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

2017 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: First Base (1B)

It's 'bout that time, eh chaps? The Winter Meetings have come and gone. With it, some of the biggest offseason dominoes have already fallen. The 2017 fantasy baseball draft board is beginning to come into focus. Now it's time to delve into player rankings. We'll continue with our 2017 first base fantasy baseball rankings for December.

This first round of rankings features picks from Kyle Bishop, Nick Mariano, Bill Dubiel, and me. I know I've had my initial lists in place since mid-October, and my colleagues here weren't too far behind me.

This year, we'll begin by presenting our rankings then share a few thoughts round table style.

Editor's note: Be sure to also check out our 2017 fantasy baseball rankings dashboard. It's already loaded up with tons of great rankings articles and draft analysis. Aside from our tiered staff rankings for every position, we also go deep on MLB prospect rankings, impact rookies for 2017, and dynasty/keeper rankings as well. Bookmark the page, and win your drafts.

 

2017 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: First Base

Ranking Tier Player Brad Kyle Nick Bill Composite
1 1 Paul Goldschmidt 1 1 1 1 1
2 1 Miguel Cabrera 3 2 3 2 2.5
3 1 Anthony Rizzo 2 3 2 3 2.5
4 2 Joey Votto 4 4 4 4 4
5 2 Freddie Freeman 5 5 5 6 5.25
6 2 Edwin Encarnacion 6 6 7 5 6
7 2 Wil Myers 7 11 6 9 8.25
8 2 Hanley Ramirez 11 7 10 8 9
9 2 Chris Davis 8 9 9 10 9
10 2 Matt Carpenter 12 8 12 7 9.75
11 2 Jose Abreu 9 10 8 12 9.75
12 3 Carlos Santana 10 13 11 11 11.25
13 3 Adrian Gonzalez 14 14 14 13 13.75
14 3 Albert Pujols 18 12 17 14 15.25
15 3 Eric Hosmer 16 16 15 15 15.5
16 3 Brandon Belt 13 19 13 18 15.75
17 3 Victor Martinez 17 17 16 17 16.75
18 4 Greg Bird 22 15 19 16 18
19 4 Matt Holliday 19 24 18 19 20
20 4 Kendrys Morales 15 23 20 24 20.5
21 4 Lucas Duda 26 20 27 20 23.25
22 4 Mike Napoli 23 21 23 26 23.25
23 4 Chris Carter 24 25 24 21 23.5
24 5 Tommy Joseph 21 22 22 28 23.25
25 5 Brad Miller 20 27 21 30 24.5
26 5 C.J. Cron 28 26 29 23 26.5
27 5 Justin Bour 33 18 30 22 25.75
28 5 Josh Bell 27 28 28 27 27.5
29 5 Brandon Moss 25 29 25 32 27.75
30 5 Travis Shaw 38 39 38 28.75
31 5 Steve Pearce 29 31 31 25 29
32 5 Logan Morrison 40 40 39 29.75
33 6 Mitch Moreland 32 33 26 31 30.5
34 6 Jefry Marte 42 30 33 29 33.5
35 6 Adam Lind 31 35 35 33 33.5
36 6 Ryan Zimmerman 30 36 32 36 33.5
37 6 Joe Mauer 41 32 34 34 35.25
38 6 Matt Adams 34 38 36 35 35.75
39 6 Wilmer Flores 37 37 37 37 37
40 6 Byung-ho Park 35 34 40 40 37.25

 

Are there any picks you want to defend?

Brad: It would seem I'm the only one in the group who believes Morales will do big things while batting cleanup for an actually productive offense in a division littered with actual hitter friendly parks. Sure, the Jays lineup won't be the same without Encarnacion and Bautista, but it's still an above average offense. More importantly, it's a much better situation for Morales who should have no problem repeating 30 home runs and could reach 100 RBI. He's boring, old, low risk, and low cost.

Kyle: I'm surprised to be the optimist on Pujols. He's certainly not what he used to be, but the veteran still has life in his bat. Over the past three seasons, he's fourth in homers, seventh in runs scored, and second in RBI among first basemen. He's even top 10 in stolen bases. He doesn't hit for average anymore, but with those counting stats, he doesn't really need to.

I'm also the Debbie Downer on Myers. Questions about his health, his lousy second half, and skepticism about him running that much again are enough for me to push him outside the top 10.

Nick: The highest one that jumps out to me is Brandon Belt, who was a solid OBP asset but nothing special in 5x5 leagues in 2016. At first glance, it looks like he's reached a clear plateau. But his selectivity at the plate didn't lead to a huge drop in hard-hit rate (still 36.4% from 39.8%), yet an 8.1% rise in fly-ball rate was mitigated by an uncharacteristically low 9.3% HR/FB rate. Even if it was just 2014's 13.6%, you'd feel better here. I'm feeling alright about his chances here.

