Fantasy Baseball 2026 Cheatsheet and Pinpointing Top Sleepers, Busts
Reigning AL and NL MVPs Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani top the list of best fantasy baseball players available entering the 2026 MLB season, as expected, but who else joins them in the top 50?
More importantly, which sleepers and potential busts are worth keeping an eye on when filling out a fantasy roster?
Find out the answers to those questions and more in this preview.
Top 50 Players Available
1 of 3
1. Shohei Ohtani, DH/P, Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Aaron Judge, OF, New York Yankees
3. Juan Soto, OF, New York Mets
4. Jose Ramirez, 3B, Cleveland Guardians
5. Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Kansas City Royals
6. Elly De La Cruz, SS, Cincinnati Reds
7. Julio Rodriguez, OF, Seattle Mariners
8. Paul Skenes, P, Pittsburgh Pirates
9. Tarik Skubal, P, Detroit Tigers
10. Kyle Tucker, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
11. Fernando Tatis Jr., OF, San Diego Padres
12. Corbin Carroll, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
13. Ronald Acuna Jr., OF, Atlanta Braves
14. Gunnar Henderson, SS, Baltimore Orioles
15. Garrett Crochet, P, Boston Red Sox
16. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Toronto Blue Jays
17. Junior Caminero, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays
18. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics
19. Kyle Schwarber, DH, Philadelphia Phillies
20. Cal Raleigh, C, Seattle Mariners
21. Jackson Chourio, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
22. Trea Turner, SS, Philadelphia Phillies
23. Yordan Alvarez, OF, Houston Astros
24. Ketel Marte, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks
25. Pete Alonso, 1B, Baltimore Orioles
26. Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2B, New York Yankees
27. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, P, Los Angeles Dodgers
28. Christopher Sanchez, P, Philadelphia Phillies
29. Francisco Lindor, SS, New York Mets
30. James Wood, OF, Washington Nationals
31. Pete Crow-Armstrong, SS, Chicago Cubs
32. Bryce Harper, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies
33. Zach Neto, SS, Los Angeles Angels
34. Manny Machado, 3B, San Diego Padres
35. Hunter Brown, P, Houston Astros
36. Matt Olson, 1B, Atlanta Braves
37. Brent Rooker, OF, Athletics
38. Logan Gilbert, P, Seattle Mariners
39. Bryan Woo, P, Seattle Mariners
40. Chris Sale, P, Atlanta Braves
41. Wyatt Langford, OF, Texas Rangers
42. Jacob deGrom, P, Texas Rangers
43. Brice Turang, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers
44. Rafael Devers, 1B, San Francisco Giants
45. Mookie Betts, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers
46. Josh Naylor, 1B, Seattle Mariners
47. Max Fried, P, New York Yankees
48. Freddie Freeman, 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers
49. Roman Anthony, OF, Boston Red Sox
50. Logan Webb, P, San Francisco Giants
Sleeper Candidates
2 of 3
Dylan Beavers, OF, Baltimore Orioles
Beavers has struggled to find consistent playing time with the wealth of young talent on the Baltimore roster. Still, he gave fans plenty to be excited about in 2025.
In just 35 games last season, Beavers accumulated a slash line of .227/.375/.400 and scored 16 runs.
He has raw power that jumps off the screen and can dot all areas of the field. He is also deceptively fast. If he can force the Orioles' hand and find more playing time in 2026, Beavers has the tools to be both a home run hitter and base stealer for Baltimore.
Grayson Rodriguez, P, Los Angeles Angels
Rodriguez has always flashed signs of greatness, but his ability to stay healthy and available has been his greatest shortcoming. Now in Los Angeles after an off-season trade that sent him from Baltimore to the Angels in exchange for Taylor Ward, the righty has a second chance to make a first impression.
With the Orioles in 2024, Rodriguez went 13-4 with a 3.86 ERA, 130 strikeouts, and 3.6 K/BB rate.
Healthier than he has been in years, do not be surprised if Rodriguez once again reminds the league of his potential to be a quality starter for an Angels team that could use him. If he does, he could be a fantasy steal, either during your draft or later on, as a waiver wire addition.
Potential Busts
3 of 3
Chris Sale, P, Atlanta Braves
Father Time is undefeated and despite a Cy Young Award as late as 2024, Sale is inevitably going to fall off. We saw it in 2025 and while those numbers were not terrible by comparison, the 36-year-old is eventually going to see some deterioration in his game.
Still a top-50 worthy player, there are other, younger pitchers that could be substituted for him without losing value at that spot in your draft. Think Hunter Brown from Houston or either of Seattle's starters in Logan Gilbert or Bryan Woo.
Bo Bichette, 3B, New York Mets
Bichette signed with the Mets in the off-season, kicking off a season that will take place in a league he is relatively unfamiliar with, against players he has not regularly competed.
One of the best hitters in the game a year ago, he will face an uphill battle to get back there, thanks to new placement in a totally different lineup, against pitchers that he does not necessarily know how to hit.
That he has not stolen double-digit bases since 2022, and is not known for his home run hitting, and you have a player who may very well disappoint fantasy managers who dare pick him too early in the draft.
There are other, better, more experienced third basemen available without the questions surrounding them that Bichette will have in 2026.
