2016 RotoGraphs Staff Picks
Below, you’ll find the RotoGraphs staffs’ picks for the 2016 season. We, here at RotoGraphs — we like to pick things. Make lists. All that.
If you have some heavy-duty drafting to wrap up this weekend, maybe these picks will come in handy. If not, perhaps they can come in handy as guidance for some thrifty, shifty mid-season moves. And if not that, then simply appreciate these for what they are: literally the best preseason picks you’ll see anywhere. Period!
OK, maybe that won’t end up being true. Who knows! None of us are clairvoyant, and that’s a damn shame. But we do our best to pretend like we are. Anyway, enough of this rambling. Here’s what you came here for, split into two tables — 2016 staff picks for hitters, and more for pitchers.
Also, for further clarity, please refer to the category definitions that follow each table.
HITTER CRITERIA:
Shallow Sleeper: Inside top 200, per NFBC ADP
Deep Sleeper: Roughly 201-300
Undrafted/Free Agent (UDFA): Outside top 300
Rookie: Best rookie hitter (< 130 PA)
Sophomore: Best sophomore hitter (> 130 PA)
Comeback: Someone who was injured or woefully bad last year
Bust: Limited to top 100
PITCHER CRITERIA:
Shallow Sleeper: Inside top 200, per NFBC ADP
Deep Sleeper: Roughly 201-300
Undrafted/Free Agent (UDFA): Outside top 300
Rookie: Best rookie pitcher (< 50 IP)
Sophomore: Best sophomore pitcher (> 50 IP)
Comeback: Someone who was injured or woefully bad last year
Bust: Limited to top 150
I’m surprised there’s no Glasnow love at all. It’s all Berrios..
It’s pretty hard to jump off of wagons when they’re moving that fast…
yo tables go the wrong labels (says hitters twice)
Fixed! (Thanks!)
Do you have a link to the greatest preseason picks of 2015?
Here!
Zimmerman thinks that Correa will bust but still be the best sophomore hitter? Kris Bryant must really really bust then.
Hedging his bets
I think Correa is way overvalued in fantasy, but will still have a decent season
Is the another SS that will hit 20/20. At the top of a dangerous Astros lineup. With a K rate less than 20% historically. That’s projected with a +280 average?
Like I’m really gonna listen to someone who has wade Davis as a RP bust.
maybe update the staff picks link in the draft tools box…
I’ll bug Eno or Paul to update it. Thanks for the heads up.
Paul’s a boss and updated it within, like, 15 seconds of me asking. Should be good to go now.
you guys going to let Brad Johnson keep posting after the votto hate?
All he has to do is miss 20 games to be a bust on his current price. Don’t know how he’s going to score or drive in runs with that supporting cast.
Billy Hamilton has already been a bust right?
http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/2015-rotographs-staff-picks/ A reminder for anyone too excited about your players being listed here… or too worried about them not being that thing.
After checking out last year’s … this whole article seems like a waste of everyone’s time.
I’d actually say last year’s picks are surprisingly good. Especially if you view it more as “Player A will be better or worse than expectations” as opposed to turning into a star or winning ROY etc.
I would still add that a formal recap by the authors of the results from last year’s picks would be a nice addition to the present year’s picks article, if anyone feels like doing some extra work.
Here’s my recap of last year’s picks. You guys aren’t wrong — last year’s picks were kind of a disaster. Nowhere to go but up, boys!
Also, Eno and Paul reviewed some of the picks on Sleeper and the Bust.
Thanks. I still think not that bad last year, you guys are literally trying to predict the future. And specifically the future for players with lower predictability in many cases. Since this year you defined more precise, quantitative criteria for the categories, it should be easier to do a more precise quantitative recap at the end of this season. I look forward to it.
Nice to see Warne mailing it in.
I mean, Mark Reynolds should be on there somewhere, I would think. Coors magic!