Fantasy Baseball Rankings Tiers Draft Strategy Outfield

Unless you have very specific targets, OF tends to be a “figure-it-out-as-you-go” strategy. You can build your team around an OF, but those Nos. 3, 4, and 5 outfielders are often used as fill-ins for whatever category your team is lacking. It’s tough to plan ahead for that, and parsing through rankings and tiers on the fly isn’t always easy, especially when you’re looking for a specific type of player. It’s also easy to get caught up in certain names and overdraft them, which can really hurt you at other positions.

DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: 2019 ultimate cheat sheet

That’s where our “True Tiers” come in handy. We break down players by type of production, which can sometimes be more important than overall production. Every fantasy baseball team needs balance, and while you can’t win your entire league on draft day, you can make things a lot more difficult for yourself in one or more categories if you don’t build your team the right way.

Note: All position-eligible designations based on Yahoo default settings.

2019 Fantasy Baseball Rankings:  Catcher | First | Second | Third | Short | Outfield | Starter | Reliever | Top 300

Who are the best fantasy baseball OFs

In many ways, Mike Trout and Mookie Betts are in a tier by themselves. They’ll almost certainly go first and second in drafts, and it’s not difficult to figure out why. 

But the rest of the players we’ve grouped with them can also provide elite production. We admit we’re a little nervous about Ronald Acuna Jr., as second-year players have a tendency to plateau after a huge first years, but the 21-year-old Braves star has so much upside, it’s easy to dream big. He’s grouped with Trout, Betts, and Christian Yelich because this group feels like the best bet for big-time production in all five categories.

Bryce Harper and Charlie Blackmon are studs in their own right, but they also have warts – Harper is inconsistent, especially in terms of batting average, and Blackmon looks like he has started declining at age 32. Both are proven high-end producers in great parks who can give you a lot of Rs, HRs, and RBIs, as well as about 15 SBs.

J.D. Martinez is the best slugger of this group. He could lead the league in homers and hit well over .300. Even though he won’t steal bases, his production is elite, so if you draft him in the first round and pair him with a high-SB middle infielder later on, you’ll be in great shape.

It’s likely all but Blackmon will go in the first round of your draft, with Blackmon going in the second round. Starting your team with any of these players gives you category and roster flexibility, making them ideal building blocks.

TIER 1A (5-category stars) Mike Trout, Angels Mookie Betts, Red Sox Christian Yelich, Brewers Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves

TIER 1B (High-average, high-power) J.D. Martinez, Red Sox

TIER 1C (Do-it-all stars with slightly less SB upside) Bryce Harper, Phillies Charlie Blackmon, Rockies

More Fantasy Baseball Rankings Tiers, Draft StrategyCatcher | First | Second | Third | Short | Starter | Closer

2019 Fantasy Baseball OF Rankings: Tier 2

This tier is loaded with guys who could easily be in Tier 1 next season. We know Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton can hit 50 HRs, and Khris Davis is about as sure of a bet as there is for 40-plus homers. Note: We’re not saying the players in Tier 2B are “worse” than Tier 2A or “better” than those in Tier 2C, just different.

Clearly, the Tier 2A guys are sluggers whose averages will vary. Judge has hit .284 and .278, respectively, the past two seasons, so it’s not as if he’s a “low-average” guy, but Davis has hit exactly .247 four years in a row, so it’s tough to expect much improvement. Many view that as a reason to bump him down, but with at least 42 HRs (133 total) and 102 RBIs (335 total) the past three years, you know what you’re getting. 

Tier 2B features speedsters with 15-20-HR upside. Merrifield will likely be drafted as a 2B, so we don’t need to talk more about him, but Marte is always an interesting guy to roster with a high pick. He’s stolen as many as 47 bases (2016), clubbed 20 HRs (‘18), hit .311 (‘16), driven in 81 (‘15) and scored 84 (‘15), and while that last number is a bit disappointing, if he can put together a full season like that, he’ll be a monster. However, he’s now 30 and got caught stealing 14 times last year. Still, few players have 20/40 upside, making Marte a solid third-round pick, especially if you have MI targets in mind who don’t steal a ton of bases.

Tier 2C is relatively young guys who have hit 34-plus homers before but all saw drops in power last season. They’ve also all stolen at least 13 bases in a season, but with the exception of Bellinger, it’s unclear if running is a part of their respective games. Ultimately, these are potentially elite guys who will definitely go below the likes of Stanton and Judge in drafts, but their overall upsides are just as strong.

