2021 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide: Rankings, Sleepers, Prospects & More

Welcome to our 2021 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide. What follows is a compilation of all our fantasy baseball content since we began positional weeks. Links have been included so that you may sprint down the rabbit-hole of your choosing. As always, if there are questions, hit us up in the comments and let us chip-in with some insights!

Top 30 Catchers - I’d bump up Yadier Molina and Wilson Ramos given that they’ve signed since the time of our initial rankings. I also have Daulton Varsho below James McCann (at least) given playing time concerns.

State of the Position by Heath Capps

3 Catchers to target by Garrett Atkins (Austin Nola, Max Stassi, Sam Huff)

5 Bold Predictions by Mark Abell

Sleepers to target by Joe Gentile (Elias Diaz!)

Daulton Varsho can make or break your fantasy season by Andrés Chávez

Staff Post: Avoids

Staff Post: Targets (Will Smith, Daulton Varsho, Christian Vazquez, Sean Murphy, Gary Sanchez)

Top 40 First Basemen - Monkey-pile on Garrett and Andres in the comments for ranking Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 11th among first basemen. If you draft Matt Olson ahead of Vladdy in 2021, I can’t help you. Jake Cronenworth’s ranking here takes a hit given ongoing playing time concerns. I’d have him at least below Hunter Dozier. I’d also bump Ryan McMahon up the list to Dozier territory. Lastly, CJ Cron didn’t make this initial list, but signing with Colorado is a huge upgrade for him. He’s a worthy late-round dart on power.

State of the Position by Heath Capps (I love the “beefy” tier and Christian Walker)

5 First Basemen to Target by Garrett Atkins (another Christian Walker sighting)

5 Bold Predictions by Mark Abell (ANOTHER Christian Walker sighting)

Luke Voit has top-5 potential by Andrés Chávez

4 First Base Sleepers by Joe Gentile (yep, Walker made the list)

Staff Post: Avoids

Staff Post: Targets (Great list, and yeah—Walker’s on it)

Top 40 Second Basemen - Cavan Biggio’s ranking as our fifth second baseman may seem aggressive given his batting order concerns, but not to me. The keystone is a wasteland, and I want Biggio’s power/speed ability if I miss out on the top three (Ozzie Albies, DJ LeMahieu, Whit Merrifield). Ketel Marte, too, is a prime target at the keystone—and an annual favorite of ours here at Fake Teams.

State of the Position by Heath Capps (target that top three!)

5 Second Basemen to Target by Garrett Atkins

5 Bold Predictions by Mark Abell (love the Ty France sighting)

Is Cavan Biggio set to regress this year? by Andrés Chávez

Staff Post: Avoids (Keston Hiura tops this list)

Staff Post: Targets (Dylan Moore, Andres Gimenez, Nick Solak, Ryan McMahon)

Top 40 Third Basemen - I don’t think there’s a ton different here, but J.D. Davis over Austin Riley reads like a mistake to me. Brian Anderson, Ryan McMahon, Andres Gimenez, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa are all probably ranked too low. Sometimes the boring value is the right play, people.

State of the Position by Heath Capps (hint: it’s deep!)

5 Third Basemen to Target by Garrett Atkins (I looove Matt Chapman and Gio Urshela)

5 Bold Predictions by Mark Abell (another IKF sighting)

Alec Bohm has top-10 written all over him by Andrés Chávez

3 Sleepers to Target by Joe Gentile (two from the NL East, one out west)

Staff Post: Avoids (I complete RECANT my Eugenio Suarez take due to him potentially gaining SS/MI eligibility)

Staff Post: Targets (Jose Ramirez, Rafael Devers, Gio Urshela, IKF again)

Top 40 Shortstops - Tim Anderson is the steal of your fantasy draft as the ninth shortstop off the board this year. Just click and don’t think twice every time he’s available to you in Round 3. Paul DeJong and Isiah Kiner-Falefa are guys I like late if I’m searching for a middle infielder. DeJong obviously for power, IKF for speed...but both are in line for plenty of playing time based on their gloves.

State of the Position by Heath Capps (Tim Anderson is LEGIT)

5 Shortstops to Target by Garrett Atkins (another IKF sighting)

5 Bold Predictions by Mark Abell (pretty bold Marcus Semien call)

Gleyber Torres is primed for a huge rebound in 2021 by Andrés Chávez

Staff Post: Avoids (please don’t draft Jonathan Villar)

Staff Post: Targets (Corey Seager X2, Javier Baez, Paul DeJong)

Top 75 Outfielders - Pretty solid list here. I love that Kyle Lewis-Dylan Carlson-Ian Happ range. I also like an Andrew Benintendi bounce-back given his change of scenery. Raimel Tapia and Bryan Reynolds are two of my favorite late-round picks. Tapia for speed and batting average, Reynolds for (hopefully) batting average and some sneaky counting stats given his standing atop Pittsburgh’s order.

State of the Position by Heath Capps

5 Outfielders to Target by Garrett Atkins (a truly epic list)

5 Bold Predictions by Mark Abell (Andrew Benintendi, Clint Frazier, Mitch Haniger, more)

Wil Myers is a steal at his ADP by Andrés Chávez

Staff Post: Avoids (don’t draft Tommy Pham this year, fam)

Staff Post: Targets (Aaron Judge, Ian Happ, Joey Gallo, Clint Frazier)

Top 50 Starting Pitchers - Pay up for elite pitching this year, and then let the rest fall to you. I’ll take Plesac, Musgrove, Mahle, Civale, Eflin, Heaney, Means...there are a lot of arms I like this year to round out my rotation. Eflin didn’t make our top 50 (he was 54th) but he’s one of my main targets this year. Add in Dylan Cease, Nathan Eovaldi, James Paxton...there are lots of shots I’m willing to take at SP this year. I just want a strong foundation—ideally two of the top 15 arms, as painful as it is for me to admit that.

State of the Position by Heath Capps (draft an anchor, don’t draft Lamet, do draft Freddy)

5 Starting Pitchers to Target by Garrett Atkins (Carrasco is injured now, though)

5 Bold Predictions by Mark Abell

Joe Musgrove can make another leap in 2021 by Andrés Chávez

Staff Post: Avoids

Staff Post: Targets (Mad Max, Pablo Lopez, Aaron Civale, Andrew Heaney)