Posted By:Bretsky on March 20, 2024

It’s here, it’s here! Well, if you wake up before the sun and ignore your sleeping family to throw on the TV at 6 am baseball is finally here. It’s real baseball, and it’s glorious. We’re also head down in draft season so thought it be about time to put a list out there. This is what I’m drafting with in a 5×5 league, adjust as necessary, or don’t… it’s your team.

Posted By:Bretsky on March 29, 2023

Well draft season came and went and well, the rankings were still gelling right up until that last moment at the draft table.

So anyway it may be too little to late, or maybe this is just what you needed.

Posted By:Bretsky on April 11, 2022

It started out with a SCHWARBOMB and ended with an opening weekend series win for the Philadelphia Phillies.

In this episode:

• Bullpen and Third Base Battle
• Around the NL East
• Key question – When will Bryce get it going?
• Welcome back Phillie Phanatic!

Posted By:Bretsky on August 24, 2021

The top spot in the running back rankings this year is closer than many others. Christian McCaffrey gets the slight nudge over Dalvin Cook, but the gap is razor thin. Arranging the rest of the top tier is a fun but futile exercise. Sure, Derrick Henry‘s pass-game usage is troubling, but he just keep on producing. Aaron Jones and Ezekiel Elliott get the bump over Alvin Kamara as we are a little more confident in the quarterback play and overall scoring output in Green Bay and Dallas.

ADP Targets

While you love leaving round one with a top tier option, it’s really not up to you if picking outside the top six. Among the next group, Austin Ekeler (10.6) and his target volume makes him the prime target at the back end of the first round for me. Clyde Edwards-Helaire (16.4) and Najee Harris (13.5) can both slip deep in the second round but should be in consideration at the 1/2 turn.

Deeper into the draft, Darell Henderson (34.0) and Miles Sanders (36.3) stand out as the third round running backs that we are most likely to take the dive on. James Robinson’s (45.5) ADP is likely to skyrocket following the news that Travis Etienne is going to miss the season, but perhaps he remains a value as some fail to adjust quickly enough… Raheem Mostert (53.7) is one of the best home run hitters in the league when healthy… Phillip Lindsay (105.9) has the most juice in the Texans’ backfield and while the team is likely to be awful, there is value in volume… Ty Johnson (200+) looks like he may lead the Jets’ running back committee… Jerrick McKinnon (200+) is an interesting athlete and should he be needed for a larger role in KC, it could be a very productive one.

Top 100 Running Back Rankings

Posted By:Bretsky on August 24, 2021

The Quarterback position is extremely fun heading into the 2021 season. We all know rushing equity can vault an inconsistent passer into the top-10 on regular basis, but the reliable touchdown throwers Pat Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady continue to make their presence felt in the first two tiers.

Russell Wilson gets the second spot here and while he faded down the stretch in 2020, we saw QB1 upside continually over the season’s first half. Dak Prescott sneaks into Tier 1, but his health remains a situation to monitor as the season approaches.

ADP Targets

With Rodgers ranked third on the board, his ADP as QB6 would seem attractive, but at 52 overall, that is still usually a but earlier than I’d like to dive in on a quarterback. Wilson is a similar case and while I can’t fault anyone for taking the plunge on Russ in round six, I’m likely trying to hang on just a little longer. If either slips into round seven, it’s time to pounce.

Ryan Tannehill (92.3) is a very solid target and a good bet to build off of a strong 2020 season in which he tossed 33 touchdowns to just seven interceptions and now adds Julio Jones to his set of targets… Jalen Hurts (95.8) put up together a run of useful fantasy games down the stretch despite the fact that he did not play particularly well. His status as the Eagles starter, rushing usage and week-winning upside–that 400+ total yard/4 TD, 37.8 point performance in Week 15 last year–make Hurts a target… Matt Ryan doesn’t get anyone too excited on draft day, but he’s 4,500 yards and 26 TDs in the bank… Trey Lance is the top rookie target here, even if he doesn’t get the starting job day one. The rushing ability and talent on that Kyle Shanahan offense is much easier to trust than anything you will see in Chicago or Jacksonville… Digging at the bottom of the barrel, Ben Roethlisberger (159.4) continues to put up numbers, Sam Darnold (200+) has some really nice targets, as does Teddy Bridgewater (200+) should he be able to hold off Drew Lock.

