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

Dynasty Fantasy Baseball Buy or Sell - Hitters

Dynasty league hitters that can be fantasy baseball sleepers or busts for 2018 and beyond. Chris Doyle looks at dynasty risers and fallers to buy or sell.

The dust has finally settled on 2017 and many of us are fully immersed in winter, which means it’s the perfect time to re-evaluate our dynasty squads. Last season featured plenty of breakouts and many head-scratching performances, so where to go from here?

The old adage of buying low and selling high is just as important in dynasty leagues as in redraft or keeper leagues. It’s not always possible; sometimes you just need to cut bait on a guy or overpay slightly to get the player you want. In an ideal world you see something in a player that your opponents do not. This is the time to get creative.

Here are some hitters to consider buying and selling before the offseason comes to an end:

 

Dynasty League Buy Candidates

Ozzie Albies (2B, ATL)

Ken Griffey Jr. Frank Robinson. Ted Williams. Ozzie Albies. What do these players have in common? All have posted a 110 wRC+ at age 20 or younger (minimum 240 plate appearances). That’s some select company, and while that certainly doesn’t guarantee a Hall of Fame career (see Hurdle, Clint on the same list) it’s a heck of a way to debut. Albies was highly regarded as a prospect heading into 2017, but not many expected this level of production this quickly. The speed certainly stands out right away - eight swipes in nine tries - but the power hints at even more upside. Albies made hard contact 33% of the time and his fly-ball rate of 40% showed that he knows how to get the ball in the air. Don’t count on the batting average just yet, but his approach and plate discipline (8.6% walk rate and 14.8% strikeout rate) are both excellent indicators going forward. Plus, his defense at 2B is top notch, which will keep him on the field even if he struggles. While comparisons can often be premature or lazy, there’s a certain Francisco Lindor way about him. Needless to say, it’s time to jump aboard this train.

Nicholas Castellanos (3B/OF, DET)

It seems like Nicholas Castellanos has been on the verge of a breakout for years according to many prognosticators, and this could finally be the year. While some may see 2017 as a breakout - his 26 home runs and 101 RBI were career highs by a long shot - he also set a career high in at-bats with 614. But, there are some continuing trends that bode well for the 26-year-old third baseman-turned right fielder. He dropped his strikeout rate for the third straight season to 21.4%, his isolated power continued to rise (.135 to .164 to .212 to .218) and he made the most hard contact of his career at 43.4%. While his fly-ball rate for the season dipped from 43% to 38%, he reversed that trend in the second half while increasing his contact rate above 80%. As a result he smashed 17 HRs with a .296/.328/.548 slash line in 314 AB. Castellanos is just entering his prime as a hitter; grab him now before the price becomes too steep.

Greg Bird (1B, NYY)

First, the bad: Greg Bird has earned the injury-prone tag before being able to complete a full season in the majors. Various ailments have shelved him for the better part of the last two seasons and he hasn’t exactly been lights out in his time on the field. However, there’s a lot to like about Bird’s power profile. The 25-year-old first baseman cranked 9 HRs in just 147 AB after returning to the lineup while maintaining an 11.2% walk rate and a whopping 52% fly-ball rate, which was in line with his 51% rate in 2015. Bird’s average batted ball distance in 2016 ranked 11th in the majors, tied with Aaron Judge and ahead of Freddie Freeman, J.D. Martinez and Nolan Arenado, albeit in a much smaller sample size. With no obvious obstacles to playing time heading into 2018, Bird will have every chance to contribute in a stacked Yankees lineup with that inviting short porch in right field.

 

Dynasty League Sell Candidates

Nick Williams (OF, PHI)

On the surface Nick Williams did a lot of things right in his first go-around with the Phillies in 2017. In 313 AB Williams hit .288 with 12 HR and 55 RBI but a look under the hood paints a different picture. Williams benefited from a .375 BABIP and while his quality of contact was good, he put bat to ball just 68% of the time. He’s also a heavy groundball hitter, with half of his batted balls exiting at a sub-optimal launch angle. The 24-year-old could definitely help in the steals department but he needs to get on base first. His plate approach leaves something to be desired at this stage, as he posted a 5.8% walk rate and a 28.3% strikeout rate. The raw tools are there, but at 24 he’s bordering on non-prospect territory. Owners could always hang on and see if his approach changes, but the time is now to sell before he likely disappoints in 2018.

Josh Bell (1B, PIT)

It was a solid major league debut for Josh Bell as he blasted 26 HR with 90 RBI, but don’t expect much growth without a change in approach. Bell pounded an Eric Hosmer-esque 51% of his batted balls into the ground and posted an above average 19% HR/FB rate. Without hitting more balls in the air, it’s tough to envision Bell ever turning into a perennial 30-homer threat, which is basically a necessity these days at his position. It’s not that Bell is a bad option; he’s only 25 with room to grow and there are signs of a good hitter here (11% walk rate and near 80% contact rate) but in an era where power is rising, he’ll set you back at a premium power position. If you’re a current owner, it may be wise to test the market and see if you can flip him for an asset at another position of need.

Marcell Ozuna (OF, STL)

The former Miami Marlins outfielder finally broke out after years of speculation to the tune of 93 runs, 37 HRs and a whopping 124 RBI. But a new year brings new surroundings, and Marcell Ozuna isn’t fully equipped to make 2017 his new baseline. A BABIP spike to .355 helped fuel a career-high .312 BA (his previous best was .269 in 2014) and his HR/FB ratio also reached new levels at 23.4% (compared to a career 15.1% average). All this despite a batted ball profile that stayed very consistent with his career norms (47.1% groundballs, 33.5% flyballs, 19.3% line drives). He makes a lot of loud contact and is still a strong option in the outfield, but to assume 2017 is his new baseline would be a dangerous proposition. His counting stats should be enough to fetch a decent return from someone looking for outfield help.

 

More 2018 Dynasty Baseball Strategy




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

Sacramento Kings

Jake LaRavia Lands with Lakers
Laviska Shenault Jr.

on the Bubble
Orlando Magic

Tyus Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
Raheem Blackshear

to Work Mostly As Special-Teamer
Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney Heads to New Orleans
Rico Dowdle

Trevor Etienne to Split Carries?
Chuba Hubbard

Should See Majority of Touches in 2025
Milwaukee Bucks

Jericho Sims Staying in Milwaukee
Denver Nuggets

Tim Hardaway Jr. Joins Nuggets
Willson Contreras

Avoids Structural Damage on Hand After HBP
Detroit Pistons

Duncan Robinson Lands With Detroit
Charlotte Hornets

Tre Mann Remaining in Charlotte
Josh Naylor

Scratched From Tuesday's Lineup Against Giants
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
San Francisco Giants

Giants Exercise Bob Melvin's 2026 Option
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Josh Naylor

Back in Action on Tuesday
Yordan Alvarez

Suffers Setback
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Nolan Arenado

Dealing with Finger Sprain
ANA

Mikael Granlund Moves to Anaheim on Three-Year Deal
Jacob Wilson

Scratched With Hamstring Soreness
NJ

Jake Allen Signs Five-Year Extension With Devils
VAN

Brock Boeser Remains in Vancouver on Seven-Year Deal
Conor Garland

Signs New Six-Year Deal with Canucks
Thatcher Demko

Signs Three-Year Extension with Canucks
Brandon Woodruff

Ready for Season Debut
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary Agrees to Seven-Year Extension with Capitals
Garrett Mitchell

Out for the Rest of the Season
MLB

Brewers-Mets Postponed on Tuesday
MLB

Tigers-Nationals Postponed on Tuesday
Zach Neto

Returns to Tuesday's Lineup
Milwaukee Bucks

Gary Harris Inks Deal With Bucks
MLB

Padres-Phillies Postponed on Tuesday
Charlotte Hornets

Mason Plumlee Heading Back to Charlotte
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Hunter Goodman

Back Behind the Dish on Tuesday
Jakob Poeltl

Agrees to a Contract Extension With Raptors
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Jason Day

is a Fine Play With Limited Upside at John Deere Classic
Vasilije Micić

Vasilije Micic Dealt to Bucks on Tuesday
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Luke Clanton

