X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

2016 Fantasy Baseball Tiered First Base Rankings: Midseason Edition

Rotoballer lead columnist Bill Dubiel examines the rankings for first base (1B) at the midway point of the season. These are rankings looking forward to the second half of the season.

Welcome back to RotoBaller's midseason rankings update. We are gathered here today to walk through the first base rankings, analyzing some key names and providing tiers for your consumption. Assume a standard 5x5 redraft league when reading.

Be sure to also head over to our fantasy baseball rankings assistant. This handy rankings tool show you all of our staff rankings, player news, and weekly waiver wire rankings. You can easily filter, sort, and export all sorts of ranks - mixed leagues, tiers, prospects, dynasty formats, keeper values and more. It's all in one place, and all free.

Editor's Note: RotoBaller has the best Premium MLB Subscription for only $1.99 per week. We have all the tools to help win your seasonal and daily leagues: Hitter & Pitcher Streamers, Matchup Ratings for every player, Sleeper Surgers for AVG, HR, Ks, PLUS Daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Lineup Picks, Expert Lineups, Stacks and Avoids. 

 

2016 Fantasy Baseball Midseason Rankings Analysis: First Base

It's mostly the usual suspects in the first tier--Paul Goldschmidt, Anthony Rizzo, Miguel Cabrera and Edwin Encarnacion are referred to as superstars for a reason. Goldschmidt actually started off on a low note, hitting only .247 in the month of April, but since June 1st he's been on a tear. The Arizona slugger tallied 20 RBI in June to go along with a .350 batting average, and sure enough he has MVP-type numbers at the break--.300 BA, 53 R, 16 HR, 58 RBI and 11 SB.

Edwin Encarnacion already has 80 RBI, 10 more than the next closest hitter (David Ortiz). It's July 11th. Boy howdy, is it nice having Josh Donaldson hitting in front of you. I can't give the #BringerOfRain all the credit though--Encarnacion's currently sporting his highest K-rate (19.8%) since his rookie year, and he is clearly selling out for power. I dig it, and the folks up north do too, I'm sure. He's third in the AL in homers, and is well on his way to the second 40+ homer season of his career.

Many familiar names in the second tier as well--and by that I mean WHAT IS WIL MYERS DOING HERE?!? The former AL Rookie of the Year had two disappointing and injury-shortened seasons in Tampa Bay and San Diego before finally breaking out as the hitter he was touted to be in 2016. He truly has MVP-caliber numbers, and there is very little to indicate that he can't sustain that level of production aside from the Padres' offense not being any good. His BABIP (.318) is actually lower than his career average (.320) and his K% is the lowest it's ever been in the majors (20.0%). With a .290 BA, 61 R, 19 HR, 60 RBI and 15 steals in the first half, we may be seeing a legitimate superstar emerging before our eyes.

Mark Trumbo has always been a masher, and homer-friendly Camden Yards seems to have (predictably) amplified that ability. The .287 batting average is entirely unexpected, and I suspect some regression is in order there, but I definitely think Trumbo will have at least 50 Trumbombs come September. Why am I so confident? His ISO is .296 right now. That's right--over 345 at bats, his ISO is higher than his batting average. Yowza.

Brandon Belt is well on his way to shattering his career-highs in almost every offensive category. He enters the All Star Break with a .406 OBP, which puts him at fourth in the MLB, behind only Paul Goldschmidt, Matt Carpenter and Anthony Rizzo. Belt has been underrated in fantasy circles for quite some time, and I'm glad he's finally busting out in a big way. His .301 batting average is likely not sustainable, but even allowing for some regression (.354 BABIP, although that's not that much higher than his career average) Belt should end up as a .280 hitter with 80 runs scored, 20 big flies and 80+ RBI. Sign me up for the second half.

"What if I told you...that with the 230th overall pick in your fantasy baseball draft, you could get a player who would hit .309 with 38 runs scored, 17 homers and 52 RBI in the first half of the season? ESPN Films presents a 30 for 30 film: Victor Martinez is Still Really Good at Hitting, You Guys." For real though, V-Mart just continues to defy Father Time. He currently has the second-highest ISO number of his career (.212), which means he may have one more 30-homer season in him. I'm betting folding money that he can get there and maintain his .300 BA.

I have to mention Albert Pujols here, because I still remember how he's one of the greatest hitters of the last 20 years. Many others seem to have forgotten, but I still love you, Machine. He's quietly (very quietly, up there in Anaheim) still producing at an above-average level, and while he's not the obnoxiously good all-around hitter he was in his prime, he's still on pace for 30 homers and 110 RBI. He also only has 42 strikeouts on the season--which is pretty darn terrific for a first baseman--and if you play in a points league that counts Ks you certainly have nothing to complain about given his first half.

I'm officially declaring this a breakout season for Justin Bour. That's right, it's Roto Dubs-approved. You certainly can't fight me on it--Bour and his teammate Marcell Ozuna have been the ones bringing the thunder in Miami, not Giancarlo Stanton. Bour is currently on the DL with an ankle injury, but it's mostly precautionary with the All Star Break wedged into the time. He currently has the highest line drive rate of his major league career (19.5%) and his 24.5% HR/FB rate backs up the notion that he has a ton of raw power. Bour's overall numbers are depressed by a very rocky patch earlier in the season, so I don't think he's due for a ton of regression in any category. He's a 30-homer guy who is also capable of a .275 batting average; that's the good sh...stuff.