Top-40 Quarterback Rankings

Posted By:Bretsky on August 25, 2020

From our little corner of this crazy world, it’s hard to believe that we are already in the THICK of fantasy football drafting season. The lack of preseason games has limited the football action for those of you that thirst to watch second and third stringers duke it out for roster position, but in the fantasy world, that hasn’t stopped the hype and, unfortunately, the injuries from piling up.

As I sit here preparing for my first official draft of the 2020 season, this is how our rankings shake up. Things are changing with the news on an almost daily basis, so be sure to check back frequently as we tweak our ranks ahead of the season kickoff.

Have fun drafting and stay safe everyone!

Posted By:Bretsky on July 23, 2020

Though it felt like we may never get here, it is finally Opening Day. As we wrap up a second frantic draft season, it’s time to release one last set of our overall and positional rankings for the 2020 fantasy baseball season.

Enjoy the baseball and stay safe everyone!

Posted By:Bretsky on August 22, 2018

Draft season is once again upon us!

Team BretskyBall is gearing up for another fine fantasy football season with our initial draft rankings. Got issue with the ranking below, let us hear it in the comments.

Posted By:Bretsky on August 22, 2017

It’s that time again. Heading into the busiest fantasy football draft weekend of the 2017 season, we are all prepped up and ready to go.

Ezekiel Elliot remains one of the most difficult players to rank, but remains a top-20 play. While my deep rooted Cowboys’ hate may prevent me personally from spending a second round pick on the second-year back, the potential for game changing numbers over even half of a season make him an intriguing risk.

We’re also confident in a number of bounce-back performances with Lamar Miller, CJ Anderson, Cam Newton and Jeremy Maclin appearing much higher in our list than FantasyPro’s consensus rankings.

Though it sounds like a bit of a broken record year to year, we’re fading the rookie running backs once again, ranking Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffery and Dalvin Cook a solid 20 spots below each of their consensus positions. Yeah, I get it, there were a number of high-impact fantasy rookies who helped teams last year, each of these backs is faced with an uncertain role to open the season behind (or beside) veterans who really aren’t all that bad. I’m certain that one of these guys will contribute, I’m just not spending a 3rd round pick to find out which one it will be.

We’ll be back tweaking and updating this list as the draft season progresses. Let the games begin!

Posted By:Bretsky on April 21, 2017

After what has been far too long of a layoff, we’re getting back to basics here at BretskyBall and what better way to do that than dust off an old favorite and dive into the free agent pool on a relaxing Friday afternoon.

Just two and a half weeks into the fantasy season, I’ll urge you to remain patient with the team you’ve drafted. Baseball is a grind and with most players sitting with fewer than 60 at-bats on the year it is way, way, waaaaaaaay too early to declare busts, cut bait, or panic. Two good games can turn an absolute dud into a solid contributor.

Of course, the flip side on that argument is that you must still consider your roster and how you can free up some space for those up-and-coming talents that have started off the season hot.

Minnesota Twins’ outfielder Max Kepler fits that bill. After going late or undrafted in many league, Kepler has put together a very productive start to the season, proving to be a more enticing mixed league option than his heavily-hyped teammate Byron Bukkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkston. Kepler’s 2016 numbers during his first taste of big league action where not all that impressive (.235/.309/.424) but he did mash 17 home runs over 113 games and a poor .261 BABIP can take some of that blame for his dissapointing average.

Kepler is off to a fine start to the year, slashing .309/.361/.509 over 61 at-bats with eight runs scored and seven RBI. Kepler’s power numbers in the minors are not all that impressive, but his plate discipline and performance last year show an improving player who can become an above average major league hitter. Kepler is available in about 68% of standard Yahoo! leagues and is a more attractive add than several more heavily-owned outfielders like Melky Cabrera, Carlos Beltran and teammate Byron Buxton.

Each week we’ll provide a position-by-position roundup of the top talent on the wire. To qualify, players must have an ownership rate below 40% in standard 12-team Yahoo leagues. For our deeper formats, we’ll also throw out names with under 15% ownership.

Working The Waiver Wire

Catcher

Austin Hedges (8%) – After shaking off a slow start in which he was hitless over his first nine games, Hedges has six hits in his last six contests including a pair of homers.

Tom Murphy (8%) – Murphy remains sidelined with a fractured forearm, but it’s only a matter of time before he is the primary catcher for the Rockies and taking half of his hacks at Coors Field.

First Base

Mitch Moreland (27%) – Moreland has long been a solid play agains right-handed pitching and has been productive overall in the season’s opening weeks, batting .344/.420/.574 over 69 plate appearances.

Lucas Duda (13%) – Injuries are always the issue with Duda and, surprise, he’s hurt again already (though thankfully, it’s not his back). If Duda gets right, he’s a very solid and underrated power bat.

Logan Morrison (11%) – LoMo remains a batting average liability, but has shown improved pop so far this year, clubbing three home runs and plating 11 RBI over his first 16 games. He has opportunity in Tampa.

Middle Infield

Zack Cozart (38%) – If your in a league with me, you won’t find Cozart on the waiver wire. He posted a perfectly respectable .252-67-16-50-4 5×5 line over 121 games last season and is the perfect late round middle infielder to fill out your roster. Injuries have been a issue for Cozart but he’s healthy now and hitting a ridiculous .400/.481/.667 over his first 14 games in 2017.

Devon Travis (37%) – It’s been a painful start for the Blue Jays in general and Travis has been one of the weakest links. He’s shown enough over the past two seasons to get a little more leash, however, so if an impatient owner has moved on from Travis, now would be a nice time to scoop him up and stash on your bench. This lineup is too good to slump for too long.

Andrelton Simmons (7%) – For deeper leagues, don’t sleep on Simmons. He’s hit well over the first couple of weeks of the season and despite his recent track record has shown ability to provide double-digit power from a middle infield spot.

Third Base

Matt Davidson (9%) – Don’t expect the average to stay over .300 for all that long, but Davidson has always been an intriguing power prospect. He’s blasted three homers and driven in 10 over just 34 at-bats. Ride him while he’s red hot.

Martin Prado (7%) – Injury delayed Prado’s start to the season so he’s likely to be sitting on most waiver wires. Prado remains a consistent-but-unexciting option in mixed leagues. He’s not going to hurt you anywhere while providing a solid BA and runs scored with modest RBI and power numbers.

Outfield

Michael Conforto (20%) – Though his playing time has been frustratingly sparse, Conforto has been doing everything in his power to prove he’s worth an everyday spot — blasting a pair of home runs and batting .320 over just 25 at-bats.

Jarrod Dyson (23%) – As I wrote for FantasyPros just yesterday: Following a slow start at the dish, Jarrod Dyson’s ownership rate has slipped below the 25% ownership rate in most formats. He is still locked into an everyday role and has found himself hitting at the top of the lineup in five of his last eight starts. Dyson’s piled up four steals on the young season and can still bring plenty of speed to a needy fantasy roster. He’s worth an add for all teams looking for steals.

Josh Reddick (11%) – He fits right in with Houston’s homer-happy lineup so as long as Reddick is getting at-bats he’s an interesting name in all leagues.

Michael Saunders (4%) – We’ll throw in a homer pick from my very own Philadelphia Phillies for good measure. Saunders has always possessed the type of power/speed blend that makes fantasy owners drool. His streakiness is notable, however, Saunders can be an asset when hot. He’s a wait and see type, but worth an add in deeper leagues.

Starters

AJ Griffin (8%) – Griffin has railed off two straight quality starts to bump his record to 2-0 through three turns in the rotation. He’s not a flashy arm, but Griffin has struck out 16 batters with just four walks over his first 15.1 innings and has a couple of productive fantasy seasons under his belt despite some mediocre results coming off of surgery in 2016. If he’s regained the form we saw in 2012-2013, Griffin will be a useful arm in all leagues and is widely available.

Bartolo Colon (24%) – The rotund Colon is always overlooked and is as far from a sexy pickup as you can get. Still, Bartolo pounds the strike zone and continues to get enough strikeouts to matter in fantasy. When things go bad, they can get really ugly, but Colon is a nice spot start, particularly when facing some of his weak NL East opponents.

Jason Hammel (16%) – Hammel is another overlooked veteran who will never be your ace, but will always be a solid No. 4. He was blasted in his first two turns in 2017 but bounced back with a quality start this week. There is no shame with rolling Hammel out every fifth day in 12-team leagues.

Shelby Miller (11%) – While I’ll never trust this guy, the early results indicate that we should be paying attention.

Alex Wood (8%) – The K-rate has always made Wood an interesting name in fantasy so we’ll keep an eye on his performance as he has a clear path to the rotation. now.

Closer Carnage

It will be a constant race to the wire to go mining for saves, here’s how we see it.

Go get ’em: Hector Neris (48%), Santiago Casilla (42%), Joaquin Benoit (42%), Sean Doolittle (18%), Koda Glover (18%), Darren O’Day (7%)

Keep an eye on: Jeremy Jeffress (18%), Michael Lorenzen (8%), Jose Leclerc (4%), Drew Storen (5%)