Fantasy Baseball Draft Plans: The Lessons Of Starting Pitcher Injuries

The Plague of Failing Elbows Since the beginning of spring training, we have seen starting pitchers Yu Darvish, Marcus Stroman, Cliff Lee, and Zack Wheeler all go down with with injuries. This, along with the outbreak of Tommy John surgeries in baseball the past few seasons, has left fantasy owners searching for "safe" starting pitching. How do we weed […]

Draft Day Diary: Yahoo 5x5 Roto Results

It's Draft Time Last night, I participated in a 5x5 roto league on Yahoo. It was a standard roster re-draft league, so the results should be useful for most owners. While auction leagues keep getting bigger, I'm old school. I like them snake drafts. Let’s run through the draft and talk strategy. My overall approach […]

Dynasty / Keeper Deeper Dive: Dylan Bundy

Pitching is so deep these days I'm not sure why anyone in the fantasy community is focusing on the prospects to be honest. Sure, you may be lucky and catch the next Jose Fernandez. However, there's a reason Fernandez is so special. It's not often prospects pan out as well as he has, and even […]

Carlos Carrasco (SP, CLE) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target ~130 Overall ANALYSIS: Two years removed from Tommy John surgery, former top prospect Carlos Carrasco finally enjoyed a breakout year for the Indians in 2014. He flourished once he was inserted into the Indians’ starting rotation, posting a 1.72 ERA while striking out 86 in the 78.2 IP after the All-Star break. Carrasco was […]

Nick Castellanos (3B, DET) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target ~200 Overall ANALYSIS: Last year, Nick Castellanos carried extra hype in my fantasy leagues, so there was no way I was spending a draft pick on him. Now, he’s basically fallen off the fantasy baseball radar. Still only 22, Castellanos managed to hit .259 with 12 HR, despite a .326 BABIP and a crazy […]

Alex Rios (OF, KC) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target ~120 Overall ANALYSIS: Alex Rios might not reach his career high stolen bases of 42 last year, but Rios will very likely net 30+ SB for the Royals. Ned Yost loves to run, so Rios should see plenty of opportunities. When you consider his .275 BA and 15-20 HR, you are looking at a great OF option. […]

Steve Pearce (1B / OF, BAL) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target Mid to Late in All Leagues ANALYSIS: Steve Pearce took a while to push himself on to the scene of fantasy relevance. A long and winding path led him to the Baltimore Orioles, where he quietly hit 21 homers and added a .293 batting average in 102 games last year. With the departure […]

Jarred Cosart Under Investigation by MLB

Marlins starting pitcher Jarred Cosart is under investigation by MLB for alleged gambling activities, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN. Cosart, who was acquired from the Houston Astros last July, has found himself in hot water with MLB investigators because of messages exchanged with a “gambling authority” on Twitter. Crasnick says it is unclear whether […]

Collin McHugh (SP, HOU) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Rankings Analysis

CURRENT ADP: 180.3 RANKING STATUS: Undervalued ANALYSIS: The Astros have quietly developed a very solid, young rotation and it all starts with their number one: Collin McHugh. McHugh last season was dominant, pitching to a 2.73 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP and 157 strikeouts in 154.2 innings. McHugh also limited the walks (2.39 BB/9) and […]

Week 24 NHL Risers and Fallers for Fantasy Hockey

Hey RotoBallers. Hockey season is coming to an end! Here is my week 24 rundown of NHL Forwards, Defensemen and Goaltenders whose fantasy hockey values have been rising and falling over the past week of action. The rising players can be considered fantasy hockey sleepers or waiver wire pickups, depending on your league size and […]

Top Five Hitters Due for a Bounceback in 2015: Fantasy Baseball Predictions

  We're Baaaaaaaack! What constitutes a bounceback or rebound year for hitters? For the sake of this list, I’m going to provide you with 10 hitters who should return to career averages or at least provide you with more than they gave in 2014.   Below are the first 5 hitters who should return you great “value” […]

Auction Draft Strategy: How to Manage Your Budget

We previous looked at Part 1 (How to Prepare for Auction Drafts) and Part 2 (Five  Key Mistakes to Avoid Making) of our Auction Draft Strategy series. Today we look at how to budget your team's salary. The most important strategy for auction drafts is how to budget your allowance. Keeping track of how your dollars are […]

Top 5 First Basemen: 2015 Dynasty League Rankings

I’m always considering new, different and creative ways to deliver fantasy baseball theory to the masses. I want to try and push the fantasy baseball envelope. For instance, this week, I will be offering my Top five 1B Dynasty Keepers in old fashioned, typed out, words that you can read. In addition, I will perform the story in […]

Top Five Second Base Sleepers for 2015: Hitters Who Will Outperform Their ADP

  Five Undervalued Second Basemen for 2015 You've got the strongest pitching staff in your league. Your outfield is stacked. You make sure to pick up a catcher early, pick up a hard-hitting first baseman, and - oh no - all of the decent second basemen are gone. It's common knowledge that one must focus […]

Waiver Wire Pickups, Adds and Sleepers for Fantasy Hockey (Week 24)

Hockey season is winding down! Here is my week 24 edition of the fantasy hockey waiver wire. Below are a few skaters at each position that can help steer your fantasy hockey team toward a championship. Whether your fantasy hockey team is dealing with injuries or lack of production, these NHL players will help you […]

NFL & NCAA Weekly Recap: Rulebook Review

Well, the NFL has been having fun at its annual owners' meetings, wherein changes to the rulebook are discussed for upcoming seasons.  And if you're talking about rulebook technicalities, you just know the New England Patriots can't be far behind!   NFL Rules Patriots' Illegal Formation Shenanigans Illegal The Patriots, everybody.  If they had a […]

Drew Storen (RP, WSH) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Draft in Middle Rounds of All Leagues. ANALYSIS: The Washington Nationals have an imposing team top to bottom. They have the power, the speed and the glory to set the baseball world on fire on offense. The pitching staff has tremendous depth that would rank high on many teams. In their bullpen, Drew Storen is […]

Michael Taylor (OF, WAS) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target Late in Deep Leagues leagues ANALYSIS: Michael Taylor is a power hitting speed demon who’ll likely be the Washington Nationals’ centerfielder for the first month of the season. Taylor is expected to fill in for Denard Span, who underwent surgery on March 9th to repair a right core muscle injury. He has enjoyed a standout […]

Zach Britton (RP, BAL) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target Mid-to-Late Rounds in All Leagues ANALYSIS: Big time talent Zach Britton transitioned from elite starting pitching prospect to full time closer last season, and boy did that work out for the Orioles. Britton finished his first season in that role with 37 saves and a 1.65 ERA. The only thing holding Britton back […]

Neil Walker (2B, PIT) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target ~160 ANALYSIS: Neil Walker has been providing enough value to fantasy owners in recent seasons to warrant an ADP higher than 176. Yes, he has missed time due to injuries in the past three years, but he is still second in HR (53) among second baseman during that span. Aside from speed, Walker is going to be […]

Jay Bruce (OF, CIN) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target ~80 Overall ANALYSIS: Jay Bruce has been a favorite of mine for the last three years, but he really killed us last year. Bruce was just awful in 2014, and it can be attributed to injuries. Somehow, he managed to talk the Reds into allowing him back on the field 14 days after tearing his meniscus […]

CBB DFS Lineup Picks - FanDuel Advice: NCAA March Madness Sweet 16 (3/26/15)

With March Madness finally here, there is nothing better than a little CBB DFS. Many people fill out brackets for the NCAA college basketball tournament, and DFS games have become increasingly popular as well. Below are our favorite FanDuel DFS picks for the Sweet Sixteen (Day 1) of the NCAA Tournament, March 26th, 2015. The first […]

MLB Podcast on RotoBaller Radio: Injury Updates & Spring Training Standouts

MLB Injury Updates & Spring Training Standouts RotoBaller is very excited about the launch of our very own radio station. You can now find our new shows on BlogTalkRadio live or on demand, and on iTunes under podcasts. Every Wednesday night at 9:30 PM EST, RotoBaller co-founder Real Talk Raph and co-host Anthony Aniano of DraftSmashers Radio […]

Fantasy Baseball Spring Training Stock Watch: Veterans On The Rise

Earlier in the week here in the RotoBaller Stock Watch, we took a look at some fantasy prospects on the rise, who have a legitimate shot to break camp with a starting gig in-hand. A pair of prospects who we didn’t mention in that space, who went out and dominated on Wednesday night were Carlos […]

Predicting the Top Ten Finishers for Saves in 2015

  Saves can be one of the most volatile categories for fantasy owners. Often, a pitcher will have the closer’s role seemingly locked up only to be ousted after a slow start to the season. Many believe that the only key to racking up a lot of saves is to pick a closer for a winning team. […]

Three Third Basemen Who Will Outperform Their 2015 ADP

  Third Base Is Deeper Than You Think Going into 2015, the third base position projects to provide solid depth. Fantasy owners should be cautious about using an early selection to fill the slot. In no way am I recommending owners to pass on Adrian Beltre or Anthony Rendon should they come at a nice value, but there […]

10 Bold Predictions for the 2015 Fantasy Baseball Season

  For the last few years, the staff over at RotoGraphs has been publishing their "10 Bold Predictions" series. These are typically among my favorite reads in the realm of fantasy baseball - and considering how much content I devour, that's saying something.   Since imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and all, I'm […]

Top 5 First Base Sleepers for 2015: Hitters That Will Outperform Their ADP

Undervalued First Base Draft Targets You don’t win a fantasy baseball league in the first round.  The principles of value based drafting teach us that while it's important not to whiff on your first round pick, a first rounder can nearly never guarantee winning a league.  The actual key, however, is finding the unheralded players in the […]

2015 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 300

Back in February, seven of the RotoBaller writers put together their consensus fantasy baseball rankings. Today, I'm branching out on my own to bring you RotoBaller's Top 300 for the 2015 fantasy baseball season. There's a number of players whom I like or dislike more than the expert consensus, so I'll add in a little bit of my […]

Howie Kendrick (2B, LAD) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target in Rounds 11-13 in All Leagues ANALYSIS: Howie Kendrick is the 15th ranked second baseman heading into 2015. How(ie) is that possible? Seriously though, Kendrick's .293 batting average ranked third behind two top-tier picks in Robinson Cano and Jose Altuve and it's not a fluke: his batting average over nine years in the league is […]