First base is synonymous with fantasy baseball success. Every year, players look for superstar talent or cheap value throughout their draft for this all important roster spot. If the likes of Paul Goldschmidt, Miguel Cabrera and Anthony Rizzo are unavailable to you, the tendency is to reach for supposed upper-tiered 1B talent. This is a list of players that are overvalued. Wait or simply pass for better value later in your draft.

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Overvalued First Basemen

Freddie Freeman (ATL) - ADP: 52
The Atlanta Braves slugger was an absolute stud back in 2013 when he crushed 23 HR and drove in 109 RBI. Since then, his BA, OBP, and OPS have all declined every season. The wrist injury that limited him to 118 games last season did not help matters, but his value is still widely up for discussion.

Could he repeat his ways of 2013 with a solid 2016 campaign? Absolutely. However his Atlanta Braves teammates consist of a roster on the rebuild and offer up little protection for Freeman for the time being. His K% and BB% have evened out to their norms of 12% and 20%, but his BABIP needs to continue to rise in order for his value to be back at 2013 status.

Spending a fifth round pick on Freeman seems high to me when so many other options at 1B would be safer bets. Joey Votto and Adrian Gonzalez look to be smarter options in that area of the draft. On the other hand, breakout potentials such as Stephen Piscotty, Wil Myers and the newly signed Pedro Alvarez can offer risky value much later without the high price tag that you will have to spend on Freeman.

Eric Hosmer (KC) - ADP: 36
Coming off of a World Series championship can be a beautiful thing. His .336 BABIP and .459 SLG% brought owners a surge of wealth as Hosmer provided incredible value for owners in 2016. But that value takes a nose dive this year as owners now have to spend anywhere from a third to fifth round draft pick on a 1B that has yet to eclipse the 20 HR mark or collect 100 RBI in a single MLB season.

There are plenty of players that have the following stat line: .286 BA, 17 HR, 82 RBI, .322 BABIP. Those are Hosmer's averages for his MLB tenure. Is he a clutch hitter? Yes. But clutch doesn't count for much in baseball unless it turns into tangible stats. He is probably going to level off around a .275 BA with 15 HR and 75 RBI. It is a solid line for the season, but Hosmer is more of a seventh to 10th round selection.

Adrian Gonzalez (LAD) - ADP: 49
Sometimes in life you hit the proverbial wall - and sometimes the wall hits you. Gonzalez fits the latter of that mold as he begins his 13th season once again in the middle of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup. In 2015, Gonzalez's consecutive 100 RBI streak was broken while his BA hung around .275, and he did not give owners much hope of it getting back near .300.

At 33 years old, the back is starting to go and the decline phase has begun. Sure the power and high contact rate are still present, but consistency was never an issue for Gonzalez. The talent around him is still strong. In order for an owners to feel comfortable taking him as a front line 1B option, those numbers can not start to taper off now.

If the BA comes back up and his power stroke returns 30 home runs again I can safely say draft him where he is projected in the fourth round. But for now, I would stick to waiting until most teams have settled on a high-tiered 1B option and scoop up Gonzalez or somebody else later in the draft.

Carlos Santana (CLE) - ADP: 165
It is time for roll call as to who has lost significant value for 2016.
C-Eligible: Nope
3B-Eligible: Long gone
1B-Eligible: Hanging on by a thread
DH/Util: Last resort
CI: Looking Deep aren't ya?

Santana was a player who had tremendous value and could be held onto through slumps due to his versatility. His .164 ISO left much to be desired last season while his 11 SB was pleasant surprise. He still hit 19 HR and was around his career averages for BABIP, OBP and wRC+. But he also had a .231 BA and a depressing .375 SLG%.

The thing to keep in mind on draft day for Santana is that he does walk a TON. In leagues where OBP and BB count he could be a good mine. But for 1th round value, I would sit and wait in standard leagues and see if stays on the board until later picks. He does not have to be "Everybody's Everything", he just has to hunker down and start hitting.

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