 

Midseason First Base Tiered Fantasy Baseball Rankings

Rank Player Name Team Tier
1 Paul Goldschmidt ARI 1
2 Anthony Rizzo CHC 1
3 Miguel Cabrera DET 1
4 Edwin Encarnacion TOR 1
5 Wil Myers SD 2
6 Mark Trumbo BAL 2
7 Jose Abreu CWS 2
8 Eric Hosmer KC 2
9 Chris Davis BAL 2
10 Matt Carpenter STL 3
11 Brandon Belt SF 3
12 Joey Votto CIN 3
13 Stephen Piscotty STL 3
14 Buster Posey SF 3
15 Victor Martinez DET 3
16 Freddie Freeman ATL 3
17 Albert Pujols LAA 4
18 Carlos Santana CLE 4
19 Matt Holliday STL 4
20 Chris Carter MIL 4
21 Adrian Gonzalez LAD 4
22 Hanley Ramirez BOS 4
23 Justin Bour MIA 4
24 Mike Napoli CLE 5
25 Prince Fielder TEX 5
26 Mark Reynolds COL 5
27 Ryan Zimmerman WSH 5
28 Kendrys Morales KC 5
29 Travis Shaw BOS 5
30 Brandon Moss STL 5
31 Tommy Joseph PHI 5
32 Mitch Moreland TEX 5
33 Logan Morrison TB 5
34 Mark Teixeira NYY 5
35 A.J. Reed HOU 5
36 Dae-Ho Lee SEA 5
37 Byung-ho Park MIN 5
38 Steve Pearce TB 5

 

Live Expert Q&A Chats - Every Weekday @ 1 PM and 6 PM EST (DFS)

Fantasy Baseball Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-55" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jayden Higgins

Impresses During Minicamp
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

on the Move to Memphis
Cole Anthony

Dealt to the Grizzlies
Seattle Seahawks

DeMarcus Lawrence Making an Impression With his New Team
Isaiah Simmons

Being Used Exclusively as a Linebacker
Tyler Mahle

Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Travis Etienne Jr.

the Jaguars Lead Back?
Luis Robert Jr.

Scratched with Thumb Soreness
Desmond Bane

Traded to Orlando
Byron Buxton

Scratched from Sunday's Lineup
Daniel Jones

the Favorite in Colts QB Competition?
Brendan Donovan

Returns to the Lineup
Steven Adams

Rockets Agree to Three-Year Contract Extension
Royce Lewis

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Ty Dillon

Is a Respectable Cap Flexiblity-Focused DFS Option For Mexico City
Corey Perry

Produces 10th Postseason Goal
Connor McDavid

Scores First Finals Goal
John Hunter Nemechek

Is John Hunter Nemechek Worth Rostering In Mexico City DFS Lineups?
Shohei Ohtani

Blasts Two Homers in Win
Sam Bennett

Nets Another Road Goal in Game 5 Win
Eetu Luostarinen

Earns Two Points Saturday
Michael King

Not Making Progress
Brad Marchand

Pots Two Goals in Game 5 Victory
Jackson Merrill

Removed Early on Saturday
Sergei Bobrovsky

Ties NHL Record with 10th Road Win
Ross Chastain

Trackhouse Racing's Mexico Focus Makes Ross Chastain a Leading Contender for the Win
Kyle Busch

One of Two Past Mexico City Winners in the Field
Ryan Preece

Earns Surprising Front-Row Start
Austin Cindric

Not as Strong of a Road Racer as People Think
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Stronger on Infield Road Courses Than Purpose-Built Ones
Joey Logano

Seemingly Alternating Between Good and Mediocre Races
Brad Keselowski

One of the Few Drivers with Mexico City Experience
Denny Hamlin

Ryan Truex Makes First Cup Series Start Since 2014
Erik Jones

Mexico City Will Likely be a Struggle for Erik Jones
Noah Gragson

Front Row Motorsports' Speed May Make Noah Gragson a Decent DFS Option
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Road Courses Are Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s Worst Track Type
Riley Herbst

Surprisingly Outqualifies 23XI Racing Teammates at Mexico City
Cody Ware

a Very Experienced Road Racer but Still a Long Shot
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen the Heavy Favorite to Win in Mexico City
Christopher Bell

