X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

First Basemen Breaking Out in 2017

If you have not yet noticed in your early fantasy drafts or mocks this year, power is no longer a premium in fantasy baseball. Speed is the new currency, and if you want it, you have to be willing to pay big and early for it. With that being said, there is no longer quite a need to reach for the power in the early rounds.

Since first base is the staple of fantasy power production here are four youngsters that have the potential to break out at the position in 2017, and supply you with the same power as their counterparts, but at a much lesser cost.

Editor's note: You can find more draft values and potential sleepers all preseason long, and be sure to also check out our rankings dashboard which is loaded with lots of great analysis.

 

2017 First Base Breakouts

Greg Bird, NYY (ADP: 251)

Many fantasy owners were already excited about Bird heading into the 2016 season after he hit 11 HR in only 46 games following a late season call-up in 2015. But fans received the disappointing news prior to spring training that Bird would miss the season after having shoulder surgery. Fast forward to 2017 and the excitement is back as Bird is now recovered and slated to be the primary first baseman for the Bronx Bombers.

Bird Dog combined across multiple levels to hit at least 20 HR in three straight seasons prior to missing 2016. In his short big-league exposure, he showed he hits a ton of flyballs (51.4 percent) and he hits them hard (44.8 Hard%). This will fit in perfectly to Yankee Stadium, which saw the highest park factor boost in HR in 2016, and has always been known to favor LHB.

Joe Girardi has already stated Bird is the Yankees starting first baseman, even after the signing of reigning NL HR king Chris Carter. If Bird can work his way into the heart of the lineup with the likes of Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury, Gary Sanchez, and Matt Holliday, he will have a break-out campaign in 2017. We're looking at a potential 75-30-90 fantasy season from a 24-year-old, and you can grab him in the 21st round.

 

Justin Bour, MIA (ADP: 302)

Justin Bour was a popular low-end sleeper pick heading into the 2016 season, and he was certainly on his way to proving that to be true heading into July. In just three months he had racked up 15 HR, 46 RBI, and a .873 OPS. The excitement came to an immediate halt however, after a sprained ankle on July 2 led to a stint on the 60 day DL. Bour finally returned in September, but was noticeably not in his first half form, and failed to hit another HR in his remaining 20 games.

Bour has legit left handed power. His 21.4 PA/HR ratio was in the same neighborhood as Anthony Rizzo, who hit 32 bombs over the full season. After posting an ISO of .218 and .211 in consecutive seasons, I have no doubt Bour can immediately be a 30+ HR guy. He is aided by impressive plate discipline, which reaped a 0.68 BB:K ratio that ranked top 10 among first basemen (with min. 300 PA), and was once again right on par with Anthony Rizzo.

The main concern with Bour, as is with many left handed power hitters, is his inability to hit southpaws. He owns a career .562 OPS and .068 ISO against LHP, which can continue to limit his fantasy potential. But Don Mattingly has expressed his desire for Bour to continue to gain exposure to lefties this year, which means the PA will be there and hopefully will lead to an improvement in the split. Last season's injury helps lower Bour's draft stock in 2017, as he is currently going undrafted in standard leagues

 

Tommy Joseph, PHI (ADP: 211)

Tojo exploded onto the fantasy baseball scene during his rookie season in 2016 by smacking 21 HR with a monstrous .248 ISO, both ranking third among rookies. If you think Bour has high power potential over a full season, then Joseph says "Hold my beer." In fact, Joseph's PA:HR ratio (16.5) was actually better than Edwin Encarnacion who led the position with 42 HR. The kid can rake. But unfortunately, that is all he has shown the ability to do thus far.

Joseph has never been known to hit for a high average consistently, and seems to despise drawing walks (6.3 BB%). The good news is we saw significant improvement from him down the stretch. After the All-Star break, Joseph increased his BB% by five points, and decreased his K% by six points. If this trend continues, Joseph's fantasy owners could receive the best of both Bour and Bird- but in a right handed version.