Looks to Have Another Strong Week at TPC Deere Run
Pat Connaughton

Traded to Hornets
Atlanta Hawks

Luke Kennard Lands in Atlanta
Breece Hall

Aiming to Prove He is "Still One of the Best in the League"
T.J. Watt

Steelers Not Planning to Trade T.J. Watt
Sacramento Kings

Dennis Schroder Set to Join Sacramento
Bo Bichette

Out Again on Tuesday
Trent Grisham

Likely Heading to Injured List
Boston Celtics

Luke Kornet Agrees to Contract With San Antonio
Jonas Valančiūnas

Nuggets Trade for Center Jonas Valanciunas
Royce Lewis

Twins Activate Royce Lewis
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Signs Massive Extension With Oklahoma City
Corbin Carroll

Eyeing Return Before All-Star Break
New York Knicks

Knicks Pick Up Guerschon Yabusele
Yordan Alvarez

Could Return Early Next Week
NFL

Negotiations on 18-Game Season Not Expected Until Next Year
Indiana Pacers

Myles Turner Leaves Indiana, Signs With Milwaukee
Kerry Carpenter

Shelved with Hamstring Issue
Tyler Boyd

Steelers Have Talked With Tyler Boyd
Milwaukee Bucks

Damian Lillard Waived By Milwaukee
Darren Waller

Coming Out of Retirement to Play for Dolphins
Alexander Romanov

Islanders Retain Alexander Romanov on $50 Million Contract
Andrei Kuzmenko

Signs Up for One More Year with Kings
Morgan Geekie

Signs Long-Term Extension with Bruins
Ivan Provorov

Stays in Columbus on Seven-Year Deal
Alex Pietrangelo

Stepping Away From Golden Knights for Health Reasons
Matias Maccelli

Maple Leafs Bring in Matias Maccelli
Evan Bouchard

Inks $42 Million Contract with Oilers
Vladimir Tarasenko

Wild Acquire Vladimir Tarasenko From Detroit
Patrick Kane

Signs New One-Year Deal with Red Wings
Brad Marchand

Lands Six-Year Extension
Aaron Ekblad

Remains a Panther on Eight-Year Deal
Mitchell Marner

Heads to Vegas
Randy Arozarena

Homers Twice, Plates Four Monday
Philadelphia 76ers

Trendon Watford Lands in Philadelphia
Jalen Ramsey

Could Move Around in Pittsburgh
Jonnu Smith

to be Used in Hybrid Role
Terry McLaurin

Commanders, Terry McLaurin Not Close on Contract Extension
Michael Mayer

Raiders Not Interested in Trading Michael Mayer
Aldrich Potgieter

Wins Rocket Mortgage Classic
Thorbjorn Olesen

Finishes Tied for 41st at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Denny McCarthy

Finishes Tied For 12th at Travelers Championship
Chris Kirk

Finishes Tied For Second at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Michael Kim

Finishes Tied for 26th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Max Homa

Misses Cut at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Lucas Glover

Finishes Tied For Ninth at Travelers Championship
PGA

Nico Echavarria Finishes Tied For Sixth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Pittsburgh Steelers

Rumors Still Swirling Around Potential T.J. Watt Trade
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Tyler Boyd

Interested in Playing for Steelers
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Now Looking to Acquire a Tight End
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
L'Jarius Sneed

Says he's Healthy
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Minkah Fitzpatrick

Heading Back to Miami
Jonnu Smith

Shipped to Pittsburgh
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Jalen Ramsey

Steelers Acquiring Jalen Ramsey
Jonas Brodin

Expected to Miss Start of Next Season
TB

Conor Sheary Placed on Waivers for Contract Termination
Dante Fabbro

Stays with Blue Jackets on Four-Year Deal
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
NFL

NFL Won't Hold Supplemental Draft This Year
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
Charles Oliveira

Can Become A Two-Time Lightweight Champion
Ilia Topuria

A Favorite At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fourth Title Defense At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Renato Moicano

Returns At UFC 317
Beneil Dariush

An Underdog At UFC 317
Payton Talbott

Looks To Bounce Back
Felipe Lima

Set To Open Up UFC 317 Main Card
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF