👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Midseason Rankings and Tiers: Relief Pitcher (RP)

With the first half of the season in the books, it’s time for one last RotoBaller rankings update. As with our May edition, these rest-of-season rankings come from yours truly and all-around good fellow Kyle BIshop. We’ve each taken a position since Wednesday and that means that today wraps up the action, with the bullpen finishing things out.

Check out all of our updated rankings. Adjust your league size, and export your rankings. Tiers, auction values, prospects, news and more. It's all free.

Shall we?

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball draft tools and resources:

 

2017 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Relief Pitchers (Midseason Update)

Ranking Tier Player Position Kyle Nick Composite
1 1 Craig Kimbrel RP 54 50 52
2 1 Kenley Jansen RP 51 58 54.5
3 1 Roberto Osuna RP 62 104 83
4 2 Zach Britton RP 124 59 91.5
5 2 Aroldis Chapman RP 58 126 92
6 2 Wade Davis RP 104 98 101
7 2 Raisel Iglesias SP/RP 90 120 105
8 2 Corey Knebel RP 85 127 106
9 2 Felipe Rivero RP 73 160 116.5
10 2 Greg Holland RP 82 156 119
11 3 Cody Allen RP 114 128 121
12 3 Edwin Diaz RP 134 110 122
13 3 Ken Giles RP 108 152 130
14 3 Kelvin Herrera RP 148 161 154.5
15 3 Alex Colome RP 156 170 163
16 3 David Robertson RP 165 169 167
17 3 Andrew Miller RP 151 184 167.5
18 4 Chris Devenski SP/RP 150 202 176
19 4 A.J. Ramos RP 174 186 180
20 4 Justin Wilson RP 131 252 191.5
21 4 Addison Reed RP 205 183 194
22 5 Brandon Kintzler RP 183 294 238.5
23 5 Seung-Hwan Oh RP 246 234 240
24 5 Brandon Maurer RP 228 280 254
25 5 Mark Melancon RP #N/A 259 259
26 6 Jeurys Familia RP 289 #N/A 289
27 6 Hector Neris RP 265 317 291
28 6 Dellin Betances RP #N/A 293 293
29 6 Matt Bush RP #N/A 328 328
30 6 Fernando Rodney RP #N/A 334 334
31 6 Jim Johnson RP #N/A 340 340
32 6 Santiago Casilla RP #N/A 345 345
33 6 Trevor Rosenthal RP #N/A 347 347

 

Midseason Relief Pitcher Rankings Analysis

Tier 1

Craig Kimbrel may have just blown his first save at Fenway Park, but he’s still performing like an absolute warrior out on the mound with an insane 16.25 K/9 and Major League-leading 1.04 FIP. The strikeouts give him the edge -- in my opinion -- over Kenley Jansen, whose 13.5 K/9 is still incredible but just not as insane. They both make Roberto Osuna’s 1.46 FIP, 12.09 K/9 and 0.77 BB/9 rates look pedestrian, but please believe he’s worth top-tier consideration.

Tier 2

Maybe I shouldn’t have this much faith in Zach Britton, but I trust him to return to form more so than Aroldis Chapman. Kyle and I practically have the two flip-flopped across a 70-slot gap, but I’ll take Britton’s sinker over Chapman’s heater -- especially now that Joe Girardi has hinted that maybe Chap’s postseason run with the Cubbies is causing him some serious wear in 2017.

Meanwhile, folks like Wade Davis and Edwin Diaz are doing their thing, as others like Raisel Iglesias, Felipe Rivero, Greg Holland and Corey Knebel have come from far down on the ADP charts (or from the unranked territory) to provide stellar value. I’m lower on mostly everyone here as I just have a large amount of hatred for non-elite RPs, though I realize that sort of goes against what rankings are about.

Tier 3

Ken Giles is doing well, though Houston scores too many stinkin’ runs to generate as many save opportunities as their hefty win total might hint at. The Astros’ stopper is sporting a 15 percent swinging-strike rate, which would be impressive if he hadn’t posted a ridiculous 19.9 percent SwStr rate last season alongside a spectacular 13.98 K/9.

Andrew Miller was just lifted with a “hot spot” so that would jack up Cody Allen’s value in my mind, and I should also be more afraid of Kelvin Herrera and Alex Colome’s lesser skill set (especially in the strikeout and walk departments). But for now, they’re still rather secure in their roles and that goes a long way. I would feel a lot better if I knew that David Robertson would close after being traded, but I’m just not there so the ranking reflects that. The same note goes for Brandon Kintzler down in Tier Five.

Tier 4

Chris Devenski is a tank but I can only go so far for those arms that don’t really have a shot at closing and also are pretty much out of the running when it comes to breaking into the rotation and shining (a la Alex Wood). A.J. Ramos and Addison Reed are plugging along, with Justin Wilson being one of Kyle’s favorites. I’m not entirely sold on him, but I’m not going to hold it against anyone who does considering all that he’s done so far and the lack of any internal threat.

Tier 5

Seung-Hwan Oh carried such high hopes, but he’s been absolutely torched this season and has Trevor Rosenthal breathing down his neck. Brandon Maurer has been excellent and it appears that Brad Hand is drawing most of the trade interest here, though nothing is safe in San Diego. Mark Melancon should be able to recover so I’ll keep on ranking him here -- it isn’t as though I fear Sam Dyson running away with things.

Tier 6

You don’t really want to be relying on any of these guys, with most of them being rather interchangeable with anyone who has an outside shot at the ninth inning. I still hold out hope that Dellin Betances conquers his walk demons, and the aforementioned Chapman fatigue has me thinking that he ends up back in the ninth inning at some point very soon. Matt Bush (and Alex Claudio) are looking alright, and sadly folks like Fernando Rodney, Jim Johnson and Santiago Casilla continue to turn in saves and demand you roster them.

 

More Rankings & Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

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

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Tylan Wallace

Browns Agree to Terms With Tylan Wallace
Jack Hughes

Posts Another Three-Point Performance in Victory
Jackson Blake

Collects Three Points on Wednesday
WAS

Cole Hutson Scores in NHL Debut on Wednesday
Royce O'Neale

Could Miss First Game of the Season Thursday
TreVeyon Henderson

Establishing Himself as a Fantasy RB1?
Grayson Allen

May Sit Out Another Game Thursday
Malik Monk

in Danger of Missing Fifth Straight Contest
Nique Clifford

Questionable for Thursday Night
Kyle Kuzma

Expected to Play Through Elbow Injury Thursday
Caleb Williams

Looking to Build Off Second-Year Breakout
Andrew Wiggins

Out Thursday Against Lakers
Elijah Arroyo

Stuck in Depth Role for the Foreseeable Future
Kevin Porter Jr.