The Phillies haven't had a player reach 100 RBI since 2011, but they are certainly on the rise with youngsters like Maikel Franco and Odubel Herrera plus the acquisitions of Michael Saunders and Howie Kendrick (..baby steps) this offseason.

 

Cody Bellinger, LAD (ADP: 490)

A former fourth round pick in the 2013 draft, Bellinger has now become a top 10 prospect in the MLB. The 21 year old hit 29 HR with 8 SB across three levels of the minor leagues in 2016, after demolishing A+ ball (30 HR, 10 SB) the previous season. He has only played three games at the Triple A level, but in those three game he jacked three bombs.

The 6-foot-4 lefty is currently blocked by the great Adrian Gonzalez at first base, but the veteran is currently nursing elbow inflammation. Bellinger will also be seeing playing time at all three outfield spots this spring training. The Dodgers have been a carousel in the outfield for years now, so there is a real possibility Bellinger joins his big league teammates early this year and will force the Dodgers to keep him there. He will continue to strike out at above a 20 percent rate, but has also historically been a double digit BB% guy. Once the opportunity presents itself, Bellinger is breaking out in 2017, and we will be seeing much more of this; monster jacks off a southpaw that literally leave the ball park....

 

 

More Potential Breakouts




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Zac Gallen3 hours ago

Gets Opening Day Nod
Nolan Schanuel3 hours ago

Injury Isn't Serious
Isaiah Stewart4 hours ago

Injured Against Boston
Duncan Robinson5 hours ago

Doesn't Return On Monday
Jackson Chourio5 hours ago

Makes Opening Day Roster
Anthony Davis5 hours ago

Cleared To Meet Atlanta
Blake Snell5 hours ago

Heading To The Giants
Onyeka Okongwu5 hours ago

To Return On Monday
Bryce McGowens6 hours ago

Unavailable For Tuesday
Tyus Jones6 hours ago

Won't Play On Tuesday
Deni Avdija6 hours ago

Unavailable For Tuesday
Nick Martinez6 hours ago

To Open The Year In The Rotation
OG Anunoby6 hours ago

Set For Multi-Game Absence
Kyle Kuzma7 hours ago

Uncertain For Tuesday
Luka Doncic7 hours ago

Considered Probable For Tuesday
Matt McLain7 hours ago

Scratched With Shoulder Soreness
Bilal Coulibaly7 hours ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of Season
Kenley Jansen7 hours ago

Scheduled To Make Four More Spring Appearances
Jackson Chourio7 hours ago

"In The Mix" For Roster Spot
Rudy Gobert7 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Scoot Henderson7 hours ago

Returns To Starting Unit Without Restrictions
Matisse Thybulle7 hours ago

Available Again On Monday
Jerami Grant7 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Monday
Lauri Markkanen7 hours ago

Returns To Action On Monday
Alex Caruso7 hours ago

Ready To Roll Monday
Coby White8 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Kristaps Porzingis8 hours ago

Returns To Celtics Lineup
Jaylen Brown8 hours ago

Ready To Go On Monday
Jayson Tatum8 hours ago

Won't Play Against Detroit
Teuvo Teravainen8 hours ago

Misses Second Straight Game
Joshua Dobbs8 hours ago

49ers Reach Agreement With Joshua Dobbs
TOR8 hours ago

Mitch Marner To Miss At Least Two More Games
Jacob Markstrom8 hours ago

Could Return This Weekend
Rico Dowdle8 hours ago

Staying With Cowboys
Mikhail Sergachev8 hours ago

Skates On Monday
Dustin Wolf9 hours ago

Between The Pipes Monday
New Orleans Saints9 hours ago

Saints Expected To Sign Chase Young
Alexander Mattison9 hours ago

Signing With Raiders
DJ LeMahieu10 hours ago

In Danger Of Missing Opening Day
Buffalo Bills10 hours ago

Taron Johnson Re-Signs With Bills On Three-Year Deal
José Urquidy10 hours ago

Jose Urquidy Has Forearm Strain, Will Begin On Injured List
Justin Verlander10 hours ago

Expected To Face Hitters "In The Next Day Or Two"
Corey Seager10 hours ago

Takes Batting Practice Monday
Aaron Judge10 hours ago

Likely To Play In Four Of Final Six Spring Games
Garrett Crochet11 hours ago

Named Opening Day Starter
Nolan Schanuel11 hours ago

Scratched With Back Tightness
Dallas Cowboys11 hours ago

Leighton Vander Esch Calling It A Career
DJ LeMahieu12 hours ago

Still Pretty Sore
Aaron Judge12 hours ago

To Return On Wednesday
Jhoan Duran12 hours ago

To Begin Season On Injured List
Bryan Battle13 hours ago

Bout Ends in Controversy
Ange Loosa13 hours ago

Fight Ruled A No-Contest After Accidental Eye Poke
Ovince Saint Preux13 hours ago

Wins Split Decision In A Back-And-Forth Fight
Kennedy Nzechukwu13 hours ago

Suffers Split-Decision Loss To Ovince Saint Preux
Gerald Meerschaert13 hours ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Shohei Ohtani13 hours ago

Cleared To Begin Throwing Program
Bryan Barberena13 hours ago

Submitted In The Second Round
Kyle Manzardo13 hours ago

Sent To Minor-League Camp
Jackson Merrill13 hours ago

Wins Center Field Job
Denny Hamlin14 hours ago

Emerges Victorious For Second Bristol Win In A Row
Alexander Mattison15 hours ago

Visiting With Raiders
Dak Prescott15 hours ago

Cowboys Restructure Dak Prescott's Contract
Dmitry Orlov16 hours ago

Collects Four Points In Big Win
Tyler Toffoli16 hours ago

Dominates Against Columbus With Three Points
Lucas Raymond16 hours ago

Pots Pair Of Goals Versus Penguins
Kaz Grala16 hours ago

Finishes 19th At Bristol Motor Speedway
Bo Horvat16 hours ago

Scores Twice In Losing Effort
Brad Keselowski16 hours ago

Exceeds Value In DFS At Bristol Motor Speedway
Pavel Buchnevich16 hours ago

Delivers Three Assists In Sunday's Win
Ryan Lindgren16 hours ago

Suffers Leg Injury Versus Islanders
Kyle Larson17 hours ago

After 5th at Bristol: "I Hope I Never Have To Run A Race Like That Again"
Chase Elliott17 hours ago

Earns First Top 10 Finish Of 2024
Justin Haley17 hours ago

Earns Best NextGen Short Track Finish for Rick Ware Racing
Ty Gibbs17 hours ago

Has Dominant Day at Bristol but Fades Late
John Hunter Nemechek22 hours ago

Found Speed At Bristol
Chris Buescher22 hours ago

Secures Top 10 At Bristol
Alex Bowman1 day ago

Late Charge to Fourth Masks Early Race Struggles
Christopher Bell1 day ago

Ran Well, But His Teammates Were All Better
Martin Truex Jr1 day ago

. Matches Career-Best Finish At Bristol
Ryan Blaney1 day ago

Fades to 16th at Bristol After Handling Struggles
Russell Wilson2 days ago

Still Considered The Starter
William Byron2 days ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Bristol
Ty Gibbs2 days ago

Starts 19th At Bristol After Damage In Practice
Justin Haley2 days ago

Scores A Starting Position Of 32nd For Bristol
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

Should Compete For The Win At Bristol
Brad Keselowski2 days ago

History Indicates Brad Keselowski Being A Favorable Bristol Play
Joey Logano2 days ago

