Fantasy Baseball 2017: Rest of Season Rankings

Welcome back! Another week, another Top 250 update. Let’s jump right into it.

Quick reminder, these rankings are for standard 5x5 rotisserie. I’ll do my best to explain any large rankings changes and feel free to ask player specific questions in the comments. This is your weekly forum to sound off with any fantasy questions you have. I’m here to help you!

Quick Hits

• Fantasy owners who waited patiently on the likes of Manny Machado and Josh Donaldson have been rewarded over the past several weeks. Machado has been the #3 overall player over the past 30 days and Donaldson have been #5 overall in that same time frame. Their stock will only continue to go up if they keep this up. I’m not sure it will though. We have to remember how bad they were earlier in the year. Their individual performances will not only impact their rankings rest of season. Their September stats will help decide where owners have them ranked for 2018.
• Trea Turner is currently on a rehab assignment. Let’s see where he ranks for the season... The #4 SS and also inside the top 25 at OF. Turner has played in just 68 games this season. Turner was the #6 overall player in fantasy at the time he suffered a wrist injury. He was also the #1 overall player in the 30 days leading up to the injury. If he comes back next week of around the September 1, I don’t see why he can’t be the #1 overall player in fantasy during the fantasy playoffs. Turner owners, get ready!
• Rhys Hoskins looks amazing! Hoskins is hitting .283/.406/.755 with 8 HR and 19 RBI over just 15 games since joining the majors. Perhaps the most impressive stat: 10 BB and 11 Ks. Hoskins had great plate discipline in the minors but those traits don’t always translate. And if they do, it certainly doesn’t normally happen this fast. The power is legit and although I don’t expect him to hit a homer ever other day, the production should remain the rest of 2017. Grab him up for the playoffs if he is still on waivers.
• The Yankees bullpen situation is a difficult one to project. Aroldis Chapman lost his job as the 9th inning guy. He also has a loaded bullpen behind him with several relievers who would be amazing fantasy closers. A couple of those pitchers have been in the past. I’m not convinced this is a long term removal for Chapman. He drops behind the group of closers I feel confident who will remain in the 9th inning role for their team and will do a good job at it. Chapman could leap frog back inside the top 5 next week or 2 weeks from now though. He and the Yankees man to get, Dellin Betances, should remain on all fantasy rosters as they both provide elite RP production and the bonus saves will just add to their value.
• We have a week and a month left in the 2017 season. Players ranked between 150 and 250 are going to be extremely fluid over the next several weeks. Hot streaks matter more and cold streaks or DL stints are going to drop a player down and potentially out of the top 250 all together. 14 new names enter the top 250 but that also means 14 players leave. Banged up veterans like Carlos Gomez and Dustin Pedroia need to be cut for players like Kevin Kiermaier and Yangervis Solarte. Starting pitchers are going to drop and rise in the rankings based on 1 or 2 starts. Luke Weaver made a huge impression on Wednesday. He should stick in the rotation at least a couple more turns. This makes him a must add and worthy of a top 250 rank. Streamers who are on a good run like Carlos Rodon and Patrick Corbin need to be owned and started down the stretch. September is when the teams expand their rosters. This can lead to some funky lineups which usually benefit streamer level SP. Finally, grab closers like Brad Ziegler and Sam Dyson who are getting saves now. Maybe Kyle Barraclough and Mark Melancon take over, but maybe they don’t. Get the guy who has the job now and worry about the rest if it happens. Plenty of ground can be made up in September. Don’t start to slack off now!

Losing Faith

Here are a few players who dropped in my rankings and, if their poor performances continue, could soon be outside my top 250:

• Jason Kipnis (on the DL again)
• Jake Odorizzi (6.03 since June)
• Jameson Taillon (8.24 ERA since the All-Star break)

Hello, Goodbye

The following players are new additions to the top 250:

• Hyun-Jin Ryu
• Carlos Rodon
• Patrick Corbin
• Alex Avila
• Kevin Kiermaier
• Brad Ziegler
• Sam Dyson
• Luke Weaver
• Dan Straily
• Jose Urena
• Brad Peacock
• Yangervis Solarte
• Parker Bridwell
• Wilson Ramos

The following players are no longer in my top 250:

• Jarrod Dyson
• Trevor Rosenthal
• Carlos Gomez
• Dustin Pedroia
• Randal Grichuk
• Jason Vargas
• Kendrys Morales
• Sean Manaea
• Lance McCullers Jr.
• Ian Desmond
• Gregory Polanco
• Mike Zunino
• Victor Martinez
• Welington Castillo

See you next week.