the Chalk DFS Play in Mexico City
Tyler Reddick

Has a Lot of Work To Do To Be Competitive in Mexico
AJ Allmendinger

Struggling to Find Speed in Mexico City
Chris Buescher

Says Car is "Bad Fast" Heading into Mexico City Race
Michael McDowell

Confident Heading into Viva Mexico 250
Giancarlo Stanton

Likely Returning Early Next Week
Spencer Strider

Registers 13 Strikeouts
Hunter Brown

s Records 12 Strikeouts
Emeka Egbuka

"the Talk" of Bucs Minicamp
Royce Lewis

to be Placed on Injured List
Byron Buxton

Exits Early on Saturday
Evander Kane

Drops to Fourth Line Saturday
Kasperi Kapanen

Won't Play on Saturday
Calvin Pickard

Starts Game 5 for Oilers
Jaxson Dart

Working as No. 2 QB During Offseason Workouts
Xavier Gipson

Roster Spot Could be in Jeopardy
Josh Reynolds

the Front-Runner for WR2 Duties
Garrett Wilson

Stock Up This Offseason
Breece Hall

Motivated Going into 2025 Season
Brandon Aiyuk

Making Good Progress From Knee Injury
Keon Coleman

Inconsistent at Minicamp
Mitchell Trubisky

Not a Lock for Backup Job
Dalton Kincaid

Adds Strength and Bulk
James Cook

a Full Participant in Mandatory Minicamp
Tyrese Haliburton

Struggles in Friday's Loss to OKC
Jacob Misiorowski

Expected to Make Next Start
Chet Holmgren

Dominates the Glass in Game 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads the Way in Game 4
Jalen Williams

Has a Quality Showing on Friday Night
Charlie Morton

Continues Good Work With 10 Strikeouts
James Wood

Homers, Drives in Four
Agustín Ramírez

Agustin Ramirez Homers Twice to Snap Skid
Isaac Paredes

Astros Hopeful Isaac Paredes Can Avoid the Injured List
Royce Lewis

Dealing With Hamstring Strain
Kodai Senga

Diagnosed With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain
Gleyber Torres

Goes Deep Twice on Friday
Anthony Richardson

Should be Fine for Training Camp
Russell Westbrook

to Decline Player Option
Kevin Durant

Trade Could Happen in the "Next Few Days"
Cam Akers

Joining Saints
Michael Mayer

to Get More Involved
Aaron Rodgers

DK Metcalf Building Chemistry with Aaron Rodgers
Colston Loveland

Likely to be Primary Tight End
Joaquin Buckley

Set For Main Event
Kamaru Usman

An Underdog At UFC Atlanta
Miranda Maverick

Set For Co-Main Event
Rose Namajunas

Looks To Bounce Back
Andre Petroski

Looks To Extend His Win Streak To Four
Edmen Shahbazyan

A Favorite At UFC Atlanta
Raoni Barcelos

Set To Take On Former Champion
Cody Garbrandt

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mansur Abdul-Malik

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Cody Brundage

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Alonzo Menifield

Opens Up UFC Atlanta Main Card
Oumar Sy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Connor Hellebuyck

Wins Vezina And Hart Trophies
Aleksander Barkov

Records Two Power-Play Assists Thursday
Sam Reinhart

Collects Three Points in Thursday's Loss
Matthew Tkachuk

Notches Three Points in Losing Effort
Calvin Pickard

Joins Exclusive List with Thursday's Win
Mattias Ekholm

Logs Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Leon Draisaitl

Delivers Victory in Overtime Thursday
Myles Turner

Playing Through Illness
Reed Sheppard

Will Play in the NBA Summer League
Kevin Durant

Deal Could Come Sooner Rather Than Later
Dorian Finney-Smith

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Anze Kopitar

Wins Third Lady Byng Trophy
Sergei Bobrovsky

Heading Out for Win No. 15
John Klingberg

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Panthers
Viktor Arvidsson

Sits Out Game 4 Against Panthers
Stuart Skinner

Remains in Oilers Crease Thursday
Jalen Williams

Leads Thunder in Scoring Wednesday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Settles for 24 Points in Game 3 Loss
Pascal Siakam

Does Everything for Pacers Wednesday Night
Tyrese Haliburton

Gets Close to Triple-Double in Game 3 Win
Bennedict Mathurin

Leads All Scorers with 27 Points Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Has Second Offseason Surgery
Jaylen Brown

Undergoes Successful Knee Procedure
Matt McCarty

Comes Off Season-Best Showing at RBC Canadian Open
Justin Thomas

Desperate to Continue Good 2025 Season
Jon Rahm

Seeks Revenge at U.S. Open
Tom Kim

Aiming for Improvement in U.S. Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Expects Solid Performance at Oakmont
Brian Harman

Aims to Rebound From the Memorial
Tony Finau

has Been Up and Down at U.S. Open
Patrick Cantlay

Hoping This is the Year at Oakmont
Akshay Bhatia

Improving in Time for U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Primed for Another Major Championship Run
Cameron Young

May Struggle at U.S. Open
Collin Morikawa

Eyeing Third Major Championship Title
Matt Fitzpatrick

Seeks to Avenge Oakmont Collapse
Jordan Spieth

Can Contend at Oakmont
Shane Lowry

a Strong Value Play at U.S. Open
Brooks Koepka

Seeks Another Major Win at Oakmont
Viktor Hovland

Still Can Improve at U.S. Open
Michael Kim

a Boom-or-Bust Value Play at U.S. Open
Russell Henley

Looking to Play the Weekend at Oakmont
Tyrrell Hatton

a Safe Option at U.S. Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Eyeing Third U.S. Open Title
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF