Fantasy Baseball 2008: Top First Basemen

First Base is the deepest position in baseball right now.

It is primarily the position where you want to get your power from when it comes to fantasy baseball. The top thing to look out for though is a player that may have an injury-plagued year.

Nothing kills a team's chances of winning a championship more than an injured first baseman. First baseman also have a good chance of being your first pick in a multiple-team draft, so drafting at the position is something that needs to be done wisely.

That being said, here are the top 5 first baseman coming into 2008, and their projected stats for the 2008 year.

1. Albert Pujols

Who else can have an "off" year like Albert Pujols had, and still put up MVP worthy numbers? His average has been the same almost every year, around the .330 range, and he's also a lock every season to hit at least 34 HR's and put up at least 100 RBI's.

Pujols always gets the job done, and is one of the most consistent players in the major leagues. Also, at 28 years old, he is just entering the prime of his hall of fame worthy career. You might see his walks go up though, as the departure of Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen leaves him with little protection in the middle of the lineup.

That also means both his OPS and OBP will shoot right up, a plus in leagues that use that statistic for head-to-head matchups.With a little luck and good health, you'll definitely see an MVP year from Alber Pujols once again.

Projected Stats: .335 AVG, 42 HR, 125 RBI, 110 Runs, .430 OBP

2. Prince Fielder

Beef or no beef, Prince Fielder is a big man with big power. After a 50 Hr and 119 RBI season in 2007, there's not much that he can improve on. His .288 batting AVG could go up, but other than that, his numbers next season could be MVP worthy.

Although don't expect another 50 HR's out of the big boy, he's a great player, and barring a major injury to his huge frame, you'll see another great season from the big man out of Milwaukee.

Projected Stats: .295 AVG, 48 HR, 115 RBI, 120 Runs, .400 OBP

3. Ryan Howard 

Ryan Howard can produce power numbers up there with anyone, but if you're looking for someone to lead your team in batting AVG, do not look at Howard. A huge slump in the middle of July/August left him with a .268 average, but i think this year he'll be back up to his career average of around .290 AVG.

The other statistic that possibly puts a potential drafter off are his strikeout rates. Howard led the league in strikeouts with 199, 32 more than the next guy. Overall, I think this season might be better than last, but don't expect him to match his 2006 MVP numbers.

Projected Stats: .287 AVG, 57 HR , 125 RBI, 110 Runs, .390 OBP

4. Mark Teixera

Mark Teixera turned in a solid year in 2007, and especially got red-hot after being traded from Texas to Atlanta. Don't expect him to slow down for the Braves, especially now that he doesn't want to be part of a cellar-dwelling team like the Texas Rangers.

His home run, runs, and RBI totals went down from the last couple of years, but he will most likely turn those numbers around. Mark Teixera will have an All-star year in 2008, and it would be smart to draft him before anyone else can get to him.

Projected Stats: .305 AVG, 39 HR, 130 RBI, 110 Runs, .380 OBP

5. Justin Morneau

A bit under the radar after his MVP the previous season, Justin Morneau turned in another stellar year. He has established himself as a great young, powerful 27 year old first baseman that is entering the prime of his year. This year, with the departure of Johan Santana, the Twins and their fan base will be expecting Morneau to put up the kind of numbers that earned him an MVP award in 2006.

His 34 HR's were great last year, and his numbers have a great possibility of going drastically up. Also, expect him to get over the 100 run plateau for the first time in his career.

Projected Stats: .290 AVG, 37 HR, 110 RBI, 103 Runs, .350 OBP

One To Watch Out For:  Carlos Pena

A total breakout year for Carlos Pena, who has always been recognized as one of the most talented players in MLB. He really found his stride in Tampa Bay, where he didn't have to compete with any big name stars. With 46 HRs and 121 RBI's, he made a case for being mentioned as one of the top first baseman in the MLB.

He could be a real steal in later rounds for someone looking for a good corner infielder or utility player. Be warned though; Carlos Pena has tremendous bust potential. After a great season like that, it's hard to improve on numbers like those. 

Projected Stats: .270, 28 HR, 96 RBI, 85 Runs, .345 OBP