When preparing for your fantasy baseball drafts, knowing which players to target and others to avoid is important. The amount of information available can be overwhelming, so a great way to condense the data and determine players to draft and others to leave for your leaguemates is to use our expert consensus fantasy baseball rankings compared to average draft position (ADP). In this way, you can identify players the experts are willing to reach for at ADP and others they are not drafting until much later than average. Let’s dive into a few notable players below.
- 2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit
- Fantasy Baseball Draft Rankings
- Fantasy Baseball Projections
- Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft Simulator
2026 Fantasy Baseball Draft Advice
| RK | PLAYER NAME | TEAM | POS | BEST | WORST | AVG. | STD.DEV | ECR VS. ADP |
| 7 | Julio Rodriguez | SEA | OF4 | 6 | 13 | 8.5 | 1.8 | 4 |
| 12 | Fernando Tatis Jr. | SD | OF6 | 7 | 17 | 11.8 | 2.1 | 4 |
| 13 | Gunnar Henderson | BAL | SS3 | 8 | 22 | 12.5 | 2.5 | 4 |
| 15 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | TOR | 1B1 | 4 | 24 | 16.6 | 2.8 | 5 |
| 24 | Trea Turner | PHI | SS4 | 15 | 79 | 25.5 | 6.5 | 5 |
| 27 | Yordan Alvarez | HOU | OF9 | 14 | 49 | 28.7 | 6.9 | 6 |
| 30 | Zach Neto | LAA | SS6 | 16 | 57 | 33.4 | 8.9 | 5 |
| 33 | Matt Olson | ATL | 1B5 | 24 | 70 | 35.1 | 6.8 | 4 |
After two uneven seasons, Fernando Tatis Jr. re-established himself as an elite five-category force in 2025 and projects to remain there in 2026. Projections call for another 30-plus homer, 25-steal campaign with triple-digit runs atop the Padres lineup, supported by strong on-base skills and premium batted-ball quality. His improved plate discipline and reduced strikeout rate from last season point to a more stable batting-average floor than in earlier seasons. At the same time, underlying metrics suggest his power output still has room to grow. Entering his age-27 season with his role and health stabilized, Tatis profiles as a legitimate Top-5 overall fantasy upside play in 2026 drafts.
Matt Olson’s 2025 results fell short of his peak power standards, but remained consistent year over year. For the fourth year in a row, the 32-year-old played in all 162 games and flirted with another 30/100/100 season. His 2026 projections still forecast elite home run totals and strong RBI production, supported by consistent barrel rates and everyday cleanup duties in Atlanta. Olson’s 2025 batting average (.272) was buoyed by a .333 BABIP, so expect regression to around the .250 mark this year. His power floor is among the safest at the position. Olson profiles as a reliable early-round source of HR and RBI, particularly valuable in formats that de-emphasize average.
What is Fantasy Baseball?
Fantasy baseball is an online game where participants act as managers of virtual baseball teams based on real-life Major League Baseball (MLB) players. The performance of these players in actual games determines the results in the fantasy league. It’s a blend of skill, strategy, and a little bit of luck, akin to the real-world decisions team managers must make.
Basic Strategy for Fantasy Baseball Success
1. Understand Your League’s Format and Scoring
Before drafting your team, it’s essential to understand the scoring system and rules of your specific league, as this will influence your drafting and management strategy. Knowing whether you’re in a points-based, category-based, or head-to-head league will guide you in selecting players whose strengths align with the scoring system.
2. Drafting Your Team Wisely
A solid draft is the foundation of a successful season. Here are a few tips for the drafting phase:
- Balanced Team: Ensure you have a balanced team with a mix of power hitters, average hitters, speedsters, starting pitchers, and relievers.
- Position Scarcity: Be aware of the depth of talent at each position. Some positions, like shortstop, may have fewer high-quality players, making it beneficial to draft a top player at that position early.
- High-Floor Players: Early in the draft, focus on players with a proven track record of consistency.
- Upside Picks: In the later rounds, look for “upside” players. These are athletes who have the potential to outperform their draft position.
3. In-Season Management
- Stay Active: Constantly look for ways to improve your team through waivers, trades, and free-agent pickups.
- Mind the Matchups: Pay attention to player matchups, platoon splits, and ballparks. Starting a pitcher in a hitter-friendly park, for example, can be risky.
- Injury Management: Stay on top of player injuries and have backups ready for your key players.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio