, however, in which the sophomore season serves as a bridge to a player’s prime. It can be a year to improve on the previous year's success, or work out the kinks and begin to […]

Four Pitchers Coming Off Tommy John Surgery Set to Break Out

With so many pitchers taken down by Tommy John surgery every year, it can be hard to keep track of where they all are in their recovery. RotoBaller is here with an update on four starting pitchers to remember for draft day and into the early part of the season. These players may start the season […]

2016 Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings: Starting Pitchers, Part 2 (March)

 Our starting pitching rankings was split into two parts. Today's edition will examine tiers 5-10, as determined by our staff's composite rankings (which differ a bit from my own evaluations where noted). Using the composite rankings to guide discussion helps to highlight personal preferences while also providing a more balanced view of the players' values. These rankings are for […]

Jerad Eickhoff (SP, PHI) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~290 CURRENT ADP: 309 ANALYSIS: Never a highly-touted MLB prospect, Jerad Eickhoff was viewed as something of a throw-in in the blockbuster Cole Hamels trade. However, if his performance down the stretch is any indication, the Phillies might have uncovered a diamond in the rough. Fueled by a filthy slider, Eickhoff posted excellent ratios […]

Kyle Hendricks (SP, CHC) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~200 CURRENT ADP: 210 ANALYSIS: Kyle Hendricks broke into the bigs in 2014 and produced impressive surface stats, going 7-2 with a 2.46 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 13 starts. However, an anemic strikeout rate limited his utility in fantasy baseball leagues. Last season, though, his K% leaped by eight percentage points […]

2016 Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings: Starting Pitchers, Part 1 (March)

 Our starting pitching rankings will be split into two parts. Today's edition will examine only the top five tiers of starters, as determined by our staff's composite rankings (which differ a bit from my own evaluations where noted). Using the composite rankings to guide discussion helps to highlight personal preferences while also providing a more balanced view of […]

Yu Darvish (SP, TEX) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~105 CURRENT ADP: 119.3 ANALYSIS: Yu Darvish hasn't pitched since August 9, 2014 due to Tommy John surgery. He missed his age 28 campaign, a time frame when most pitchers are hitting their prime. In 22 starts in 2014, Darvish had a 3.06 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP and a 182/49 K/BB ratio. He […]

Adam Wainwright (SP, STL) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~70 CURRENT ADP: 71 ANALYSIS: Even after Tommy John surgery in 2011, Adam Wainwright was one of the most heralded fantasy selections, through 2015. However, he ruptured his Achilles tendon in April-- he actually returned to the mound in a relief role in late September. His durability is often in question, but […]

Joe Ross (SP, WAS) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~210 CURRENT ADP: 228.5 ANALYSIS: Joe Ross will be tabbed as the Nationals' fifth starter  in 2016 after going back and forth between the bullpen and the starting rotation for some time. In 13 starts and 76.2 IP last year, Ross accounted for 69 punchouts, giving him a 22% strikeout rate. Batters […]

Luis Severino (SP, NYY) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~145 CURRENT ADP: 156.3 ANALYSIS: In 11 starts following his mid-season call-up in 2015, Luis Severino lived up to the hype that made him the Yankees’ most highly-regarded prospect. Over that span, he compiled a 2.89 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Batters made contact on 78.7% of Severino’s pitches, but were only […]

Trevor Bauer (SP, CLE) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~250 CURRENT ADP: 269 ANALYSIS: Trevor Bauer earned wins in two of his first three starts of the 2015 season, allowing just two earned runs and registering 26 strikeouts in 19 innings pitched over that span. Unfortunately, he would reach double digits strikeouts in only two more starts, due to a lack […]

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 […]

2016 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values: Tyler Duffey

2015 In Review On August 5th of last season, the Minnesota Twins were 54-52, a wild card contender amidst a tight American League race. After already dropping the first two games in a four game set with the surging Toronto Blue Jays, the Twinies called upon Tyler Duffey to try and salvage the series in […]

Max Petrie's 10 Bold Predictions for 2016

Welcome to round two of our Bold Predictions segment. If anyone asks, Kyle bullied me into doing this. But in all seriousness, the best hitter on a team bats second, so I'm honored to be included. In this edition I'll be highlighting the hitters and pitchers I believe have the best chance to make crazy […]

Colorado Rockies Top MLB Prospects for 2016 Dynasty Leagues

It was another tough year for the Colorado Rockies as they finished tied with the Milwaukee Brewers and Oakland Athletics for the fourth worst record in the majors (68-94). Rockies fans also had to witness the trade that sent franchise shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to Toronto and in the offseason, part with the promising, young Corey […]

Raisel Iglesias (SP, CIN) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~130 CURRENT ADP: 145 ANALYSIS: The hard throwing Raisel Iglesias came onto the scene in Cincinnati last season and turned a lot of heads, and he has quickly become one of the most popular sleepers in 2016 drafts. Even though Iglesias went 3-7 in 16 starts last season with a 4.15 ERA, […]

Three Potential Busts to Avoid on Draft Day: Teheran, Chapman, Hamels

This article first appeared on wetalkfantasysports.com by Jason Johnson. You can find him on twitter @y2trips. Now that I’ve covered three players that I’m really high on, let’s look at a few players that I think have zero chance to live up to their ADP. Please note that current ADP data has been pulled from FantasyPros.com's consensus, […]

Los Angeles Dodgers Top MLB Prospects for 2016 Dynasty Leagues

It is crazy to think that a team could spend over $300 million in a single season only to be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, but that is exactly what happened with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015. Even with Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke going one and two in the rotation […]

Five Deeper Starting Pitcher Targets For 2016: National League

Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies Nola was impressive in his rookie 2015 campaign-- a 3.59 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 68 strikeouts in 77.2 innings pitched. He owns a 2.57 minor league career ERA, including a 3.58 ERA in Triple-A earlier in 2015, and was a top-50 prospect in baseball before cracking the big leagues last year. He […]

2016 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values: Clay Buchholz

After an injury-riddled 2015 season, during which he was the number one starter for the Boston Red Sox, Buchholz and fantasy owners are hoping 2016 will be much better. The question is, do you take the right-hander? Editor's note: Be sure to check out our 2016 fantasy baseball rankings dashboard, which is already loaded up […]

San Diego Padres Top MLB Prospects for 2016 Dynasty Leagues

The past few seasons have seen the San Diego Padres go into buy-everything-that-moves mode in one offseason and then start selling off some of those acquired talents the following year. After an offseason saw them acquire Matt Kemp, the Upton brothers, Craig Kimbrel, and Wil Myers, the Padres have now dealt Craig Kimbrel and Joaquin […]

Healthy Harvey, Puig's Suspension Looms, Altherr Injured, Upton Leaves Game Early

Fantasy Baseball Spring Training News and Notes from 3/9/16 Year After Tommy John Surgery, Matt Harvey Focuses on Pitching Around this time last year, the media swarmed Harvey with one question: Are you healthy? This year, he's just another pitcher working out the kinks in spring training. And yes, he's healthy. In a surprise expedited comeback […]

Drew Smyly (SP, TB) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~160 CURRENT ADP: 183.7 ANALYSIS: Drew Smyly missed most of last season with shoulder problems, but when he did pitch, he stayed true to the breakout hype. While he had issues with the long ball, Smyly also posted a double-digit K/9 and limited walks enough to keep his ratios respectable (3.11 ERA, […]

Taijuan Walker (SP, SEA) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~130 CURRENT ADP: 155.7 ANALYSIS: Taijuan Walker got a fair amount of hype heading into 2015, but unfortunately for fantasy owners who paid an expectant price, Walker absolutely face-planted in the early going, carrying a hideous 7.33 ERA through his first nine starts. Then, something clicked. Walker stopped living up to his […]

Marcus Stroman (SP, TOR) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

BALLER MOVE: Target ~75 CURRENT ADP: 94 ANALYSIS: After a dominant minor-league career and an impressive showing as a rookie, Marcus Stroman was a popular breakout pick in 2015. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in spring training. Originally expected to miss the entire season, Stroman instead made it back to the bigs for four September […]

Robbie Ray (SP, ARI) - 2016 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Draft Target Mid-Late Rounds in all Leagues CURRENT ADP: 376 ANALYSIS: Having just gotten his feet wet in his first full year in the big leagues, Robbie Ray of the Arizona Diamondbacks looks poised to fulfill the potential that made him a consensus top 100 prospect during most of his time in the minors this […]

2016 Fantasy Baseball Draft Values: Raisel Iglesias

Fresh off an impressive first stint in the majors, Raisel Iglesias of the Cincinnati Reds looks ready to put together a very strong 2016 campaign. With a projected ADP of 137 (per fantasypros.com), Iglesias is undervalued and is a strong breakout candidate among starting pitchers this upcoming season. Editor's note: Be sure to check out our 2016 fantasy […]

Turning Two: Matt Harvey versus Stephen Strasburg

Welcome back to episode nine of Turning Two. Here's a recap of the topics discussed to this point: who will hit 50 HR, who will win 20 games, who can put up a 20/20 season, who can hit .350, who can reach 50 saves, and who will post a sub-2.00 ERA. We shifted to player-specific material, such as breakout candidates and busts for 2016. Now […]

Ian Kennedy: 2016 Fantasy Baseball Draft Value

2015 In Review Ian Kennedy? Seriously? You want me to buy the bust that somehow fleeced the Royals for $70 million and a draft pick as a sleeper? Yes, I do. Kennedy's 9-15 record and 4.28 ERA last season don't look great, but his xFIP was a much more palatable 3.70. The biggest difference is […]

Fantasy Studs: Four Players to Targets in Drafts

The feeling you get when a late-round draft pick or early season pickup goes on to become an integral part of your team is one of the best that can come from fantasy sports. It’s happened to all of us, and this year it’s bound to happen again. For this article, however, we’ll look at the […]