Pierre Camus analyzes the fantasy impact of the Astros acquiring Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran in the off-season.

The Astros acquired two veteran position players in the winter, bolstering their young, talented lineup and putting the team in position to contend in 2017.

In November, the Astros traded for catcher Brian McCann by sending pitching prospects Albert Abreu and Juan Guzman to the rebuilding Yankees. They followed that move by signing Carlos Beltran to a one-year deal worth $16 million.

Houston now has a potent mix of both young and veteran talent in their lineup and have sent a message to the American League that they will be contenders. Let's see how these additions stack up in fantasy terms.

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 Outlooks

McCann's batting average has declined over the last five years, but he kept his string of 20 HR seasons alive at nine. McCann hit .242/.335/.413 with 20 HR, 58 RBI and 56 R. His RBI total took a steep drop from 94 the previous season, but the Yanks were in rebuilding mode by the second half.

McCann provides another left-handed power bat in the Astros lineup, but also should improve the team defensively. Evan Gattis, who was forced to re-learn the catcher position, can now become an emergency catcher and part-time DH. McCann played at least 130 games in each of the last three seasons, he should only need to be spelled occasionally by Gattis or another backup catcher such as Juan Centeno.

During the Winter Meetings, Houston kept their foot on the gas by signing another former Yankee, Carlos Beltran. Beltran will be 40 a month into the 2017 season, but he had a revival year. Beltran hit 29 HR, 93 RBI, and a .295 average for New York and Texas, while helping the Rangers to a division win down the stretch. Astros fans may fondly recall the 2004 season when he served a similar purpose, hitting 23 HR, 53 RBI in 90 games and helping them to a playoff berth.

Manager A.J. Hinch has proclaimed Beltran to be the team's primary DH, which comes as a slight surprise. Playing Beltran in left field with Gattis as the DH would get the most powerful bats in the lineup. The aging Beltran may not be able to handle the load, however, and was signed for his bat, not his defense. The team may roll out a platoon of Nori Aoki and Jake Marisnick in left field, with Beltran and possibly even Gattis getting an occasional turn.

Here's a look at a projected lineup for 2017, courtesy of RotoChamp.

Both signings should improve run production across the board in Houston and take some pressure off young stars Carlos Correa, George Springer and Alex Bregman. The one who may suffer most is Gattis, who is without a clear path to regular playing time. If Beltran holds down DH most nights, Gattis may only be worked in the lineup three or four times a week. A trade is certainly possible, but chances are the Astros will keep their bench as stacked as possible.

If Beltran proves last year was no fluke, he should be a solid third outfielder in fantasy leagues. His stats suggest higher value, but his age can't be completely dismissed. He actually has a lower BABIP (.261) and tOPS+ (81) at Minue Maid Park than his career averages (.301 BABIP, 100 tOPS+). It's entirely possible Beltran sustains his average as a positive regression comes.

McCann should remain as a second-tier option at catcher. He will provide one of the better power bats at a thin offensive position. Only five catchers hit more homers than McCann last season; Gattis led the way with 32, while his replacement in New York, Gary Sanchez, also hit 20 in just 201 at-bats. Beltran and McCann appear to be solid options heading into the season and the entire outlook in Houston is looking better than ever.