Perez tied for the MLB lead with 48 home runs in 2021 and had a league-leading 121 RBI. After missing the entire 2019 season due to Tommy John surgery and playing 37 of 60 games in 2020, Perez played 161 games last year (40 as a DH) and went to the plate 665 times. He's bound to get fewer PAs this season, and some HR pullback is probably inevitable, but the Statcast numbers show that Perez crushes the ball when he makes contact. His career batting averages have been all over the map, and he doesn't run, but the power and run production are legit. Perez deserves to be the first catcher off the board, but he might be drafted too early after last season's homer-fest.

Some of us still want to think of the 28-year-old Realmuto, who was the best catcher in baseball. But he's entering his age-31 season and is likely on the downside of his career. Catchers tend to fall off precipitously after age 30, so Realmuto will have to stave off Father Time. Double-digit steals from the catcher slot are always a bonus for fantasy managers, but Realmuto is no longer a catcher for whom you should reach. The Phillies' lineup is full of holes and won't provide much support outside of Bryce Harper. However, the universal DH rule adds to Realmuto's value. He'll get more at bats and more rest for his legs. He's still a great option at catcher. Just don't reach.

If you were targeting J.T. Realmuto and he gets snapped up, take Smith with your next pick. He has the goods to become the best catcher in the game, and with the universal DH now the law of the land, Smith becomes even more valuable. Now that he'll get at-bats as a designated hitter, a 30 HR, 90 RBI season isn't out of the question. Getting that kind of elite production from your catcher spot anchors your offense and allows you all kinds of trade flexibility down the road.

Grandal played in only 93 games last year because of a knee injury but still hit 23 home runs with 122 combined runs and RBI. His walk rate (23.2%) was comically high, but it obviously didn't impact any of his other numbers, and his strikeout rate was the lowest it has been in years. Don't extrapolate his home run numbers - he's not going to his 40 - but mid-20s with solid runs and RBI totals are in the bank. That's gold for a catcher.

Contreras isn't quite the fantasy superstar that he looked like he might be when he broke in, but he's still an excellent option at a weak position. He's hit at least 21 homers in three of his last four full seasons and chips in roughly 120 combined runs and RBI. That doesn't sound like much, particularly with a batting average that seems likely to hover at around .240 at this stage in his career, but it's more than enough for a catcher. He should see some extra at-bats this year with the DH in the National League, and that should only help his value.

Varsho has bounced around from catcher to the outfield so far in his major league career, but he is penned in as the everyday center fielder in 2022. His bat is solid, not necessarily elite, and if he was only outfield eligible, he'd probably be a fifth outfielder or high-end bench piece. But his projected 15-10 line plays incredibly well at catcher, where he retains eligibility, and he'll likely bat in the middle of the lineup which should help buoy his counting stats, even in Arizona's lineup. He's a rock solid starting catcher for fantasy purposes, but don't play to play him in the outfield.

Ruiz will be the starting catcher for the Nationals this year and will bat in the middle of the lineup. Ignore his mediocre numbers from last year, because he has the upside to be a top-5 catcher if everything breaks right. Ruiz's power hasn't quite developed as projected, but he hit 19 home runs in 81 games between the majors and minors last year. He has elite contact skills and rarely strikes out, so his batting average should be a plus, especially for a catcher. Don't be concerned to reach a bit given his upside.

Garver moved to Texas this offseason and even though he'll play at least half his games in a pitcher-friendly park, it's still a great move for his value. Garver has never had more than 359 plate appearances in a season, but he should easily top 400 this year, and he's going to bat behind Marcus Semien and Corey Seager. Garver doesn't strike out a ton for a catcher and has as much power as nearly anyone at the position, so 20 home runs should be the bare minimum if he stays healthy. Draft him late but fully understand that he has top-five catcher upside.

With Tucker Barnhart out of town, Stephenson will get his shot as the primary catcher for the Reds. He was extremely productive last year with a .797 OPS and 10 home runs in just 102 games, all while batting .286. Don't expect him to continue with his pace, as catchers often get overexposed when they take on more playing time. But he'll bat in the middle of the Cincinnati lineup, and when you're looking for a backstop who won't cost you anything but should give you fairly reliable production for the position, Stephenson is your guy.

d'Arnaud has plenty of offensive talent, but he's now 33 years old and coming off an injury-plagued season that limited him to just 60 games. That's been the bugaboo for d'Arnaud throughout his career, as he's never had more than 391 plate appearances in a season. If you could guarantee his health, then his power upside and strong supporting cast would likely be enough to make him a top-12 catcher. But there's no way to bank on that, so outside of NL-only or two-catcher formats, don't bother with him in fantasy.

Vazquez's power fell off a cliff last year, as his barrel percentage and hard-hit rate plummeted to some of the worst in the league. He's 31 years old now, about the time that a catcher begins to head downhill, so expecting a rebound is probably overly optimistic. He'll likely still have decent runs and RBI for a catcher just by virtue of playing for the Red Sox, but he's no longer someone to draft as your starting backstop in a one-catcher league.