Fantasy Baseball 2018 Sleepers
Preparations for Fantasy baseball drafts have already begun now that Spring Training is underway. Owners everywhere are evaluating the stats from last year's 60-game regular season and finalizing their 2021 Fantasy baseball rankings. Trading Nolan Arenado to the Cardinals freed up space in the Rockies' infield. Now, Brendan Rodgers and Garrett Hampson will battle for the starting spot at second base. Who should you trust for your 2021 Fantasy baseball picks?
Meanwhile, Fernando Tatis Jr. is near the top of the Fantasy baseball rankings 2021 after putting up head-turning numbers last season and signing a $340 million extension. Who are some of the other stars you should target, and who are the 2021 Fantasy baseball breakouts, busts, and sleepers you need to know? Before going on the clock, be sure to see the 2021 Fantasy baseball cheat sheets and rankings from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Godley is one of the best starting pitcher sleepers in fantasy baseball in 2018 despite pitching half of his starts at Chase Field. The soon-to-be 28-year old won just eight games last year in 25. Boston Red Sox first baseman Bobby Dalbec is a 2021 fantasy baseball draft value. His ADP is undervalued, making him a potential draft bargain and late-round sleeper to target.
Last season, SportsLine's Projection Model identified several top Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts, including Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant.
The team at SportsLine was all over Bryant as a Fantasy bust from the start and he went on to slash .206/.291/.351 over 34 games, failing to rank among the top 45 third baseman despite being drafted in the fifth or sixth round on average. Their model had him listed much lower than expert consensus rankings, and anyone who listened to their advice avoided a major speedbump that could have derailed their season.
Their model is powered by the same people who powered projections for all three major Fantasy sites. And that same group is sharing its 2021 Fantasy baseball rankings and cheat sheets over at SportsLine, helping you find Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts long before your competition. Their cheat sheets, available for leagues on many major sites, are updated multiple times every day.
Any time more MLB news comes out about the updated 2021 MLB schedule or Fantasy baseball injuries, the team at SportsLine updates its projections. Go to SportsLine now to see these proven Fantasy baseball cheat sheets.
Top 2021 Fantasy baseball sleepers
One of the 2021 Fantasy baseball sleepers the model is all over: Marlins second baseman Jon Berti. The 31-year-old didn't make his Major League debut until 2018 with the Blue Jays, but he's carved out an important role with the Marlins thanks to a solid plate approach and terrific speed.
Berti has posted a .362 OBP over 376 plate appearances with Miami over the last two seasons and stolen 26 bases. Berti has 28 extra-base hits during that span as well, while his 15.4 percent walk rate in 2020 indicates he has a strong feel for the strike zone. That's why the model ranks him ahead of players Tommy La Stella and Keston Hiura, who are being drafted two rounds earlier on average in standard CBS Sports Fantasy baseball leagues.
Fantasy Baseball Sleepers Today
Top 2021 Fantasy baseball breakouts
One of the 2021 Fantasy baseball breakouts the model is all over: Rangers starting pitcher Dane Dunning. The former first-round pick of the Nationals and top-100 prospect for the White Sox was the centerpiece of the return for Lance Lynn this offseason. He's now competing for a spot in Texas' starting rotation to break camp.
Dunning made his Major League last season after the White Sox ran into pitching depth issues and went 2-0 with a 3.97 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 34 innings. Dunning locates five pitches well and generated whiff rates of 30 percent or higher with his slider (43.5), four-seam fastball (34.6) and changeup (30.8) a year ago. That a big reason why the model lists him ahead of fellow starting pitchers like Matthew Boyd and James Paxton, who are going at least five rounds earlier on average.
Top 2021 Fantasy baseball busts
One of the 2021 Fantasy baseball busts the model is fading: Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez. The 33-year-old had been one of the best hitters in baseball, but he struggled during an extremely disappointing 2020 campaign. Martinez has seen his barrel rate fall the last three seasons, while his average exit velocity is down 3.5 mph from 93 at its peak in 2018 to 89.5 last season.
That's led to a hard-hit contact rate that has dropped from 52.0 percent to 41.6 in just two years. Even if he can start producing, he doesn't have the same upside in a Red Sox lineup that isn't as intimidating as it once was. That's why the model ranks him behind designated hitters like Miguel Cabrera and Willie Calhoun, who aren't even being drafted, while Martinez is going in the 12th round on average.
How to find proven 2021 Fantasy baseball rankings
SportsLine is also high on a right fielder with a 2021 Fantasy baseball ADP barely outside the top 100 who finishes ahead of studs like defending Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge. This pick could be the difference in winning your league or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
Fantasy Baseball 2018 Sleepers 2020
So which 2021 Fantasy baseball busts, breakouts, and sleepers should you target or fade in your drafts? Visit SportsLine now to get 2021 Fantasy baseball rankings for every single position, all from the model that called Kris Bryant's disappointing season, and find out.