Top 190 outfield (OF) fantasy baseball rankings, draft tiers for roto leagues (January updates). Nick Mariano's tiered OF fantasy baseball draft rankings.
The fantasy baseball offseason is in full swing as we provide more fantasy baseball positional rankings to close out the month of January. In this article today we focus on outfielders with our updated 2026 fantasy baseball outfield rankings and tiers for roto leagues (5x5 category mixed leagues). These January rankings cover the top 175 outfielders for 2026. Outfield has plenty of elite fantasy options, but the pool can dry up quickly once the top 40 are off the board, especially in leagues that require you to start five outfielders.
Reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge leads the way as our No. 1-ranked outfielder. Juan Soto joins Judge as our only outfielder in the first tier after crushing 43 home runs and stealing 38 bases in first season with the Mets. There are also several news items, recent transactions, and rumors floating around about trades/signings this offseason involving the outfield position, which affect the rest of our rankings. Kyle Tucker signed with the Dodgers while the Mets acquired Luis Robert Jr. from the White Sox. Cody Bellinger returns to New York after signing a five-year deal with the Yankees.
The outfield rankings below are specifically designed for traditional roto leagues, put together by RotoBaller's lead MLB forecaster Nick Mariano. We're also writing fresh articles all throughout the off-season for fantasy baseball prospects, fantasy baseball dynasty, and so much more. Win more in 2026!
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Updated Fantasy Baseball Outfield Rankings (January)
Fantasy Baseball Outfield (OF) News
Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill was one of the stars of the 2024 MLB season, winning a Silver Slugger award and finishing ninth in the National League MVP vote as a rookie. However, the 22-year-old battled through injuries and underperformance in a disappointing 2025 sophomore campaign. Across 483 plate appearances overall, Merrill posted a .264/.317/.457 with 16 home runs, 67 RBI, 59 runs scored, and one stolen base. His strikeout rate rose from 17% in 2024 to 22.5% in 2025, and his slugging percentage dipped from .500 to .457.
Entering 2026, Merrill should be back to full strength and could be in line for a bounce-back campaign. In addition to a potential rebound at the plate, improved lower-body health could help Merrill push closer to the 16 stolen bases he logged as a rookie. RotoBaller currently ranks Merrill as the number 16 outfielder in traditional rotisserie scoring fantasy formats.
Justin Crawford, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies outfield prospect Justin Crawford has earned an invite to spring training. Crawford is currently considered the team's No. 3 prospect according to MLB Pipeline and is the No. 54 overall prospect in the entire sport. Last season, the 17th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft spent his entire season with Lehigh Valley. Through 112 contests with the Iron Pigs, the outfielder posted a .334/.411/.452 line with an .863 OPS.
During this stretch, Crawford hit 23 doubles, added seven home runs, and swiped an impressive 46 bags. In 2024, Crawford held a similar .313/.360/.444 line with 25 doubles, nine home runs, and 42 stolen bases across 110 games, placed between High-A and Double-A. Managers should expect Crawford to compete for the starting center field role in camp. If he does earn the job, he will carry sleeper appeal in category leagues given his elite contact skills and speed.
Luis Robert Jr., New York Mets
The New York Mets acquired outfielder Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday in exchange for utility infielder Luisangel Acuna and pitching prospect Truman Pauley. Robert struggled across 431 plate appearances with Chicago in 2025, posting a .223/.297/.364 slash line with 14 home runs, 53 RBI, 52 runs scored, and 33 stolen bases.
However, the 28-year-old is just two seasons removed from his 38-homer, 20-stolen base campaign in 2023 that led him to a Silver Slugger award in 2023. Robert Jr. projects as the Mets' everyday center fielder due to his strong defense, and he still brings an intriguing mix of power, speed, and all-around upside.
Even in a down year in 2025, he posted his lowest strikeout rate (26%) since 2022 and recorded the best walk rate (9.3%) of his career. After years of playing for the rebuilding White Sox, Robert Jr. will also have a chance to boost his counting stats in a much more talented Mets lineup. RotoBaller currently ranks him as the #29 outfielder for traditional rotisserie scoring fantasy leagues.
Jac Caglianone, Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals outfielder/first baseman Jac Caglianone got his first taste of the big leagues in 2025, earning a promotion from Triple-A Omaha in early June. The 22-year-old struggled across 232 MLB plate appearances, posting a .157/.237/.295 slash line with seven home runs, 18 RBI, 19 runs scored, and one stolen base.
However, there is reason to believe that Caglianone has breakout potential in 2026. Known as a high-end power hitter as a prospect, Caglianone logged solid hard-hit (42.4%) and barrel rates (12%) while keeping his strikeout rate at a manageable 22.4% in his first stint with the Royals. He also appears ticketed for every day playing time in right field in Kansas City, given the team's current lack of high-end outfield talent.
Finally, the Royals announced that they will be moving in the fences at Kauffman Stadium for the 2026 season, which should boost the power output in what has traditionally been one of MLB's most difficult parks to hit home runs in. For fantasy managers looking for relatively cheap power sources in the middle of drafts, Caglianone should be on their radar.
Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees
The New York Yankees and outfielder Cody Bellinger agreed to terms on a new contract on Wednesday that will guarantee the 30-year-old $162.5 million over five years. Bellinger was excellent in his first season with the Yankees in 2025, posting a .272/.334/.480 slash line with 29 home runs, 98 RBI, 89 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases across 656 plate appearances.
Bellinger outperformed his underlying hitting metrics, as he posted middling barrel (7.5%) and hard-hit rates (37.9%). However, playing his home games in front of the short right field porch at Yankee Stadium should continue to boost Bellinger's power.
In 2025, Bellinger slugged .544 across 337 plate appearances at home compared to just .414 across 319 plate appearances on the road. He should see every day playing time in left field in New York, and also brings the ability to cover first base or the other two outfield spots. RotoBaller currently ranks Bellinger as the number 19 outfielder in traditional rotisserie scoring leagues.
Jacob Young, Washington Nationals
Teams have expressed interest in trading for Washington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. However, it's unclear whether Washington wants to trade him at this time. Young, 26, is a plus defender in center field with four years remaining under team control. He made 112 appearances (901.1 innings) in the outfield last year and didn't commit a single error.
While the glovework is impressive, defense can be tougher to project long-term, and the Nationals' new front office might feel less inclined to hold onto a glove-first outfielder from the previous regime. Young's offensive output is nothing special, as he slashed just .231/.296/.287 with two home runs, 15 stolen bases, a 7.4% walk rate, a 17.9% strikeout rate, and a 66 wRC+ last year. He finished the campaign with -14.5 fWAR at the plate, 12.2 fWAR in the field, and 1.0 fWAR overall.
Rosenthal notes that the new front office believes the entire outfield can improve offensively and defensively under the new coaching staff, but he also hints at a potential outfield logjam with Robert Hassell III in the mix for a 26-man roster spot alongside Dylan Crews, Daylen Lile, and James Wood. As a result, we wouldn't be surprised if Young becomes the odd man out.
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