Here we go baby, it is almost go time. Hopefully, your league waited to draft so you didn’t take FTJ number 1 overall like I did in TGFBI. Unfortunately, with his injury timeline around three months, he drops outside the top 150 in projected points. He should be a beast when he returns to action and for the right price he could be well worth it, but most likely someone will take him far too soon to return real value. Let someone else deal with that dead roster spot. Even with an IL spot I probably wouldn’t be comfortable taking him inside the top 100. That almost hurt to type because he is one of the game’s brightest stars and I wish him a speedy recovery.
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So now that I just told you who I would not be drafting if I had a do-over, how about we talk about who you should draft?
1) Shohei Ohtani – If I had the pick 1.01 I would take Shohei without hesitation. That’s not really a bold statement, he’s a stud and just put up one of the greatest fantasy baseball points league seasons we’ve ever seen. Obviously, he’s the most valuable in daily leagues where you can maximize his points output. Plus he’s super fun to watch and that should count for something.
2) Juan Soto – If you’re a Razzball reader (appreciate all of you) you know just how sexy that Dr Pepper can be, but for points leagues he gets that bump up to the top dog among hitters. He’s still only 23 so there’s room for him to grow. And that should be very scary for the rest of the league.
3) Vladimir Guerrero Jr – I don’t see any reason why he can’t keep doing his thing and blasting bombs. He might be third on this list but he’s one heck of a consolation prize if you miss out on the top two.
4) Gerrit Cole – I wouldn’t take him here because I like to grab a stud bat early, but it’s your team and you should manage it how you see fit. The projections love Cole and have him as the top pitcher. He is primed to score a boatload of points and could very easily find himself in the top 5 come season’s end.
5) Jose Ramirez – The hot corner feels top heavy this season and I’m not in love with any of the mid range guys. I want one of the studs and JoRam leads the way. He can do it all which gives him so many opportunities to score points. Give me some of that.
6) Freddie Freeman – He’s a Dodger now (boo) but personal feelings aside, that should mean great things for his fantasy production. That lineup is stacked top to bottom and you’ll want a piece of that action. He’s been so good for so long that he almost feels boring. Don’t be fooled, this is the kind of boring that can win you a fantasy title.
7) Mookie Betts – Speaking of that stacked lineup in LA, Mookie is hot on his teammate’s heels in the preseason projections. I do have some concern about the injuries he dealt with it would be totally understandable to go with a safer player. But don’t forget that we aren’t that far removed from Betts being heralded as one of the best players in the game. I believe the upside is still there. As an added bonus he may have picked up second base eligibility in your league.
8) Matt Olson – Maybe I’ve just been living under a rock, but the trade caught me by surprise. Olson has established himself as a legit stud with big time power. A change of scenery won’t do anything to harsh that buzz. In fact, it might even help his numbers, what with that World Series magic and all.
9) Trea Turner – I gotta tell you, I am not thrilled to see so many Dodgers so high up on this list. Anyhoo, strike while the iron is hot and grab a piece of that pie. Turner can anchor your middle infield either second or short. I love speed and expect a lot of doubles and runs. What a
10) Corbin Burnes – I would be comfortable taking him at the end of the first round, but I think it’s unlikely that he would fall far enough for me to pass up the big bats. In the grand scheme of things, he should more than justify a top 10 pick because his stuff is just filthy. He has the K upside to lead the league while still logging a lot of innings. That’s a recipe for him to potentially be the top fantasy pitcher in 2022.
So there’s the top 10 list, next week we’ll start diving deeper to get you all set for start of the regular season.
Give me a follow on Twitter @deltaxi1842 or @ me here with your fantasy questions.
