Pitchers and catchers have reported. A lot has happened in these last four-plus months, but none of what happened was baseball! I think I figured out the problem, you guys.

Anyway, we’ve covered the position players in our ongoing February rankings update, so it’s time to move on to the mound. Today’s focus is the 2017 starting pitcher fantasy baseball rankings (part one). We’ll be looking at the top six tiers of starting pitchers. Harris Yudin will have his thoughts on the best of the rest tomorrow.

As a reminder, this round of rankings features input from Bill Dubiel, Brad Johnson, Jeff Kahtnroff, and Nick Mariano, in addition to Harris and yours truly.

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: Starting Pitchers, Part One (February)

Ranking	Tier	Player	Position	Brad	Kyle	Nick	Bill	Harris Y	Jeff	Auction $
1	1	Clayton Kershaw	SP	4	6	7	7	11	3	42
2	1	Max Scherzer	SP	20	16	13	13	19	12	36
3	1	Chris Sale	SP	23	22	24	24	23	27	30
4	1	Noah Syndergaard	SP	26	15	29	29	24	25	30
5	1	Madison Bumgarner	SP	32	20	25	25	20	41	28
6	1	Corey Kluber	SP	41	27	36	36	31	50	26
7	2	Yu Darvish	SP	39	49	45	51	44	37	23
8	2	Justin Verlander	SP	60	55	37	38	56	49	23
9	2	Stephen Strasburg	SP	51	50	43	37	57	68	22
10	2	Jake Arrieta	SP	53	51	47	44	32	84	21
11	2	Johnny Cueto	SP	63	47	46	46	58	71	21
12	2	Jon Lester	SP	67	46	51	50	43	75	21
13	3	Carlos Carrasco	SP	65	63	58	57	61	72	19
14	3	Chris Archer	SP	84	59	59	58	59	77	19
15	3	David Price	SP	83	58	73	72	42	89	19
16	3	Jacob deGrom	SP	97	68	70	70	62	76	19
17	3	Kyle Hendricks	SP	78	103	66	66	98	82	18
18	3	Aaron Sanchez	SP	75	128	80	79	77	99	16
19	3	Masahiro Tanaka	SP	89	94	71	71	106	124	16
20	4	Gerrit Cole	SP	103	82	85	84	85	134	16
21	4	Cole Hamels	SP	112	92	86	85	74	125	16
22	4	Carlos Martinez	SP	107	97	105	104	73	101	15
23	4	Jose Quintana	SP	100	114	87	86	87	123	15
24	4	Zack Greinke	SP	115	83	96	95	75	135	15
25	4	Rich Hill	SP	105	107	94	93	107	100	15
26	4	Danny Duffy	SP	164	102	111	110	78	105	13
27	4	Michael Fulmer	SP	121	131	109	108	97	121	12
28	5	Danny Salazar	SP	134	139	106	105	88	153	11
29	5	Kenta Maeda	SP	139	96	107	106	119	183	11
30	5	Rick Porcello	SP	114	127	129	131	99	152	11
31	5	Marcus Stroman	SP	117	157	99	98	129	160	11
32	5	Jonathan Gray	SP	128	137	124	126	117	182	9
33	5	Julio Teheran	SP	155	156	137	140	89	157	8
34	5	Julio Urias	SP	145	147	133	135	161	122	8
35	5	Matt Harvey	SP	149	142	130	132	86	208	8
36	5	Lance McCullers	SP	137	176	135	137	118	154	8
37	6	Aaron Nola	SP	159	141	136	138	151	159	8
38	6	John Lackey	SP	173	150	140	142	154	187	8
39	6	Steven Matz	SP	204	153	146	147	148	151	8
40	6	Tanner Roark	SP	191	151	138	141	152	206	8
41	6	Felix Hernandez	SP	118	161	143	139	128	306	7
42	6	James Paxton	SP	156	185	147	148	210	155	7
