Fantasy Baseball: Matt Kemp Leads List of Top 15 Players on the Disabled List

The following slideshow touts the 15 best fantasy players who currently reside on the disabled list (15 days/30 days/60 days).

This countdown doesn't necessarily run in concert with a player's preseason ranking or overall standing at the time of his injury. It's merely an educated guess as to which DL-based stars will yield the most productivity from this point forward.

It goes without saying, but Mariano Rivera, Joakim Soria, Danny Duffy and Mat Gamel—all victims of season-ending injuries—were not considered for this listing.

Enjoy the show!

15. Justin Morneau (1B), Minnesota Twins

Morneau warrants a countdown spot over Kevin Youkilis, Lorenzo Cain, Huston Street and Ruben Tejada, among others, for a variety of reasons, starting with the happy fact that concussions had nothing to do with this DL stint.

Assuming Morneau (four HR, nine RBI, nine runs, .230 batting) has no setbacks with his sore wrist, he could rejoin the Twins by Wednesday or Thursday and take regular cuts in the lineup for the weekend clash with the Brewers.

Morneau may never recapture that fantasy mojo from 2006-09 (118 HR, 470 RBI), but he still can be a sneaky-good source for 17 homers and 52 RBI by season's end.

His recent three-homer, two-game spurt against the Yankees (April 16 and 18) was a pleasant reminder of his existing power potential.

14. Carl Crawford (OF), Boston Red Sox

For months, we've been teased that Crawford (11 HR, 56 RBI, 65 runs, 18 steals in 2011) is on the brink of returning to the Red Sox lineup, but wrist and elbow ailments have essentially vanquished all hopes of the speedster returning before the All-Star break.

Does Crawford even warrant a spot in this countdown, especially since he hasn't begun a hitting or throwing program? Eh, that's debatable.

But, with an explosive talent who's seemingly in the prime of his career, we're taking a leap of faith on Crawford's upside (and quick-healing powers).

13. Chris Carpenter (SP), St. Louis Cardinals

If Carpenter (zero starts this season) was a realistic candidate to return before the All-Star break, he would have merited a higher ranking.

But at this point, Carpenter (and his balky shoulder) is nothing more than a DL-slot stashee with fantasy-goers.

In last year's crazy postseason, Carpenter posted a 4-0 record with 21 strikeouts. When healthy, he's a solid No. 3 or 4 asset in 12-team leagues.

12. Ryan Howard (1B), Philadelphia Phillies

History tells us that major Achilles injuries require at least one full year of controlled recuperation, and given Howard's size, he's a long shot to regain 90 percent of his previous speed/explosion by season's end.

Next spring, Howard could be a top-15 first baseman, but at this point, he's nothing more than a quality backup in July or August with the potential for 11-to-14 homers, 30 RBI and a .256 batting average.

11. Daniel Hudson (SP), Arizona Diamondbacks

Hudson (6.00 ERA, 1.61 WHIP) is expected to make a rehab start this week, which bodes well for a return to the majors sometime before June 1.

However, fantasy owners should temper their expectations for the veteran right-hander during the stretch run.

Hudson is not a candidate to repeat his 16 wins or 169 strikeouts from last season, but double-digit wins and 119 strikeouts are doable—assuming no more injury setbacks.

For those in the trade market, Hudson has the current look of a No. 4 or 5 starter.

10. Yoenis Cespedes (OF), Oakland A's

Cespedes (five homers, 21 RBI, 10 runs, four steals, .245 batting) may have fallen off the pace of 30 homers and 30 steals in the last few weeks. But as fantasy rookies go, he's still an intriguing asset for the stretch run.

Bottom line: The quicker fantasy GMs look past his Mark Reynolds-esque connection to strikeouts, the quicker they'll realize Cespedes can be a strong No. 5 outfielder and viable contributor to pennant-contending clubs.

And if I were a betting man...I'd mark Cespedes down for 21 homers, 18 steals and 55 runs.

9. Drew Storen (RP), Washington Nationals

In early April, Storen (46 saves last year) was the poster child for why fantasy owners should never devote high draft picks to relievers.

By June 1, Storen could be the poster boy for why all pitchers with elbow problems are not consigned to a fate of Tommy John surgery and regular appointments with Dr. James Andrews' office in Birmingham, Ala.

I'm not suggesting anyone move heaven and earth to acquire Storen, but this is also the right time to make a modest trade play for his services. At least explore the market.

Of course, it helps if you already have the Henry Rodriguez handcuff with Nationals closers.

8a. Jon Jay (OF), St. Louis Cardinals

A last-minute addition to the countdown, Jay earns a high spot here for two reasons:

1. His seasonal numbers (two HR, eight RBI, 18 runs, four steals, .343 batting) are stellar, especially for an asset that likely wasn't drafted in 12-team leagues.

2. Jay will likely hit the ground running upon being reinstated to the active roster. His stint on the disabled list has the appearance of a precautionary move to alleviate mild shoulder soreness.

8. Brett Gardner (OF), New York Yankees

If Gardner hadn't reaggravated his elbow injury earlier in the month, perhaps I'd be more excited about his June-through-September fantasy prospects.

After all, he was a top-25 outfielder during the preseason and seemingly led a charmed life in the vaunted New York lineup.

But that's where the problem lies as well. If Gardner should encounter more injury setbacks, the Yankees brass might start looking for his replacement, exploring all trade avenues to replicate Gardner's three-category production.

For July through September, Gardner still has a shot at 17 steals, 49 runs and a .310 batting average.

7. Pablo Sandoval (3B), San Francisco Giants

The key to assessing Sandoval's adjusted fantasy worth lies in the ballpark guesses of total games played. Assuming he misses 40-to-45 with a broken hand, I would be fine with 100-to-104 games by season's end.

Extrapolating Sandoval's numbers to 100 games, he's in line for 21 HR, 62 RBI, 50 runs and a .312 batting average—solid estimates for a player who shouldn't lose any leg drive or hip power from this prolonged absence.

6. Michael Morse (1B/OF), Washington Nationals

When healthy, Morse (lat injury) is a 30-homer threat with dual-positonal eligibility (1B/OF)—the rarest of birds in "fantasyland." 

But it'll be interesting to see how long it takes for him to find his batting stroke when pressed into duty around June 8 or so.

Can he be an anchor for a Nationals lineup that doesn't have Jayson Werth—with monthly production of 4-to-5 homers and 13-to-16 RBI? Or, will Morse take a subservient role in the offense?

Only time will tell.

5. Evan Longoria (3B), Tampa Bay Rays

If this countdown had been created just days before Longoria (four HR, 19 RBI, .994 OPS in 2012) was returning from a torn hamstring, he'd probably rank No. 2, just a shade below Matt Kemp. That's the power of a .329 start.

But with another three-to-four weeks on the shelf, a No. 5 ranking is proper.

Make no mistake, though. Assuming he returns to the Rays at full health (late June/early July), Longoria should be no worse than the No. 5 third baseman from that point forward.

If you foresee a reasonable trade window for Longoria during his time away from the field, explore it sooner than later.

4. Desmond Jennings (OF), Tampa Bay Rays

In just 31 games, Jennings (three HR, 11 RBI, 20 runs, eight steals, .265 batting) has justified his worth as a Round 6 pick from the March drafts, and frankly, this injury setback shouldn't halt much of that momentum.

Yes, knee problems should always be taken seriously with players who cover large chunks of real estate in the outfield. But hopefully, this time off will cure what ails Jennings.

When healthy, the 25-year-old is a 20-20 candidate. From this point forward, I like his chances for 14 homers, 18 steals and 58 runs.

3. Jacoby Ellsbury (OF), Boston Red Sox

Ellsbury's shoulder injury could be viewed as a positive in certain fantasy circles.

Obviously, we'd rather have him on the field, but the time away from the game has likely brought common sense to his adjusted projections.

For example, a healthy Ellsbury would not have replicated last year's 32 homers or 105 RBI, but a healthy Ellsbury can score 18 runs and steal six bases per month upon returning to the Boston lineup (mid-to-late June).

As a result, fantasy owners should prioritize making a trade play for Ellsbury. It's a good time for haggling.

2. Chris Young (OF), Arizona Diamondbacks

Young (five HR, 13 RBI, eight runs, two steals, .410 batting though 11 games) has a significant advantage over the top-six assets in this countdown—he'll likely be on the Diamondbacks' active roster by the end of the week.

Now, it remains to be seen if Young (1.397 OPS) can resume his prodigious batting pace in the coming days, but this is not the year to doubt his capacity for 25 homers and 20 steals.

This is also not the season to declare that Young will revert to his old status as a fantasy afterthought.

1. Matt Kemp (OF), Los Angeles Dodgers

Let's keep this one short and sweet.

At the very least, Kemp (12 HR, 28 RBI, 29 runs, two steals, .359 batting) has been the No. 2 fantasy asset this season, and even if he doesn't return to the Dodgers' lineup until June 1, he'll still probably post top-10 numbers from this point forward.

That is the very definition of a fantasy superstar...and one who's probably not done carrying teams on his back for four-to-six weeks.

Bottom line: There is no price too high to acquire Kemp in a two-for-one blockbuster trade...short of Josh Hamilton's inclusion.