TIER 2A (High-power sluggers) Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees Aaron Judge, Yankees Khris Davis, A’s Rhys Hoskins, Phillies (1B)

TIER 2B (some power, great speed) Starling Marte, Pirates Whit Merrifield, Royals (1B, 2B)

TIER 2C (Great power, a little speed) Kris Bryant, Cubs (3B) Cody Bellinger, Dodgers (1B) George Springer, Astros

SLEEPERS & BUSTS: All-Breakout Team | All-Overrated Team

Fantasy Baseball Draft Strategy: Potential studs and undervalued producers

As the draft opens up, so do the OF possibilities. Admittedly, our Tier 3 OFs have a wide range, and many would consider us undervaluing guys like Juan Soto and Andrew Benintendi while overvaluing several others, but even by the third or fourth round of 12-team drafts when these guys will start to go, many owners are already thinking about the type of team they’re building and the categories in which they need the most help.

Soto and Benintendi could certainly have big breakouts and be borderline Tier 1 guys next year, but Soto is only 20 and doesn’t really steal bases and Benintendi might not even hit 20 HRs or steal 20 bases. Given their ages, it’s easy to expect big improvements, but we’re being a little cautious. If you want them, you’ll probably have to reach for them, but there are solid, albeit riskier, facsimiles available a few rounds later, like Justin Upton (at least 30 HRs three straight years) and Tommy Pham (eight more HRs, 10 more Rs, one fewer SB, 10 points higher in batting average in 34 fewer games than Benintendi the past two years).

The 20/20 candidates in Tier 3A vary in batting average and injury worries, with both Wil Myers and A.J. Pollock carrying red flags on both.

Yasiel Puig likely won’t steal 20 bases, which is why we put him in Tier 3C, but in a contract year and a tiny new park, he could easily hit 30-plus HRs and steal around 15 bases, giving him the most SBs of that sub-tier. 

Joey Gallo gets his own sub-tier because, like Khris Davis above, he’s a safe bet for 40 HRs, but his Mendoza-level batting average is sure to hurt teams. If he has a year with good batted-ball luck (or just improves, which is certainly possible for a 25-year-old slugger) and gets his average up to even .240, he’d be up a tier, but until we see that, we’re not betting on it.

Again, these guys will go anywhere from the third to the eighth round in 12-team leagues, but clearly they all do different things and can help fantasy teams based on your needs. If you’re taking the plunge on one of these targets early, just go for the best all around unless you really have a hyper-specific strategy. The great thing about guys in Tier 3C is they really fit with any team, so unless you’re desperate for speed, it never hurts to grab a 30-HR guy who will steal a few bases here and there.

TIER 3A (Power-speed threats) Andrew Benintendi, Red Sox Tommy Pham, Rays Wil Myers, Padres (3B) A.J. Pollock, Dodgers

TIER 3B (High-power, bad average) Joey Gallo, Rangers (1B)

TIER 3C (30-HR upside, a few steals) Juan Soto, Nationals Yasiel Puig, Reds Justin Upton, Angels Aaron Hicks, Yankees Mitch Haniger, Mariners

2019 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers:Catcher | First | Second | Third | Short | Outfield | Starter | Each team

Fantasy Baseball Draft Advice: Boring (but reliable) OFs

Now we’re really branching out, but that’s by design, not laziness (maybe a little laziness). At this point in the draft, it’s all about what your team needs and personal preferences. You likely have most of your IF starters and maybe two OFs, but you’re still going to have spots in your lineup to play with. Waiting for one of these guys, who could easily outproduce most of the guys in the above tier, is smart. It’s all about finding the right one.

Tier 4A features 20/20ish guys. Some will only steal 15 bases (Andrew McCutchen, Steven Souza Jr.) and some might not get to 20 HRs (Kevin Kiermaier), but these are all moderate power-speed contributors who are great to help balance out any team.

If you need a little more speed than power, Tier 4B is the tier to target. These players will hit around 10 homers with 30-SB upside. They are all also threats to hit .300 and score a bunch of runs, so if you’re loaded with RBI-producing sluggers, these are good early-middle-round targets.

