Draft Strategy: How to Use ADPs to Find Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

How to Use ADP Data to Find Draft Sleepers ADPs, or Average Draft Positions, are perhaps the single biggest obsession and reference point for the great majority of fantasy baseball drafters. And it makes sense: you can see where a player is being drafted, judge whether you like him more or less than his ADP,... Read More

Soothsaying, Particle Acceleration, and R.O.I.D.S

What Happens When Javier Baez and Archie Bradley Collide? The final cycle of Fantasy Baseball ROIDS, your quasi-scientific guide to drafting players that will consistently outperform their ADP, has arrived. Previously, we've talked about Ranking anomalies, new Opportunities, the impact of International players and the conspiracy of a Dark Horse in the draft. Sometimes, I... Read More

Jay Bruce: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Undervalued Outfielder

Jay Bruce is a Bounce-Back Candidate for 2015 With the exception of 2014, Cincinnati's Jay Bruce has tallied 20+ HR in each of his 7 MLB seasons. His highest totals came during the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons, in which he hit 32, 34, and 30, respectively. In 2013 he also drove in 109 RBI... Read More

Justin Verlander: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Bust

  Time for an Oil Change? Over the last 15 years, baseball managers have kept a closer eye than ever on pitch counts. It makes sense, of course. We’re so trained on the importance of avoiding pitcher injuries that there’s a gasp every time someone exceeds 110 pitches. Spectators sit on the edge of their... Read More

Jonathan Villar: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Deep Shortstop Sleeper

A Sleeper If He Plays Houston Astros shortstop Jonathan Villar is a deep sleeper this year. Out of the three shortstops in Houston, the other two being Jed Lowrie and Marwin Gonzalez, Villar is the only one who has any stand out skill - speed. The itch to develop Villar into a big league asset should set in rather... Read More

Giovanny Urshela: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Third Base Deep Sleeper

A Land of Opportunity After a BABIP-fueled breakout in the first half of 2014, Lonnie Chisenhall struggled dreadfully in the second half of the season. He hit just four home runs with a .218 batting average in 235 plate appearances. He also played poor defense. If he wins the Indians starting job at third base -... Read More

Justin Verlander: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Sleeper

Once an Ace, Now a Sleeper Before I even start writing this article, I need all of you readers out there who drafted Justin Verlander as your number two or even number one starting pitcher in 2013-2014 to leave your grudges at the door. Same goes for those of you who traded for Verlander at... Read More

Xander Bogaerts: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Sleeper

A Work In Progress As a major contributor to the Boston Red Sox’s championship run in 2013, many fantasy baseball owners targeted Xander Bogaerts in their 2014 drafts. They hoped his toolsy skill set could help him to become a fantasy monster Expectations were high for the young standout. His minor league statistics had Boston fans wondering... Read More

Fantasy Platoons - Blackmon, Dickerson, Stubbs

Platoon Power Platoons can be an excellent source of cheap, high quality production. Last season, the Colorado Rockies featured a useful outfield platoon with Charlie Blackmon, Drew Stubbs, and Corey Dickerson. All three compiled great seasons individually, and I expect the same from them this season. With Carlos Gonzalez a permanent injury risk, there should be... Read More

Shane Greene: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Sleeper

A Forgotten Asset? Starting pitching is deeper than ever. It’s become a cliché. Fantasy writers frequently point to the depth of pitching as a reason to target position players early in the draft. It isn't just a myth. The raw data firmly supports the statement - there is a virtually unprecedented number of quality pitchers in baseball today. According... Read More

Zack Wheeler: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Breakout Candidate

  Wheeler's Improvements in 2014 Point to Promise in 2015 Pitching depth is always a luxury for fantasy owners who have it. The problem is, sometimes it's pretty hard to come by -- especially in the draft. By the time your league draft has made its way into the late rounds, most of the remaining pitchers are... Read More

Steven Souza: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Sleeper

  Quad-A or Stud? Quad-A. The one distinction no baseball player wants to ever see on their scouting report. It is typically designated for older prospects who mash in the minors but can never put it together on the big stage. Steven Souza, 25, is at the age when questions begin surfacing about a player's potential.... Read More

Jacoby Ellsbury: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Star

2011 - It Was A Very Good Year When the New York Yankees signed Jacoby Ellsbury as a free agent before the 2014 season they hoped they would be getting the same player who tore up the world of fantasy baseball in 2011. That season Ellsbury batted .321 with 32 HR, 39 SB, 105 RBI and... Read More

A.J. Pollock: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Sleeper

  A Late Season Bounceback Life is full of setbacks. How people respond to setbacks can define their character – it shows work ethic and pride. After taking a Johnny Cueto fastball to the hand in late May, no one would have batted an eye if A.J. Pollock chalked up 2014 as a lost season.... Read More

Miguel Montero: Veteran Catcher Available on the Cheap

  Better in Chicago? I understand the Chicago Cubs addition of Miguel Montero was not all about his bat. He is also an upgrade defensively over Wellington Castillo. You can read all about his ability to frame and his defensive metrics in this great piece from Fangraphs. He'll hit in the middle of the rebuilt Cubs lineup.... Read More

Michael Saunders: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Deeeeeep Outfield Sleeper