43	6	Sean Manaea	SP	192	160	150	151	170	184	7
44	6	J.A. Happ	SP	154	179	158	159	153	207	6
45	6	Dallas Keuchel	SP	189	164	182	182	130	189	6
46	7	Kevin Gausman	SP	197	188	180	180	149	158	6
47	7	Jeff Samardzija	SP	203	182	152	153	191	209	6
48	7	Robbie Ray	SP	172	202	153	154	208	255	5
49	7	Matt Shoemaker	SP	168	252	171	171	195	193	5
50	7	Carlos Rodon	SP	214	223	191	192	150	190	5
51	7	Jameson Taillon	SP	207	186	184	184	162	246	5
52	7	Drew Pomeranz	SP	244	159	167	168	194	253	5
53	7	Garrett Richards	SP	210	177	211	211	193	210	4
54	7	Anthony DeSclafani	SP	270	155	165	166	209	252	4
55	8	Sonny Gray	SP	243	172	198	200	169	249	4
56	8	Vincent Velasquez	SP	268	169	206	206	171	251	4
57	8	Marco Estrada	SP	206	230	196	198	196	248	4
58	8	Drew Smyly	SP	273	197	207	207	207	195	4
59	8	Jerad Eickhoff	SP	235	209	234	234	222	194	4
60	8	Adam Wainwright	SP	245	191	188	197	190	326	4
61	8	Joe Ross	SP	300	213	218	218	244	156	4
62	8	Alex Reyes	SP	208	210			220	247	3
63	8	Jake Odorizzi	SP	274	198	213	213	223	254	3
64	8	Matt Moore	SP	174	314	251	251	241	150	3
65	8	Tyler Anderson	SP	265	271	202	191	268	256	3
66	8	Jeremy Hellickson	SP	246	264	175	175	314	324	2
67	8	Francisco Liriano	SP	224	329	223	223	291	211	2
68	9	Blake Snell	SP	258	309	263	263	221	192	2
69	9	Taijuan Walker	SP	220	234	255	255	247	301	2
70	9	Ivan Nova	SP	264	304	235	235	243	250	2
71	9	Joe Musgrove	SP	325	263	197	199	269	309	2
72	9	Raisel Iglesias	SP/RP	221	203	348	348	276	170	2
73	9	Luke Weaver	SP	282	212	210	210	344	310	2
74	9	Junior Guerra	SP	260	243	260	260	267	297	2
75	9	Alex Cobb	SP	248	335	200	187	318	302	2
76	9	Hisashi Iwakuma	SP	262	244	256	256	246	328	2
77	9	Collin McHugh	SP	355	232	243	243	248	294	2
78	9	Michael Pineda	SP	302	240	238	238	313	296	2
79	10	Jharel Cotton	SP	290	249	246	246	340	298	2
80	10	Trevor Bauer	SP	293	299	266	266	211	349	2
81	10	Jason Hammel	SP	287	291	245	245	293	346	2
82	10	Lance Lynn	SP	269	326	241	241	362	300	2
83	10	Michael Wacha	SP	304	318	310	310	224	307	2
84	10	Bartolo Colon	SP	317	251	275	275	277	413	2
85	10	Eduardo Rodriguez	SP	326	368	273	273	377	191	2
86	11	Mike Leake	SP	259	343	270	270	316	376	1
87	11	Zach Davies	SP	399	303	278	278	270	308	1
88	11	Jordan Zimmermann	SP	286	359	293	293	290	325	1
89	11	Steven Wright	SP	250	342	268	268	420	311	1
90	11	Dylan Bundy	SP	400	401	317	317	265	165	1
91	11	Chris Tillman	SP	391	317	286	286	245	347	1
92	12	Ervin Santana	SP	354	270	265	265	242	477	1
93	12	Ian Kennedy	SP	374	237	342	342	292	304	1
94	12	Gio Gonzalez	SP	357	307	277	277	289	419	1
95	12	Archie Bradley	SP	279	356	298	298	375	327	1
96	12	Tyler Skaggs	SP	353	334	307	307	339	295	1
97	12	Mike Montgomery	SP	289	345	353	353	347	299	1
98	12	Daniel Straily	SP	309	390	330	330	342	323	1