Should Be Rostered With Caution At Bristol
Tyler Reddick2 days ago

Is Tyler Reddick Worth Rostering At Bristol This Week?
Martin Truex Jr2 days ago

. Could Work As A Tournament Play At Bristol
Alexander Nylander2 days ago

Totals Three Points In Saturday's Win
Sebastian Aho2 days ago

Leads Hurricanes To Victory In Toronto
Owen Tippett2 days ago

Delivers Three Assists In High-Scoring Loss
Steven Stamkos2 days ago

Extends Scoring Streak With Four-Point Performance
Nick Schmaltz2 days ago

Records Three Assists In Win Over New Jersey
Artemi Panarin2 days ago

Racks Up Five Points In Saturday's Win
Brady Tkachuk2 days ago

Sinks Islanders With Third Hat Trick
Pannie Kianzad2 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Macy Chiasson2 days ago

Gets First-Round Submission Win
Isaac Dulgarian2 days ago

Suffers First Career Loss
Christian Rodriguez2 days ago

Overcomes Early Adversity At UFC Vegas 88
Tai Tuivasa2 days ago

Suffers Fourth Straight Loss
Marcin Tybura2 days ago

Gets First-Round Submission
Justin Fields2 days ago

Traded To The Steelers
NHL2 days ago

Lukas Reichel Will Be In The Lineup Sunday
Cale Makar2 days ago

A Game-Time Decision Saturday
Zach Parise2 days ago

Likely To Return Saturday
Michael Gallup3 days ago

Panthers Bringing In Michael Gallup For A Visit
Mike Williams3 days ago

Panthers To Host Mike Williams On A Visit
New York Jets3 days ago

Jets Expected To Sign Tyron Smith
AJ Dillon3 days ago

Officially Re-Signs With Packers
Van Jefferson3 days ago

Steelers Signing Van Jefferson
Jakobi Meyers3 days ago

Raiders Restructure Jakobi Meyers' Contract
Jimmy Garoppolo3 days ago

Rams Agree With Jimmy Garoppolo On One-Year Deal
Gerald Meerschaert3 days ago

To Fight In Main Event Of UFC Vegas 88
Bryan Barberena3 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Kennedy Nzechukwu3 days ago

Looks To Get Back In Win Column
Ovince Saint Preux3 days ago

Set For 27th UFC Appearance
Bryan Battle3 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Ange Loosa3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 88
San Francisco 49ers3 days ago

De'Vondre Campbell Heading To San Francisco
Dallas Cowboys3 days ago

Leighton Vander Esch Being Cut By Cowboys
Michael Gallup3 days ago

Cowboys Releasing Michael Gallup
Kenny Pickett3 days ago

Steelers Sending Kenny Pickett To Eagles
Pannie Kianzad5 days ago

Looking For Redemption At UFC Vegas 88
Macy Chiasson5 days ago

Ends Layoff At UFC Vegas 88
Isaac Dulgarian5 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 88
Christiaan Bezuidenhout5 days ago

Looking To Put It All Together At TPC Sawgrass
Eric Cole5 days ago

Rebounding Well In The Sunshine State
Brian Harman5 days ago

Playing The Dark-Horse Role Again At The Players
Matt Fitzpatrick6 days ago

Searching For Answers Thus Far In 2024
Sahith Theegala6 days ago

One Of The Tour's Fastest Risers To Start The New Year
Sam Burns6 days ago

Brings A Stellar Run Of Form Into TPC Sawgrass
PGA6 days ago

Sungjae Im Trending Up After Arnold Palmer Success
Jason Day6 days ago

Facing Iron Hiccup Heading To The Players
Tom Hoge6 days ago

Brings Strong Form And History To Sawgrass
Min Woo Lee6 days ago

Ready For Second Trip To Sawgrass
Will Zalatoris6 days ago

Working Toward A Win
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Russell Wilson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Free Agency Tracker - Updates On Every Free Agent Signing (2024)

The legal tampering period for NFL free agency begins on March 11 at noon EST, so news of signings will be flying in all week. Veterans like Russell Wilson and Jonnu Smith were released before their contracts expired, meaning they got a head start on free agency and have already reached agreements with new organizations.... Read More


Rome Odunze - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Coach Knows Ball: Rome Odunze NFL Draft Film Breakdown of Washington WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Kirk Cousins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Winners and Losers of 2024 NFL Free Agency (Teams)

Well, strap in, folks, because the first week of 2024 NFL Free Agency was a rollercoaster ride. Some teams made power moves while others seemingly snoozed at the switch. The Houston Texans, for instance, came out swinging, pulling off some of the savviest deals that could very well tilt the scales in their favor this... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Next Gen Stats Review: 2023 Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

A while back, we covered the Next Gen Stats for running backs, including rushing yards over expected and the percentage of plays with eight or more defenders in the box. Check out the running back review of the Next Gen Stats, as it adds a layer to player analysis. We love the advanced stats for... Read More


Keenan Allen - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Keenan Allen Traded To Bears: Fantasy Football Impact

Star wide receiver Keenan Allen has been one of the more underrated players in the NFL over the past few years. He spent the first 11 years of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers, playing for the franchise since their days in San Diego. However, the team reportedly asked Allen to take a pay... Read More


Marquise Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Marquise Brown Signs With Chiefs: Fantasy Football Impact

Veteran wide receiver Marquise Brown signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday. Brown hopes to follow JuJu Smith-Schuster’s footprints by playing on a one-year deal with the Chiefs and earning a multi-year big-money contract the following offseason. The former Oklahoma star spent the first three years of his career with the... Read More


Justin Jefferson - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS Lineup Picks, NFL Injury News

Will The Vikings Trade Justin Jefferson? 2024 NFL Outlook

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is one of the top players in the NFL. The superstar was part of an impressive 2020 NFL Draft class. Yet, he was the fifth wide receiver off the board. Jefferson has been a superstar since his rookie year, making three consecutive Pro Bowl teams and All-Pro rosters to... Read More


Marquise Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Top Free Agency Fits For Marquise Brown – 2024 Free Agent Outlook

Free agent wide receiver Marquise Brown is one of the more explosive players in the NFL. The veteran wide receiver ran a 4.27 40-yard dash at his Pro Day coming out of Oklahoma. He was a first-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2019 NFL Draft. Brown has spent most of his career as... Read More


Nico Collins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings For 2024 Best Ball Leagues (Tiers 4-9)

We have now entered the process of free agency, which is providing pathways for some wide receivers to seize significant roles in their new landing spots. The player movement that has ensued will also decrease the stock of other receivers whose roles will decrease within their reshaped depth charts. Participation in the best ball draft... Read More


Cade Otton - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Early 2024 Best Ball Tight End Sleepers

Top tight ends such as Sam LaPorta and Travis Kelce are bound to put up quality fantasy football numbers weekly, but most tight ends are unpredictable. The top tier of tight ends are reliable for fantasy football purposes, but most tight ends are boom-or-bust type of players. Even though it is hard to hit on... Read More


D'Andre Swift - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Lineup Picks

D'Andre Swift Signs With Bears: Fantasy Football Impact

Newly signed Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift has been one of the most promising, but also underperforming running backs across the NFL and the fantasy landscape in recent years. After three injury-riddled seasons in Detroit where he showed flashes of greatness but didn't quite live up to the hype, Swift was traded to the... Read More


J.J. McCarthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Top 50 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings After the 2024 NFL Combine

With the NFL Combine in our rearview mirror, now is a logical time to put out an up-to-date rankings for this year’s NFL Draft. Below, you will find my top-50 players who have declared for this NFL Draft. Below those ranks, you will also find several fantasy-relevant notes I have on this class, and on... Read More


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Calvin Ridley Signs With Titans: Fantasy Football Impact

The Tennessee Titans made a huge move once NFL free agency officially opened. They signed wide receiver Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92 million contract with $50 million fully guaranteed. Ridley was the top receiver on the open market. The Titans swooped in out of left field and signed him to give second-year quarterback Will... Read More