Tier 4C features your classic 25-HR OFs. At least one or two will hit 30-plus and at least one or two will disappoint, but this group is full of similar players whose values will ultimately be determined by batted-ball luck and RBI/run-scoring opportunities. Everyone probably has a different favorite here, which is why where these players get drafted could vary wildly, but the outlook for most isn’t all that different. We seem to be lower on Marcell Ozuna and Nicholas Castellanos than most, but Ozuna had offseason shoulder surgery, which is always scary for a power hitter, and Castellanos is on a bad team and had a .361 BABIP last year, so he’s no sure thing to hit .298 again.

Domingo Santana and possibly Eddie Rosario could steal 10-15 bases, so they’re close to Tier 4A players, but they’re more likely to hit homers than most of those guys. Again, Tier 4C doesn’t mean “worse” than Tier 4A, just different.

Nomar Mazara remains a breakout candidate. He’s only 23 and has reportedly focused on generating more power this season after seeing his HR/game pace improve last year.

If you’re desperate for a true speedster, we have three in Tier 4D. Dee Gordon will likely be drafted as a 2B or SS, but both Mallex Smith and Billy Hamilton could lead the league in steals. Of course, Hamilton has burned owners in the past, and neither are going to provide any power and very few RBIs, so you have to be ready to make up for that. Still, they can win you a category, so it’s all about balancing what that’s worth. Smith hit .296 last year and has shown the ability to take some walks, which gives him a little more upside.

Michael Brantley and Adam Eaton are pretty similar to the guys in Tier 4A, but the difference is they’re closer to 15/15 candidates who will hit .300 and score a bunch of runs. Most of the guys in Tier 4A won’t hit for that high of an average, giving Brantley and Eaton unique upside. Are you actually going to draft based on, say, 30 points in batting average during your draft? Probably not – especially since both Brantley and Eaton are very injury-prone – but we wanted to point out they do slightly different things than the rest of the guys in their tier.

TIER 4A (“Safe” moderate power-speed threats) Andrew McCutchen, Phillies David Dahl, Rockies Ian Desmond, Rockies (1B) Steven Souza Jr., D-backs Gregory Polanco, Pirates Kevin Kiermaier, RaysTIER 4B (More speed than power, but a little pop) Lorenzo Cain, Brewers Victor Robles, Nationals Ender Inciarte, Braves

TIER 4C (Consistent 25-30-HR upside) Michael Conforto, Mets Kyle Schwarber, Cubs Marcell Ozuna, Cardinals Eddie Rosario, Twins David Peralta, D-backs Nicholas Castellanos, Tigers Randal Grichuk, Blue Jays Stephen Piscotty, A’s ​Nomar Mazara, Rangers Domingo Santana, Brewers

TIER 4D (no-power, high-SB) Mallex Smith, Mariners Billy Hamilton, Royals Dee Gordon, Mariners (2B, SS)

TIER 4E (.300, 15/15 types) Michael Brantley, Astros Adam Eaton, Nationals

Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: OF

Not all of these guys qualify as “sleepers”, especially players like Mark Trumbo or Shin-Soo Choo, but this is still a solid group of OFs who don’t differ much from the above tier. For whatever reason, most receive less hype or are coming off disappointing seasons. You can live with a lot of these guys as your fifth OF, but relying on two as everyday starters is a bit risky. Still, many are nice to have on your bench, as there’s plenty of upside here for potential middle-to-late-round picks.

Tier 5A features HR hitters who could easily pop 25 (or more) bombs. Again, they’re not all that dissimilar from the guys in Tier 4C, but they either haven’t done it before (Franmil Reyes, Eloy Jimenez), are fighting for playing time (Reyes, Hunter Renfroe, Scott Schebler, Joc Pederson, Ian Happ), or are simply boring (Corey Dickerson, Trey Mancini, Mark Trumbo). Jimenez is obviously the must-have sleeper, but it’s unclear when he’ll be in the majors. 

Garcia is an interesting breakout candidate for a Rays team that seems to have a surprise 30-HR hitter every year now. He hit 19 in only 93 games for the White Sox last year, and only two years ago he posted a .330/.380/.506 line. Happ already has a 24/8 season in 115 games, so he’s also an intriguing flier.

You can find moderate power-speed threats in Tier 5B, with several popular sleepers, such as Harrison Bader, Ramon Laureano, Nick Senzel, Austin Meadows, and Jake Bauers, all dripping with upside (and plenty of bust potential, too). 

Byron Buxton probably has the most upside of anyone in this tier – and he’s more of a power-speed threat than a pure speed threat like Delino DeShields – but at this point, it feels like the one thing you might be able to count on him for is speed. Nothing else is guaranteed, and given his injury history, he’s not even guaranteed for that, but if the 25-year-old defensive whiz can put it together at the plate, watch out.

Odubel Herrera is in a sub-tier by himself now that he doesn’t really run anymore. He popped a career-high 22 HRs last year, so perhaps he’s a Tier 5A guy, but he seems like a safer bet for average than those players. His runs/RBIs will be interesting to see this year after Philadelphia beefed up its lineup with Bryce Harper, Jean Segura, and J.T. Realmuto. His spot in the order will make a big difference in what he contributes to fantasy teams.

TIER 5A (20-30-HR upside) Eloy Jimenez, White Sox Hunter Renfroe, Padres Scott Schebler, Reds Joc Pederson, Dodgers Mark Trumbo, Orioles Corey Dickerson, Pirates Ian Happ, Cubs (3B) Trey Mancini, Orioles (1B) Franmil Reyes, Padres

TIER 5B (Moderate power-speed threats) Manuel Margot, Padres Chris Taylor, Dodgers (2B, SS) Jackie Bradley Jr., Red Sox Harrison Bader, Cardinals Ryan Braun, Brewers Leonys Martin, Indians Ramon Laureano, A’s Nick Senzel*, Reds (3B) Brandon Nimmo, Mets Shin-Soo Choo, Rangers Austin Meadows, Rays Kevin Pillar, Blue Jays Jake Bauers, Indians (1B)

TIER 5C (Good speed) Delino DeShields, Rangers Byron Buxton, Twins

TIER 5D (Good average, decent power) Odubel Herrera, Phillies

Fantasy baseball OF deep sleepers, bounce-backs, and more

These players are bench fodder, but most have some upside if they can get regular playing time. Most won’t, though, so they’re limited to matchups or dependent on injuries. The guys in Tier 6A who will play every day (Max Kepler, Kole Calhoun) are fairly low-average 20-HR hitters, but the rest in that sub-tier simply have some power upside that they may or may not get a chance to fulfill.

Tier 6B features guys who can steal a few bases and hit a few homers, and while some are legit sleepers (Cedric Mullins II), it’s still a group that isn’t all that reliable.

Nick Markakis is Nick Markakis, so if you want a decent average, a few homers, and a decent amount of runs, he’s your guy.

Tier 7 is probably a group you can ignore, but any of those players could have some hot stretches here and there. 

TIER 6A (Decent power upside) Jorge Soler, Royals Adam Jones, Diamondbacks Avisail Garcia, Rays Lewis Brinson, Marlins Nick Williams, Phillies Steve Pearce, Red Sox (1B) Kole Calhoun, Angels Jose Martinez, Cardinals (1B) Enrique Hernandez, Dodgers (1B, 2B, SS) Marwin Gonzalez, Twins (1B, 2B, SS) Matt Kemp, Reds Max Kepler, Twins Eric Thames, Brewers (1B) Jay Bruce, Mariners (1B) Adam Duvall, Braves (1B) Christin Stewart, Tigers Chris Shaw, Giants Daniel Palka, White Sox Teoscar Hernandez, Blue Jays Nick Delmonico, White Sox Tyler O’Neill, Cardinals

TIER 6B (A little power, a little speed) Hernan Perez, Brewers (2B, 3B, SS) Brett Gardner, Yankees Cedric Mullins II, Orioles Niko Goodrum, Tigers (1B, 2B, 3B, SS) Ketal Marte, Diamondbacks* Alex Gordon, Royals JaCoby Jones, Tigers Dexter Fowler, Cardinals Joey Wendle, Rays (2B, 3B, SS) Jason Heyward, Cubs

TIER 6C (Good average and runs) Nick Markakis, Braves

TIER 7 Jesse Winker, Reds Ben Zobrist, Cubs (2B) Josh Reddick, Astros Jordan Luplow, Indians Jorge Bonifacio, Royals Brian Anderson, Marlins (3B) Tyler Naquin, Indians Chris Shaw, Giants Steven Duggar, Giants Juan Lagares, Mets Albert Almora Jr., Cubs Joey Rickard, Orioles Austin Slater, Giants Jon Jay, White Sox Adam Frazier, Pirates (2B)

• = Not eligible at that position on draft day but expected to play there throughout the season