For the upcoming MLB season, many will be watching a little more closely, as fantasy baseball continues to grow and include more people. Although not as many people play fantasy baseball as do football, it is still a very popular game that is played on many websites, as well as manually with friends.
Drafts are starting soon, and these five players could provide huge value to your team, for many different reasons. From being projected way too low, to flexibility in position, these players could be the difference between a championship, and missing out on the playoffs altogether.
Jacob deGrom, SP, New York Mets
deGrom is the tenth-rated pitcher in fantasy, according to ESPN. That is way too low. deGrom is undoubtedly better, especially in fantasy, than some of the players rated higher than him, including teammate Matt Harvey. I expect deGrom to be a steal for some owners this year, as he should be set for 200+ strikeouts, 15+ wins and an ERA under 2.75.
Kyle Schwarber, C/OF, Chicago Cubs
Schwarber put up incredible numbers in his first half-season in the majors. Most notably, his 16 home runs and clutch hitting put the rest of the MLB on notice. Luckily for fantasy owners, Schwarber can fill in at two different, valuable positions. Catchers are very tough to project, so having a powerhouse behind the plate that could get 30 home runs is great. It's even better if you can luck into a great value, like Travis d'Arnaud or Russell Martin, and put Schwarber into one of your seemingly endless amount of outfield spots. He could be a great catcher, or top two or three outfielders for your team.
Ben Zobrist, 2B/OF, Chicago Cubs
Joe Maddon is a fantasy owner's best friend. Another everyday player that can fill in a few spots, Zobrist is the 12th rated second baseman, and can also be your last-ditch effort at outfield on a day where the Cubs play but your outfielders are out. He isn't the best bet, and won't put up numbers that will dominate, but he is a super-utility player that can help on off-days.
Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Colorado Rockies
Gonzalez has been in the middle of trade rumors since he has broken out, and RBIs are really the only stat that keeps Gonzlez from being a top five outfielder in fantasy. I'm betting on the Rockies finally trading Gonzalez, and his power has trancended walls, as he has been dominant on the road, as well as at home. If he can get onto a contender, his stats will be better than ever, and as the 17th ranked outfielder, he could produce stats closer to Bryce Harper than Brett Gardner.
Chris Davis, 1B/OF/DH, Baltimore Orioles
Davis is basically set for 40 home runs every year. His average will not make you too happy, and he'll strike out a lot, but his home run and RBI numbers are just not fair. Davis plays three different positions, and will put up amazing numbers. His flexibility adds to that to make him an unbelievable value, and he might be the fourth DH off the board in most leagues. If you play a DH in your league, he can't go soon enough.