99	13	Brandon McCarthy	SP	234	346	360	360	493	245	1
100	13	Wei-Yin Chen	SP	378	336	345	345	314	330	1
101	13	Miguel Gonzalez	SP	450	367	284	284	380		1
102	13	Brandon Finnegan	SP	389	325	283	283	454	385	1
103	13	Daniel Norris	SP	376	260	427	424	338	303	1
104	13	David Phelps	SP	381	337	336	336	455	305	1
105	13	Matt Andriese	SP		432	324	324			1
106	13	Tyson Ross	SP	409	267	385	383	365	353	1
107	13	Luis Severino	SP	332	293	424	421	346	348	1
108	13	Robert Gsellman	SP	331	443	315	315	345	436	1
109	13	Tyler Glasnow	SP	442	429	340	340	328	335	1
110	14	Josh Tomlin	SP	362				379		1
111	14	Adam Conley	SP	433	300	412	409	341	329	1
112	14	Jaime Garcia	SP	361	430	333	333	431	350	1
113	14	Michael Foltynewicz	SP	275	306	476	476	409	322	1
114	14	Chris Devenski	SP/RP	422	292	364	364	348	478	1
115	14	Shelby Miller	SP	315	393	377	376	419	399	1
116	14	Andrew Triggs	SP	496	431	321	321	343		1
117	14	Edinson Volquez	SP	454				317	377	1
118	14	Scott Kazmir	SP	443	459	328	328	363		1
119	14	Zack Wheeler	SP	329	396	492	491	266	351	1
120	14	Alex Wood	SP	379	410	356	356	438	387	1
121	14	Kendall Graveman	SP	428	492	326	326	378		1
122	14	Jose De Leon	SP	429	311	473	473	327	331	1
123	14	Clay Buchholz	SP	363	438	409	406	461	375	1
124	14	Jimmy Nelson	SP	314	392	491	486	432	374	1
125	14	Patrick Corbin	SP	344	441		500		388	1
126	14	Lucas Giolito	SP		452	442	441	329	429	1
127	14	Mike Fiers	SP	458	458	373	372	437	416	1
128	14	CC Sabathia	SP			403	400	460		1
129	14	Jose Berrios	SP	466	453	444	443	326	403	1
130	14	Ricky Nolasco	SP			401	398	477		1
131	14	Tyler Chatwood	SP			465	464	381	400	1
132	14	Ariel Miranda	SP	424	433					1
133	14	Rubby de la Rosa	SP	380	428				482	1
134	14	Homer Bailey	SP	421	439	456	455		386	1
135	14	Nate Karns	SP	495	488			376	378	1
136	14	Liam Hendriks	SP		395	445	444		471	1
137	14	Seth Lugo	SP	342	421	494	492		450	1
138	14	Nick Tropeano	SP	341	442	493	499			1
139	14	Chad Bettis	SP	408				480		1
140	14	R.A. Dickey	SP	483	486			421	389	1
141	14	Chad Kuhl	SP	395	444	453	452		493	1
142	15	Brock Stewart	SP	449	481				414	1
143	15	Reynaldo Lopez	SP	459	465				430	1
144	15	Wily Peralta	SP					453		1
145	15	Cody Anderson	SP	463						1
146	15	Matt Boyd	SP						463	1
147	15	James Shields	SP	465		468	467			1
148	15	Matthew Wisler	SP	467	467					1
149	15	Doug Fister	SP	482		447	446		496	1
150	15	Hector Santiago	SP	468						1
151	15	Chase Anderson	SP	444					501	1
152	15	Mike Clevinger	SP	474	480					1
153	15	Matt Garza	SP			479	479			1
154	15	Kyle Gibson	SP					479		1
155	15	Anibal Sanchez	SP	486	474	497	490		464	1
156	15	Derek Holland	SP	484						1
157	15	Tom Koehler	SP			490	485	494	468	1
158	15	Wade Miley	SP	475		489	489			1
159	15	Adam Morgan	SP			495	493			1
160	15	Tyler Duffey	SP			498	495			1

 

Starting Pitcher Rankings Analysis: The Tiers

Tier 1

The half-dozen players in this tier are all fantastic options for the ace of your fake baseball team. Let’s be real, though – there’s Kershaw, and then there’s everyone else. Great as Max Scherzer and company may be, nobody’s trying to make a case for taking any of them first overall. Last season’s back issues are certainly something to keep in mind, but assuming health, Kershaw is the only pitcher who’s a slam-dunk first-round pick. Scherzer’s renewed vulnerability to the longball is what maintains the gap between him and this generation’s answer to Sandy Koufax. Of course, even allowing 31 bombs didn’t prevent him from posting excellent ratios and a gaudy strikeout total in his third straight season with 220+ innings.

Chris Sale saw his K% drop by over six points, but he still finished fifth in baseball with 233 punchouts, so…y’know. Noah Syndergaard is incredible, even if it seems like only a matter of time before his arm explodes. That he only finished eighth in the Cy Young voting just speaks to the incredible pitching talent in the game right now. To wit: We haven’t even talked about Corey Kluber and Madison Bumgarner yet. Their metronome-like dominance and durability is even more valuable when you consider the volatile nature of pitching as a fantasy asset.

Tier 2 

Full of guys who could make solid cases that they belong in the top tier. Yu Darvish returned from Tommy John surgery and didn’t miss a beat – in fact, he was arguably better than before. Justin Verlander returned to form after a couple of down years had many of us wondering if being a workhorse for so long had finally caught up to him. Stephen Strasburg was making a strong case for the Cy before his elbow crapped out. Jake Arrieta’s ERA nearly doubled from the previous year…to 3.10. He also won 18 games and posted a 1.08 WHIP despite some bouts of wildness. Teammate Jon Lester continued to be one of the most reliable arms in the game while enjoying fantastic defense behind him that made his numbers even better. The Giants’ even-year reign finally, mercifully came to an end, but not because of anything Johnny Cueto did. The veteran was fantastic in his first year in San Francisco and has now posted a 2.86 ERA this decade. That’s second to Kershaw among qualified starters during that time.

Tier 3

Here’s where we start getting into “RIGBY” territory. Carlos Carrasco has been a fantastic late bloomer, but he’s yet to pitch more than 185 innings in a season. He also gave up too many homers and allowed a lot of other hard contact last season. Chris Archer maintained the jump in his strikeout rate, but likewise had a homer problem that led to a 4.02 ERA and nearly made him the first 20-game loser since Mike Maroth. David Price’s first season in Boston was identical to his previous two in many areas, but he also saw a sharp increase in longballs. Jacob deGrom was his usual awesome self until his elbow flared up. He’s expected to be healthy this spring, but surgery naturally makes folks nervous.

Speaking of nervous, I’m less enamored of the other guys in this group than my colleagues. I loved Kyle Hendricks as a value pick last season, but his breakout wasn’t entirely real. His underlying numbers were eerily similar to 2015, he just benefited from a low BABIP and high strand rate. Now, some of that is attributable to his skill at inducing weak contact, and some is due to what should still be an excellent Cubs defense. But he’s got a Dallas Keuchel vibe to him. Similarly, Aaron Sanchez’s improvement last year still left him with uninspiring peripherals. He’s young and further improvement could certainly be in the cards, but paying an expectant price seems unwise. Lastly, Tanaka seems to have successfully pitched around the specter of Tommy John, but his strikeout rate has declined each of the last two seasons and 2016 was his first time pitching more than 154 innings.

Tier 4

I’m fully on board with rebounds for Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke, as well as Danny Duffy’s breakout. Rich Hill can’t be counted on for a full season – then again, if he could, he’d be in the second tier at worst. Individual owners will have to decide if the brilliance is worth the likely injury headaches. Cole Hamels, Carlos Martinez, and Jose Quintana are this group’s Steady Eddies, though the fantasy community seems to be paying slightly expectant prices for CMart. Michael Fulmer won Rookie of the Year honors in the AL despite peripherals that were good rather than great. His minor league track record suggests further strikeout upside, which he’ll need to tap into to offset the likely rise in his ERA.

Tier 5

Kenta Maeda belongs in a higher tier than this, but Jeff hates him for some reason. Maeda proved the skeptics (myself included) wrong last season, striking out more than a batter per inning with solid ratios. None of us are totally buying Rick Porcello’s Cy Young season, which reflects the trepidation of the community at large. I’m the low man on Marcus Stroman, having fallen decidedly out of love after a lackluster showing last year. I haven’t stopped giving Julio Teheran a healthy dose of side-eye, either. The rest of this group is pretty high variance, whether due to injury issues (Matt Harvey, Danny Salazar), youth (Jon Gray, Julio Urias) or both (Lance McCullers).

Tier 6

Aaron Nola is being criminally overlooked in drafts this year. He was mid-breakout before arm trouble and a laughably low strand rate torpedoed his season. As a result, he’s being drafted in basically the same spot as last year. Steven Matz is similarly situated, but hasn’t been dinged as much by owners so far. John Lackey will be 39 in October, but he’s on a great team and has excellent ratios (3.35 ERA, 1.18 WHIP) over the last four years. I’m buying Sean Manaea’s second half performance more than James Paxton’s, though both lefties have had trouble staying healthy. J.A. Happ and Tanner Roark don’t have the strikeout upside to be true stars, but either is a fine mid-rotation option. Y’all can take your chances with former Cy winners Felix Hernandez and Dallas Keuchel; I don’t expect to come away with any shares.