Fantasy Baseball Players Experts are Worried About in 2026 (Bobby Witt Jr., Jarren Duran, Logan Webb)

It’s still early, but that doesn’t mean fantasy baseball managers can ignore the warning signs.

Every season, a handful of players stumble out of the gate, whether it’s a dip in underlying metrics, reduced playing time, or simply results that don’t match expectations. While some slow starts are just noise, others signal deeper concerns that could linger well into the season.

In this Featured Pros roundup, our experts break down 12 fantasy baseball players who are causing early concern in 2026. From struggling stars to surprising disappointments, these insights will help you decide whether to stay patient, explore trade options, or start planning an exit before it’s too late.

Fantasy Baseball Players Experts are Worried About

Which underperforming hitter are you most worried about? Why?

Bobby Witt Jr. (SS – KC)

“The underperforming hitter that I am most worried about is Bobby Witt Jr. He worries me the most due to his lack of power production, especially when Kansas City moved in their fences this season. He’s tied for first in stolen bases with 8, which is keeping him from even a worse ranking. But the lack of RBI ranks him outside of the top 100 hitters, and he still has no home runs to date. Let’s hope that his power heats up along with the Kansas City weather. He’s an excellent buy-low candidate if you can get him for a player that was drafted in the middle rounds that is currently outperforming his draft ranking.”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)

Jarren Duran (OF – BOS)

“Jarren Duran is one of many fantasy managers could choose from as part of an underperforming Red Sox lineup early on. The outfielder has struggled to get on-base consistently, as evidenced by a 12.8% barrel rate and .691 xOPS and 16 strikeouts through 14 games. Hopefully, Duran can return to the dynamic option manager Alex Cora relied on as recently as 2025.”
– Chris Schommer (FantasyPros)

Which underperforming pitcher are you most worried about? Why?

Logan Webb (SP – SF)

“Logan Webb thrived on Patrick Bailey‘s framing pitches and umpires ringing up batters on borderline calls. With the ABS in place, Webb has had to go over the middle more often than not, and his fastball does not have the speed to overpower any hitter in the MLB. Logan Webb was the Greg Maddux of today’s baseball, painting corners, with ABS, an artist for a pitcher is not as much of an advantage as it once was showcased by Logan and his 5.25 ERA.”
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)

“The underperforming pitcher that I am most worried about is Logan Webb. He’s showing inflated ERA (3.22 –> 5.25) and WHIP (1.24 –> 1.38) compared to last season. Opposing hitters are making harder contact than usual with an average exit velocity of 91.5 MPH and a hard hit rate of 46%. Webb’s sinker location seems to be off, and his changeup command is not sharp yet. I would hold on to Webb, but fantasy managers may want to consider benching him in tough matchups until his ERA and WHIP stabilize.”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)

If you want to dive deeper into fantasy baseball, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Baseball Tools as you navigate your season. From our Lineup Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – that allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team, and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy baseball season.