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

Digging Deeper into First Base – 2013 Fantasy Baseball 1B Rankings

Edwin Encarnacion

 
Edwin Encarnacion, 20111B is another position where you need to make decisions early on, especially if you are drafting late first round in the range where you’ll have to decide between Pujols, Votto and Fielder. Regardless of where you draft, you need to prepare for this position. And if you prefer to take a late-round flier on someone, you should be well prepared on who is the best bet to provide substantial sleeper value. Ladies and gentlemen, RotoBaller is digging deeper into first base:

1. Albert Pujols – In his first season as an Angel, he started off slow but carried your team mid-season, swatting eight or more HR in May, July and August and batting well over .300 from June to August. This lineup is stacked from top to bottom and that leaves plenty of opportunities for R and RBI. The addition of Josh Hamilton will only provide Albert with more pitches to hit.

2. Prince Fielder – Fielder enjoyed similar success in his first season as a Tiger. What I love most is his batting average which exceeded .300 for the first time in his career. He has played 161 or more games in each of the last four years. The return of Victor Martinez should provide Fielder with some protection, again similar to Albert with Hamilton.

3. Joey Votto – He missed some of July and August which is pretty much the worst time to lose your top player, especially after June when he batted .392. Joey is healthy and you should have no concerns. Expect 30+ HR, .300+ BA and 100+ RBI.

4. Edwin Encarnacion – I feel like every time I checked the Blue Jays box score, Edwin hit a HR. I must have checked it at least 42 times, because that’s how many bombs he hit. People will be skeptical of his stats, and many won’t buy in to a repeat performance. But 30+ bombs with the lineup the Blue Jays have put together is not absurd at all. Remember that the Blue Jays added Jose Reyes and Melky Carbrera, their #1 and #2 hitters, which will ensure Edwin has every opportunity to improve on his 110 RBI from 2012.

5. Buster Posey – Posey is a very intriguing 1B. Why? Because it leaves you with the option to fill in your roster at 1B or C later on based on needs and availability. You can add another star at 1B from this list, or you can add a C later on. Posey bounced back from his brutal 2011 injury with an MVP season. Having Posey at the catcher position is invaluable but he certainly won’t hurt you at all at 1B.

6. Adrian Gonzalez – After being bounced around the past few years he has found his home in LA. The lineup will be shuffled around so much early on that I can’t even put a finger on who will be hitting where, with the possible exception of A-Gonz hitting at #3. He will put up the same gaudy stats he has been for the past several years. Being surrounded in the order by guys like Kemp, HanRam, and Crawford, assuming all three are healthy, will only help Gonzalez.

7. Billy Butler – Butler has been improving with each season he spends in the majors. The emergence of the Royals offense will only make Butler better. They are a very young team but Butler’s 29 HR were not completely unexpected. Butler is a pure hitter and only getting better.

8. Paul Konerko – The Sox offense was questionable at best last year, and the drop off in RBI for Konerko was a direct result of that. Be cautious with Konerko, and have a backup plan. That said, a healthy lineup and new manager could pay dividends for the veteran 1B.

9. Mark Teixeira – Tex is two-sided, as he’s shown he can hit 30 or 40 HR and bat .250 or .315. Despite hitting 39 HR in 2011, he looks like he is on the decline. He is still in a potent lineup, sandwiched by Cano and Granderson, and assuming he plays 150+ games, he should get you those 30 HR, but expect a .250 BA rather than his .280 career mark.

10. Allen Craig – Sleeper! How could a top 10 1Bb be a sleeper? Because if we look at his totals for the past two seasons, here is what we would find: in his second season in the majors in 2011, his line was 71 R, 23 HR, 86 RBI and a .315 BA, while last year he produced 103 R, 30 HR, 125 RBI and a .307 BA. If Allen can stay healthy (which is his major flaw), he will be a fantasy stud!

11. Ryan Howard – It’s been a year since his injury and he is fully healthy. He produced for you in the final three months of the season finishing with 14 HR and 56 RBI, but the steadily dipping BA is a serious concern. Expect a 30+ HR season and 100+ RBI. The addition of Michael Young, Ben Revere and Delmon Young will only help the Philadelphia offense.

12. Ike Davis – The Mets opening-day lineup is looking questionable. 24-year-old Ruben Tejada will be asked to play the role of leadoff hitter, and Daniel Murphy will likely be hitting second. While both have exceeded expectations over the past two seasons, expect a slight dip in their stats, and know that the #1 and #2 hitters directly impact the rest of the lineup. In 2012, Davis’s 32 HR were rewarding at the expense of a .227 BA. Look for Ike Davis to meet you at the halfway point and sacrifice some HR for a better BA.

13. Adam Dunn – It is what it is. If your league has CI than Dunn is the perfect complementary guy if you own someone like Billy Butler or Buster Posey, guys who hit only 20-25 HR but have a high BA. You will need someone to offset Dunn’s disgusting .204 BA. It might take a couple of other high-average players to lead your league in BA while owning Dunn, but 41 HR is hard to find, especially considering that only six other players hit 40+ HR in 2012.

14. Mark Trumbo – Trumbo was spectacular last season hitting 32 bombs and 95 RBI. He will have similar stats in addition to having 1B, 3B and OF eligibility this season. He is a versatile player and exceptionally underrated.

15. Adam LaRoche – LaRoche doesn’t have the same talent around him that Trumbo has, but he is another fairly underrated player. After spending his first seven major league seasons with five different teams, his seventh season and sixth team have found him a home. As an everyday starter last season he hit 33 HR and 100 RBI with a respectable .270 BA.

16. Freddie Freeman – Freeman improved moderately on his rookie season. The Braves entire lineup has improved going into 2013. This bodes well for a productive fantasy season for the young 1B. Freeman has the offensive potential of moving up in the lineup where is projected at batting sixth.

17. Paul Goldschmidt – The D-Backs made some changes to improve the club, despite trading guys like Trever Bauer and Justin Upton, which could well be addition by subtraction. Entering his second full season manning 1B, Goldschmidt is primed for an improved season. Easily a 30/100 candidate and he doesn’t hurt you in the BA category.

18. Nick Swisher – Swisher will be playing ball for a new team for the fourth time in his career. While his batting average may vary anywhere from .220 to .290, he will predictably hit you 23+ HR and anywhere from 80-100 RBI. This is all IF he makes the adjustment from being A guy in NY to being THE GUY in CLE.

19. Anthony Rizzo – Still figuring things out after only 136 career major league games, but he definitely has some power. Much of Rizzo’s success will rely on the remaining projected lineup. I wouldn’t expect too much of an improvement from last season for Rizzo; 23/80 seems achievable, though.

20. Corey Hart – Hart will put up nasty fantasy stats if he plays a full season. Unfortunately he will likely miss April (possibly into May) following surgery. He will probably have a few more 14-day DL stints, too. However, if he falls far enough in the draft for you stash him, be confident that he will put up numbers when he plays. You could scoop him up with your final pick, stash him on your DL and see where he takes you.

Don't forget to check out RotoBaller's first base fantasy baseball rankings, and full breakdown of the different tiers...

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

Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
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
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Kyren Williams

Rams Not Willing to Pay Kyren Williams Top-Market Money?
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Christian Kirk

the No. 2 WR in Houston?
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Jerome Ford

the Likely Starter for Cleveland to Begin 2025
Chig Okonkwo

"Poised" for Best Season of Career
Xavier Watts

Falcons High on Xavier Watts
Xavier Restrepo

Training With Star Wideouts
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
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
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
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
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
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
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF