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The easiest way to play fantasy sports is best ball contests. Underdog is one of the many sites that run best ball, but their contests are far superior to all their competitors.
There is no better time to begin your portfolio of best ball teams as several contests are currently running on Underdog for you early birds. I have already started drafting, as I like to have several teams to help me create different player exposures throughout the next few months.
Today, we will look at three players that our projection systems and I have valued on Underdog at their current ADP.
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Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Kansas City Royals
Underdog ADP: 14.6
RotoBaller Ranking: 2.0
Not often do we see a difference this big at the top of the draft board, but Bobby Witt Jr. is a steal at the bottom of the first round.
Last season, Witt officially broke out, and the organization's former top prospect officially claimed superstar status. Witt finished the season slashing .276/319/.495 with 30 HRs, 49 SBs, and a 115 wRC+. He did this all with a 17.4% K%. Witt scored almost 50-100 more fantasy points than the second-best shortstop in 2023, making him a premium plug-and-play this season.
ATC has Witt Jr. projected for .280/.328/.505 with 29 HRs and 41 SBs. This projection ranks him as the number two overall player ahead of players like Corbin Carroll, Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts, and company.
I would not argue against taking Witt Jr. as high as the number two pick, but with the current ADP on Underdog, I love getting picks in the middle to late parts of the first round. In this case, I am taking Witt and snagging another top player in the second round.
Seeing our number two ranked player with an ADP of 14.6 on Underdog makes Witt Jr. a must-draft in the first or early parts of the second round of Underdog drafts.
CJ Abrams, SS, Washington Nationals
Underdog ADP: 98.8
RotoBaller Ranking: 32.0
What a sneaky, quiet season CJ Abrams had in 2023. He was elite, and playing for the Nationals covered this up. He was a top-50 player last season, and he projects to be the same this year with a chance to break into the top 25. He is being drafted around pick 100, making him one of the most slept-on players heading into 2024.
Abrams finished 2023 slashing .245/.300/.412 with 18 HRs and 47 SBs. His stolen base total was good for fourth-best in baseball. I hope you are starting to notice a theme from my articles with players who hit with power but are stealing upward of 50 bases.
ATC projects Abrams for .254/.305/.404 with 16 HRs and 40 SBs. This is elite production from a player going around pick 100 on Underdog. Our rankings have Abrams as the 32nd-ranked player, a total of 66.8 picks higher than the current ADP.
I can firmly say Abrams is one of the safest picks around pick 70-80 on Underdog. He will be one of my most exposed players in drafts.
Michael King, SP, San Diego Padres
Underdog ADP: 160.0
RotoBaller Ranking: 136.0
Michael King was part of the high-profile deal to get Juan Soto this offseason between the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. There couldn't be a much better landing spot for King. He goes from pitching in the Bronx at the hitter-friendly Yankee Stadium to the pitcher-friendly confines of Petco Park. He now receives the help of the heavy marine layer in San Diego that knocks down balls deep into the night.
King was phenomenal last season once moving to the rotation for the Yankees. As a starter in 2023, King was 1-4 with a 2.23 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 31.3% K%. He relies heavily on his 43.4% GB% due to his sinker, and he has an elite sweeper that had a 39.5% Whiff% last season.
ATC has King projected for 134.0 IP with a 3.59 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 148 Ks. He is the 136th-ranked player in our projection system. On Underdog, King is being drafted at 160. This gives us a 24-pick value or two full rounds.
King had a second-half breakout last season after being moved into the starting rotation. He will have a significant opportunity to pitch in a great environment on the West Coast and continue his 2023 success.
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