Uncertain for Thursday
Myles Turner

Questionable Versus Jazz
Joel Embiid

Listed as Doubtful for Thursday
Tre Tucker

Still a Fantasy Option Despite New Competition?
Trae Young

to Miss Second Straight Game
Max Fried

to Start on Opening Day for Yankees
Bam Adebayo

Likely to Return Thursday
Rayan Rupert

Jahmai Mashack, Rayan Rupert Won't Play Wednesday
Jack Bech

Still Trending Up Despite Increased Competition?
Noah Clowney

Exits Early Wednesday Due to Wrist Injury
Alexandre Sarr

Could Miss Third Straight Game
Cade Cunningham

Ruled Out Thursday
Brandon Williams

Unavailable Against Hawks
Arizona Diamondbacks

Diamondbacks Not Naming a Closer to Begin the Season
Caleb Martin

Remains Out Wednesday
Drew Eubanks

Undergoes Season-Ending Thumb Surgery
Nicolas Batum

Resting Wednesday Night
Dejounte Murray

Available Wednesday
Collin Sexton

Cleared to Return Wednesday
Jalen Hurts

has Room for Improvement Amid Offensive Changes
Isaiah Bond

Should Have Bigger Role, But Will QB Issues Hold him Back?
Terry McLaurin

Can Terry McLaurin Bounce Back as Top Target-Earner in 2026?
James Cook

a Strong RB1 in Fantasy Coming Off Career Year
Adrian Kempe

Could Return Thursday
Mason McTavish

Sits Out Second Consecutive Game
Ross Johnston

to Miss 3-4 Weeks
Jonathan Drouin

Back in Action Wednesday
Eric Robinson

Rejoins Hurricanes Lineup
Shayne Gostisbehere

Sits Out Another Game Wednesday
Sidney Crosby

Returns to Action Wednesday
Greg Dortch

Signs One-Year Deal With Lions
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

Colts Sign Receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
T.Y. Hilton

Officially Announces his Retirement
Andy Dalton

Eagles Acquire Andy Dalton From Panthers
Matthew Liberatore

Named Cardinals Opening Day Starter
Roki Sasaki

to be in Opening Day Starting Rotation
A.J. Dillon

Panthers Signing AJ Dillon to One-Year Deal
Maxx Crosby

was "Livid" After Ravens Nixed Trade to Acquire Him
Akshay Bhatia

Withdraws From Valspar Championship
José Berríos

Jose Berrios has Stress Fracture, Won't be Ready for Opening Day
De'Von Achane

Dolphins Not Listening to Trade Offers for De'Von Achane
CFB

Alberto Mendoza Drawing Positive Reviews at Georgia Tech
Kyle Williams

a Potential Year 2 Breakout Candidate in 2026
Elic Ayomanor

Fantasy Appeal Slipping Away?
CFB

Anthony Colandrea Impressing in Nebraska's Spring Practices
Isaac TeSlaa

a Prime Candidate for More Volume
Deebo Samuel Sr.

Remains a Free Agent
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Bags a Shutout in Vegas
J.J. Spaun

Offers Upside Despite Poor Course History at Innisbrook
Brock Boeser

Logs Three Assists Tuesday
Jeremy Peña

Opening Day "Not Ruled Out" for Jeremy Pena
Brock Faber

Registers Three Assists in Overtime Win
Aaron Rai

Looks to Bounce Back at Valspar Championship
Charlie Coyle

Matches Career High with Four Points Tuesday
Johnny Keefer

Brings Ball-Striking Upside to Valspar Championship
Nikita Kucherov

Amasses Five Points in Road Win
Blake Lizotte

Penguins Plan to Re-Evaluate Blake Lizotte in Four Weeks
Billy Horschel

a Volatile Play at Valspar Championship
Nick Jensen

to Miss Six Weeks Due to Knee Surgery
Ben Griffin

Looks to Rebound at the Valspar Championship
Corey Conners

Brings Elite Ball-Striking to Valspar Championship
Cole Ragans

Named Royals Opening Day Starter
Cole Caufield

Nets Game-Winning Goal
Pavel Zacha

Scores Twice Versus Montreal on Tuesday
Xander Schauffele

Trending In The Right Direction For Valspar Championship
Sahith Theegala

Has Shot to Challenge at Valspar Championship
Mackenzie Hughes

Looking to Bounce Back at Valspar Championship
Nicolai Hojgaard

Finding Rhythm For Valspar Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Continues Hot Start to 2026 Heading to Valspar Championship
Pierceson Coody

