Fantasy Baseball: Recapping every offensive position ahead of the midpoint of the 2026 season
During fantasy baseball draft season, we had our impressions of how each position would play out in 2026. But with the midpoint of the season just a few days away, we can now see that some positions are not what they expected them to be. Here is a full recap of each offensive position, including players who deserve a recalibration of their roster rate.
Catcher: Exciting
This is one of the best years we have seen from the catcher position, as eight backstops have been top 100 overall assets. But there is a massive drop-off after that point, as catcher No. 9 (Carter Jensen) is ranked 217th and No. 10 (Adley Rutschman) is ranked 319th. In every league, we have a few managers who are trying to cover the position until a better option, such as Rutschman or Ryan Jeffers returns from the IL.
Most surprising player: Liam Hicks is the No. 5-ranked catcher after starting the season on waivers in virtually every league. His premium contact skills have helped with a .278 average, and he has shown more power than expected (13 HR). He will hopefully soon return from an IL stint that was caused by a back injury.
Most disappointing player: Coming off a historic season, Cal Raleigh was drafted higher than any catcher in recent memory. Injuries have impacted this counting stat totals, but he has also been awful when healthy (.560 OPS).
Over-rostered player: Salvador Pérez (80%) is 36 years old and has logged a sub-.650 OPS in every month this season. Managers can put him on the waiver wire until he proves that he isn’t washed up.
Under-rostered player: Dillon Dingler (87%) should be rostered in every league. Not only has he been the third most valuable catcher, but his expected stats are much better than his actual marks.
First base: Endless
This has become the deepest fantasy position, with 10 members who rank as top 50 assets and a total of 24 who crack the top 150. There are 13 first basemen who are on pace for at least 30 homers and 12 who are headed toward 100 RBI.
Most surprising player: Managers had given up on Miguel Vargas, who had produced a .651 OPS from 2022-25. He has found his groove with a patient, fly-ball heavy approach and could finish with 30 homers and 100 runs. Vargas is also one of three first basemen with a double-digit steals total.
Most disappointing player: Sure, he has logged a healthy .283 average, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has completely disappeared as a power hitter. His homer total (4) is one of the most surprising stats of 2026.
Over-rostered player: Since joining the Giants a little over a year ago, Rafael Devers (94%) has hit .237 with 31 homers in 167 games. In shallow leagues, it’s time to move on.
Under-rostered player: Ryan O’Hearn (58%) is the type of quiet, consistent player who championship fantasy teams have at the back end of their roster. He has logged a helpful .275 average and has collected 74 R+RBI in 63 games.
Second base: Uninspiring
There are just four second basemen among the top 50 assets, and only a total of nine in the top 100. The situation isn’t dire, as there are enough members in the top 150 (14) for managers to find a respectable option. But the lack of impactful players makes this a boring group.
Most surprising player: A career .260 hitter when he stepped to the plate on Opening Day, Otto Lopez leads the majors with a .336 average. The extra trips to first base have unlocked his 75th percentile sprint speed, as Lopez is on a 30-steal pace.
Most disappointing player: Sure, he has contributed 18 steals and a .284 average, but Fernando Tatís Jr. is doing his best Vladimir Guerrero Jr. impression by going deep just twice. Both players need to address their groundball tendencies before they can return to being sluggers.
Over-rostered player: Nico Hoerner (92%) is on an epic cold streak, batting .194 with zero homers, nine RBI and 12 runs since May 1. He needs to be replaced in 12-team formats.
Under-rostered player: Zack Gelof (69%) has cut his strikeout rate, which has given him additional opportunities to let his power and speed skills flourish. He also benefits from being part of a quality Athletics lineup that should thrive at their hitter-friendly home park this summer.
Third base: Respectable
Expected to be the weakest fantasy position, third base currently includes just enough top 120 assets (12) to go around in a standard league. There is a definite lack of headliners at the position, as no third baseman ranks among the top 40 and there are just six among the top 95.
Most surprising player: Casey Schmitt has been the Giants’ best hitter (.855 OPS). Hitting .296 with 16 homers and seven steals, he offers the balanced profile that fantasy managers covet. And with four eligible positions (1B/2B/3B/OF), Schmitt is among the easiest players to fit into a lineup.
Most disappointing player: Manny Machado is off to a miserable start (.625 OPS). His strikeout rate is up, and his quality of contact is down. Machado’s .179 average is really hurting those in categories formats.
Over-rostered player: For years, Alex Bregman (92%) found fantasy success as a high-volume accumulator rather than someone who dominated categories. He hasn’t adjusted well to being a member of the Cubs and likely lacks the upside to burn those who move on from him in shallow leagues.
Under-rostered player: Curtis Mead (18%) has become the starting third baseman in an offense that ranks first in runs scored. The 25-year-old is an underrated power source (12 HR in 194 AB) who makes enough contact to have a respectable average (.227 xBA).
Outfield: Concerning
Fantasy managers are wondering where all the outfielders have gone. Typically one of the deepest positions, outfield is barely satisfying those in three-outfielder leagues and failing to meet the needs of managers in five-outfielder formats. There are just 29 outfielders who have been top 150 assets, and several of them are being used at weak infield positions such as second or third base. In a 12-team, five-outfielder leagues, some managers need to reach outside the top 300 assets to fill their final lineup spot.
Most surprising player: The poster child for a post-hype sleeper, Jordan Walker was a former top prospect who went undrafted in virtually every league. He has been the eighth overall asset and is the only player in baseball with an average over .285 and at least 15 homers and 10 steals.
Most disappointing player: A first-round pick in many leagues, Ronald Acuña Jr. has been limited to 53 games by injuries and didn’t play his best (.793 OPS) when he was healthy. Acuna has been injured and inconsistent in recent seasons, as he has logged a sub-.800 OPS in three of the past five years but marks of 1.012 and .935 in the other two campaigns. At this point, the 28-year-old may be more of a good hitter than a great one.
Over-rostered player: Maikel García (90%) benefits from having multi-position eligibility (2B/3B/SS/OF) but the appeal ends there. The speedster has been unable to reproduce his 2025 breakout season and has thus far tallied just three homers and five steals in 68 games. His roster rate should drop by 15-20%.
Under-rostered player: Brandon Marsh (64%) has been consistently effective en route to being the 57th overall asset. He is dominating the batting average category (.311) and contributing in every area. Marsh appears to have an unsustainable .391 BABIP, but his career mark is similar (.374), which offers hope that he can finish 2026 with a .300 average.
