Fantasy Baseball Rankings 2012: Josh Johnson and More Underrated Stars to Target

Fantasy baseball drafts are now going on at full force with the regular season just over a week away as the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics will kick off the year in Japan. Based on early draft results, there are some underrated players every owner should be targeting.

Let's examine three stars being taken well after they should be, which presents a terrific opportunity for savvy team owners.

Jason Heyward

Heyward falls into the popular post-hype sleeper category. He entered the major leagues two years ago with high expectations, but ever since his Opening Day home run the results have been mixed. Certainly not up to the standard most people were expecting.

One of the main reasons for his struggles has been nagging injuries. The ailments caused him to change his swing mid-season, and those types of adjustments rarely work. He spent the offseason getting into better shape while also getting his swing back on track.

He's starting to heat up, so perhaps everything is finally starting to click for the future cornerstone of the Atlanta Braves. Look for him to finally have his breakout season in 2012.

Josh Johnson

After dealing with shoulder issues that limited him to nine starts last season, Johnson appears to be back at full strength so far in spring training. When healthy, the Miami Marlins ace is one of the best pitchers in all of baseball.

Any time a pitcher has shoulder problems, there is obviously a level of risk in taking him, but Johnson is simply too talented to pass up in the middle rounds. In 2010, he finished with an eye-popping 2.30 ERA and struck out more than a batter per inning.

Johnson will rank inside the top 10 of starting pitchers if he's able to make a full complement of starts. That's a lot of upside for a player you don't have to spend an early pick on.

Howard Kendrick

When he first broke onto the major league scene, Kendrick was billed as a future batting champion. While he still hasn't shown that ability over the course of an entire season, he's developed into a well-rounded second basemen.

He blasted 18 home runs and chipped in 14 stolen bases for the Los Angeles Angels last season. As he enters his prime, there's no reason he can't reach the 20-20 plateau. Those type of numbers can't be ignored at a weak second-base spot.

Based on your league's rules, Kendrick could also have outfield eligibility, which only adds to his value. Snag him in the middle rounds and hope his development continues in a positive direction.