Heads to Valspar Championship Following Two Missed Cuts
Shohei Ohtani

to Pitch in Cactus League Game on Wednesday
Seiya Suzuki

has Sprained Knee, Opening Day Availability Unclear
Alex Tuch

a Game-Time Decision on Tuesday
Eeli Tolvanen

Iffy for Tuesday
Seiya Suzuki

Diagnosed With Strained PCL
Zach Neto

Making his Return on Tuesday
Kyle Freeland

to Start for Rockies on Opening Day
José Soriano

Angels Name Jose Soriano the Opening Day Starter
Wyndham Clark

Searching for Momentum at Valspar Championship
Justin Thomas

Is Justin Thomas Back Ahead of This Week's Valspar Championship?
Jordan Spieth

to Bounce Back at Favored Valspar Championship?
Brooks Koepka

is Starting to Find His Groove Again Ahead of Valspar Championship
Viktor Hovland

is One of The Best DFS Plays at Innesbrook
Rasmus Hojgaard

to Get Back on Track at Valspar Championship
Konnor Griffin

Avoids Next Round of Roster Cuts
Gerrit Cole

to Throw an Inning on Wednesday
Tony Finau

is Again a Scary Option at Valspar Championship
Blades Brown

Continues PGA Tour Run at Valspar Championship
Johan Rojas

Suspended 80 Games for PED Violation
José Ramírez

No Plans for Jose Ramirez to Undergo Imaging on Injured Shoulder
Seiya Suzuki

Undergoing MRI Exam on Monday
Joe Musgrove

Expected to Open the Year on the Injured List
Zach Neto

Expected to Return to Game Action on Tuesday
Josh Emmett

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Kevin Vallejos

Scores First-Round TKO
Amanda Lemos

Drops Back-To-Back Fights
Gillian Robertson

Extends Her Win Streak
Zach Neto

to Take Batting Practice on Monday
Andre Fili

Drops Decision on Saturday
Denny Hamlin

Dominates and Gets His Third Career Las Vegas Win
Chase Elliott

Earns Runner-Up Finish at Las Vegas
William Byron

Wins A Stage and Finishes Third at Las Vegas
Christopher Bell

Finishes Fourth at Las Vegas After Strong Run
Kyle Larson

Fades to Seventh Despite Leading Laps Early at Las Vegas
Andre Fili

Jose Delgado Edges Andre Fili in Split-Decision Win
Oumar Sy

Suffers First-Round Submission Loss
Ion Cutelaba

Returns To The Win Column
CFB

CJ Carr Enters Sophomore Season as Heisman Favorite
CFB

Aaron Philo Not a Lock to be Florida's Starting QB?
CFB

George MacIntyre the Favorite to Win Tennessee Quarterback Battle?
CFB

Keelon Russell, Austin Mack Battling for Alabama QB1 Duties
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption, Wins Pole at Las Vegas
Denny Hamlin

Should Contend for Another Vegas Win
Chase Briscoe

Qualifies 18th Despite Toyota Dominating at Las Vegas
Chase Elliott

May Fly Under the Radar at Las Vegas
NASCAR

Ross Chastian Has Been As Solid As They Come at Las Vegas
Ty Gibbs

Could Ty Gibbs Finally Break Through With a Win at Las Vegas?
Brad Keselowski

a Solid DFS Pick at Las Vegas
Kyle Larson

Should Kyle Larson be Considered A Favorite for Las Vegas?
William Byron

Could Compete for a Top-Five Finish at Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney

Is Ryan Blaney Worth Rostering in Tournament DFS Lineups for Las Vegas?
Tyler Reddick

Could Continue his Top-10 Streak at Las Vegas
Joey Logano

Should DFS Managers Underestimate Joey Logano for Las Vegas?
Chris Buescher

Is Chris Buescher Worth Rostering For Las Vegas DFS Lineups?
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace is A Risky DFS Option Who Could Pay Off at Las Vegas
Josh Berry

Has Plenty of Upside for Las Vegas DFS Lineups
Ryan Preece

Scores his First Las Vegas Top-10 Starting Spot in Qualifying
Kevin Vallejos

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Josh Emmett

In Dire Need Of Victory
Gillian Robertson

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 114
Amanda Lemos

Set For Co-Main Event
Oumar Sy

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Ion Cutelaba

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF