The All-Underappreciated Fantasy Team

Many people who play fantasy baseball put an emphasis on having better stars than all the other teams. At face value, that makes total sense. Having Bryce Harper, Anthony Rizzo, and Chris Sale after the first three rounds is much better than, say, Andrew McCutchen, Dee Gordon, and Joey Votto (so far this year, that is. I fully expect all three of the latter to bounce-back after their tough starts). Winning a league, though, comes down to so much more than who you took in the first three rounds. Digging through the free agent pool, streaming starts when you need to, managing injuries, etc. are all crucial to winning a fantasy title.

Since those aforementioned "stars" receive all the glory in fantasy, I am going to shed some light on the players that can be just as important when trying to win your league title but are severely underappreciated. This is my "All-Underappreciated Fantasy Team". Featured on this team will only be players who are currently owned in less than 50% of ESPN standard leagues (I do recommend adding Ryan Madson, Fernando Rodney, or even the injured Brad Boxberger  if you need saves, as they are owned in less than 50% of leagues, but I will not be putting any closers on here):

C - Miguel Montero, Chicago Cubs
With Kyle Schwarber out for the season, Miguel Montero figures to catch most nights for the Cubs. The veteran wields some power (15 homers in just under 350 at bats last season) and hits in that loaded and explosive Cubs lineup. Montero's power numbers will most likely compare with Matt Wieters' by the end of the season. Wieters was drafted as a top 200 player on average. In most leagues, Montero went undrafted.

1B - Chris Carter, Milwaukee Brewers
Carter hit 66 home runs between 2013 and 2014. Sure, he struck out a ton, but that doesn't matter in most fantasy formats. In only 129 games last year, he swatted 24 homers. In Milwaukee now (he spent the previous three seasons in Houston), Carter projects to play in a lot more games this season. He has played in all but one of the Brewers games so far, and he is off to a hot start at the plate. His average could destroy your team (.199 last year), but if you need power, he is a great option. I never remember seeing first base so thin with talent before, making Carter more attractive.

2B - Jonathan Schoop, Baltimore Orioles
Schoop is off to a slow start but he has a lot of pop in his bat, especially for a second baseman. Last season, Schoop finished tied for 10th in home runs from the position. Considering he had 100 to 200 less at bats than just about everyone in front of him on that list (except Stephen Drew), it is safe to assume his power total will increase this year. Additionally, being featured in that potent Baltimore lineup does not hurt his value one bit. Schoop could easily finish top five in 2B HRs, which makes him very valuable.

3B - Travis Shaw, Boston Red Sox
This one was easy, and by tomorrow Shaw will probably be owned in more than 50% of ESPN standard leagues because of his stellar showing at the plate today. He hits behind David Ortiz and Hanley Ramirez, which should give him plenty of RBI opportunities. Modeling his swing after the great lefty first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, Shaw swings a powerful bat and is off to a stellar start. It also helps that he has first base eligibility in addition to his third base.

SS - Jonathan Villar, Milwaukee Brewers
My second Brewer on the list made it by a hair over Jose Iglesias (DET) and Asdrubal Cabrera (NYM). Villar makes it because of his speed potential. Last season, in only 116 at bats, Villar swiped 7 bags. Each of the previous two seasons he stole over fifteen. Now at 24 years old, Villar has an everyday job in Milwaukee and if he can improve his OBP with a more disciplined approach, his steal totals may take off.

OF (3) - Joey Rickard, Baltimore Orioles; Michael Saunders, Toronto Blue Jays; Marcell Ozuna, Miami Marlins
Rickard and Saunders were lucky enough to land atop two of (if not THE two best) the best lineups in baseball. Rickard, who currently boasts a .327 average, has Manny Machado, Adam Jones, and Chris Davis hitting behind him. Saunders has Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, and Edwin Encarnacion hitting behind him. If you are thin in the outfield and looking at the free agent pool, don't look any further than these two. If they can hold on to those lead off spots, the runs should pour in. Saunders even has some pop and could hit 12-15 homers with a decent average. Rickard is a little less known, but his spot in the lineup is secure so long as he continues to hit. He has shown no signs of slowing down.

Ozuna is looking to re-find himself after a stellar 2014 season turned into a horrible 2015 where he saw a demotion back to the minors. His current average is under .200, which is certainly alarming, but he is only 25 years old and has the power to return to being a 20 home run hitter. He got off to a nice start today after belting a home run off of Max Scherzer.

SP (5) - Matt Moore, Tampa Bay Rays; Jerad Eickhoff, Philadelphia Phillies; Drew Pomeranz, San Diego Padres; Eduardo Rodriguez, Boston Red Sox; Adam Conley, Miami Marlins

(Just missed: Josh Tomlin, Cleveland Indians; Rich Hill, Oakland Athletics)

Moore is an easy choice and like Travis Shaw, Moore should be owned in over 50% very soon. Early indications are that he has returned to his pre-injury self. At only 26 years old, it is unsurprising to see a player with so much talent bounce back. Let's hope he stays healthy.

Eickhoff is a personal favorite, as he helped me win my most important fantasy league last season. In his eleven starts as a major leaguer, Eickhoff has a 2.44 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 70 innings. It is a small sample size, but those numbers are outstanding. There will be bumps and he will be tested, but he has met every challenge he has faced so far in his young career.

I have been waiting for Drew Pomeranz to break out for a very long time now. He was brutal in Colorado, showed flashes of excellence in Oakland but was hit with injuries and juggled back and forth between starter and reliever. Now in San Diego, Pomeranz has a firm grasp on a spot in the rotation. He has a minuscule ERA (2.04) and has struck out 25 in 17.2 IP. Once a highly touted prospect, it is conceivable that he may finally tap into that potential in the massive Petco Park.

Rodriguez will be leaned on in Boston, where the starting pitching has been a question mark for some time now. With David Price to anchor the staff, currently the top defense in the American League, a bullpen that (on paper) looks outstanding, and most importantly - Christian Vasquez finally back catching - maybe Rodriguez will have a monster season upon his return from the disabled list.

Conley had an outstanding Spring Training after going 4-1 with a 3.76 ERA through 11 starts his first year in the majors. He strikes a lot out (12.5 K/9 so far in 2016) and his spot in the rotation is secure. He is off to a bit of a rough start, but that is largely due to facing the Washington Nationals twice and the New York Mets once as his only three starts. Once he starts facing the other teams in the division - Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves - his ratios will lower.