  A New Home in Toronto Could Help Saunders Reach Potential When we put together our rankings earlier this winter, I had Michael Saunders lower than every other outfielder on my list except one. I may have forgotten that he was traded to the Blue Jays, a move which should provide a bump to his... Read More

Jorge Soler: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Sleeper

  For Owners In Need of HR and RBI, Soler Might be a Perfect Sleeper Candidate Expectations are sky-high in the Windy City. First Baseman Anthony Rizzo has guaranteed an NL Central Division Title. In order to fulfill that promise, the Cubs will need their nucleus of young talent to contribute in a big way.... Read More

Travis Snider: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Sleeper

  With More ABs in Baltimore, 2015 Could Be Travis Snider's Year As a die-hard Pittsburgh Pirates fan, I hated hearing the news of outfielder Travis Snider's trade to the Baltimore Orioles. The guy made some spectacular catches, had a bunch of clutch at-bats, and turned out to be the perfect complementary mentor, backup, and... Read More

Kris Bryant: 2015 Fantasy Baseball 3B / OF Sleeper

  The North Side's Savior? When called up, Kris Bryant will become at least the 25th different third basemen to play for the Chicago Cubs since the year 2000. The regime of Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein have made the moves necessary (trade of Luis Valbuena) to open up the hot corner for Bryant. However,... Read More

Chase Headley: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Target

2012 Was A Very Good Year The New York Yankees signing of Chase Headley to a four-year, $52 million contract speaks volumes about what they think Alex Rodriguez can bring to the table this coming season. Headley has more in common with Scott Brosius than Rodriguez in his prime. Although Headley is the kind of positive... Read More

Carlos Rodon: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Sleeper

  If Rodon Cracks the Rotation, He Will Make an Impact in 2015 At some point this season, Carlos Rodon will be a member of the Chicago White Sox. It remains to be seen whether or not he will be a part of the Opening Day roster. Furthermore, the jury is still out regarding his... Read More

Gerrit Cole: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Sleeper

  Strong Finish in 2014 Makes Cole Worth a Look The best kinds of sleepers in a fantasy baseball draft are the ones who have shown the potential to be an all-star fantasy player, but have never really put it all together. Take that with a grain of salt, because over time that optimism should... Read More

Conspiracy Theories and the "D" in R.O.I.D.S.

  Conspire With ROIDS As we begin cycling off our first official ROIDS program, I want to direct your attention away from fantasy baseball for a moment. A popular Katy Perry song goes: “So you wanna play with magic? Boy, you should know what you’re falling for. Baby, do you dare to do this? 'Cause I’m coming at... Read More

Ryan Zimmerman: Comeback Player of the Year?

  He's Baaaaack (And Could be a Sneaky Draft Value) Despite media outlets everywhere outside the Capital Beltway proclaiming Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg as the face of the franchise, true Washingtonians know that Ryan Zimmerman is the real National treasure. Since he was drafted fourth overall in 2005, Zim has been the Opening Day... Read More

Cliff Lee: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper Or Bust?

  Lee Will Have to Overcome Age & Injuries to be a Contributor Over six seasons from 2008 to 2013, few pitchers were as dominant as Cliff Lee. At times he was virtually unhittable, and achieved greatness despite pitching four of those six seasons in the bandbox that is Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia. Over the six... Read More

Podcast: Anthony Aniano & Real Talk Raph Discuss Injured Pitchers and ADP

Last week RotoBaller's own Real Talk Raph joined Anthony Aniano's fantasy sports show (War Room Radio) to discuss the upcoming 2015 MLB and fantasy baseball season, including various draft strategies. Listen in on them bantering about injured starting pitchers (SP) like Matt Harvey, Jose Fernandez and Masahiro Tanaka, current ADP trends on players like Bryce Harper... Read More

J.J. Hardy: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Sleeper

Hardy's Track Record Makes Him a Late-Round Sleeper When identifying a fantasy baseball draft sleeper, I like the guy to fit a few different criteria. First among those is being “under the radar,” but also I need there to be some proof that there’s potential upside when looking beneath the surface. In our 2015 shortstop... Read More

Chris Owings: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Sleeper

  Multiple-Position Eligibility For A Middle Infield Sleeper With only two years of experience and 393 plate appearances (PA) in the major leagues, Chris Owings has taken the starting shortstop position from Cliff Pennington. Naturally, this will increase his fantasy value significantly in 2015 as will his dual eligibility in both SS and 2B. In his... Read More

Josh Tomlin: Analyzing His Starting Pitcher Sleeper Potential

  With More Playing Time, Tomlin Could  Be A Fantasy Asset Josh Tomlin isn't a sexy pick. Frankly, putting his name in a 2015 sleeper column seems rather like going to a wine and cheese night with a packet of American singles and a bottle Two-Buck Chuck. It'll get the job done, but people are going to... Read More

Yasmani Grandal: 2015 Fantasy Baseball Catcher Sleeper

  Grandal's Potential Makes Him a Sleeper Candidate Yasmani Grandal was largely a disappointment in 2014. Despite the pedigree of a top prospect and nearly 90 games of experience at the major league level, he batted an anemic .225/.327/.401 with 49 RBIs and 47 runs scored through 128 games. After that campaign, some have written... Read More