Bill: I love Matt Carpenter at any position, so perhaps that's affecting my judgment here...nah, sticking by it. Carpenter missed some time last year, but still put up a very solid season (.271-21-68). It certainly appears that his power-for-average swap is going to stick, so we'll probably never see that .318 batting average from 2013 again. However, if he can get back to playing 150+ games, we could definitely see him threaten 30 homers and get the batting average back above .280. That's a rare power/average combo at the first base position (outside of the top four or five).

 

Which picks by others look overly bullish/pessimistic?

Brad: I'll point out Bill's ranking of Joseph only because it matches what I expected of the consensus. I thought I'd be high man on the totem pole, but Kyle and Nick agreed he's a solid late-round option in 12 team leagues with a corner infield slot. Bill sees him as the guy you grab off waivers when somebody blows a knee.

Kyle: Belt is the epitome of "better IRL than in fantasy," and I honestly have no idea why Brad and Nick have him ranked as highly as they do. He's never hit .290, never hit 20 home runs, his modest run production totals last year (77 runs, 82 RBI) were both career bests, and he was 0-for-4 in stolen base attempts. Oh, and he's entering his age-29 season and has played more than 150 games only once in six seasons. Does his home park hurt his numbers? Sure, but last I checked, the Giants don't plan to trade him. His awesome OBP means nothing in a standard league.

Nick: Kyle having Holliday down at #24 while the rest of us sit in the #18-19 range seems out of place, as his move to the friendly confines of Yankee Stadium where he can stay fresh at DH should keep that bat alive. He's had some durability concerns flare up over the last two years, but New York has finally learned how to treat their veteran bats.

Also Bill's #30 ranking for Brad Miller feels way too low. I know he doubled his HR/FB rate from 10.3% to 20.4%, but I believe some of that growth is genuine. He could finally find a groove in an everyday role in Tampa, and 20 homers with a few steals while regular batting cleanup should be worth more than #30.

Bill: Brad looks a bit too low on Greg Bird for my liking. He has a clear path to the first base job in New York, although he and Matt Holliday will likely swap on and off a bit at 1B/DH for what it's worth. In 2015, Bird hit 11 homers and knocked in 31 RBI in just 46 games, so the power is legit. He has a career .222 ISO across all levels, and now that he's back to full health he has a monster ceiling. 40 homers this year is probably out of the question, but I'm optimistically (and perhaps naively) projecting him for 30 bombs, 80+ RBI and around a .260 batting average--your prototypical first baseman. I'd take him on draft day over guys like Brad Miller and Tommy Joseph for sure.




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

Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Wan'Dale Robinson

Wants More Downfield Opportunities this Season
Quinshon Judkins

Arrested on Saturday for Battery and Domestic Violence
Terry McLaurin

Could be a Holdout at Training Camp
Roger McCreary

a Candidate for a Contract Extension?
Max Fried

Exits Start With Blister
Mike Evans

Buccaneers Could Have Difficult Time Retaining Mike Evans
Charles Cross

Could Sign Extension Before Training Camp
Xavier Restrepo

One to Watch Going into Training Camp
Calvin Ridley

Appears Re-Energized
Mark Andrews

Still a Key Piece in Ravens Offense
Ndamukong Suh

Officially Announces his Retirement
Jaylen Waddle

Motivated After Disappointing Season
Tre Harris

Still Unsigned
Hunter Dobbins

to Miss Rest of Season With Torn ACL
Nolan Arenado

Held Out of Lineup on Saturday
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Carlos Correa

Sitting on Saturday
Austin Riley

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Nolan Arenado

Exits Friday's Contest With Sprained Finger
Jake Burger

Expects to Play on Saturday
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Wyatt Langford

Records Four-Hit Night
Cal Raleigh

Homers Twice, Drives in Five
Cody Bellinger

Swats Three Homers in Victory
Jake Burger

Leaves With Quad Discomfort on Friday
Carlos Correa

Exits Game With Mild Ankle Sprain
Edward Cabrera

Dealing with Posterior Elbow Discomfort
Austin Riley

Leaves Game Early on Friday With Abdominal Tightness
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Rafael Devers

Dealing With Back Inflammation
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Returning on Friday
Sauce Gardner

Wants to be Highest-Paid Cornerback
Rhamondre Stevenson

Heading into an Important Season
Minnesota Vikings

Josh Metellus, Vikings Have Mutual Interest in Extension
Tua Tagovailoa

2025 Could be Tua Tagovailoa's Last Season in Miami
Rashawn Slater

has "Full Confidence" a Deal Will Get Done
Byron Buxton

Returns on Friday
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Jake Meyers

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Calf Strain
Brandon Lowe

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Tightness
Kodai Senga

Reinstated to Start on Friday
Alex Bregman

Officially Activated and Starting on Friday
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Chicago Bears

Bears Extend General Manager Ryan Poles
Dalton Knecht

Avoids Serious Injury
MarShawn Lloyd

in a "Much Better Spot" Heading Into Training Camp
Javon Small

Signs Two-Way Deal
Dustin Hopkins

Browns Still Counting on Dustin Hopkins
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF