Here is a list of players to avoid in every draft base on round. Skip these players and take the next guy on the list. A little advice in fantasy, always take the guy you want, not an average draft position. If you take the ADP guy you will end up with just an average team.
- First Round – Jose Bautista
He is too old for the first round in my opinion. Instead take Edwin Encarnacion or Anthony Rizzo for two reasons; their youth and because outfield is super deep while 1st base is not. With your first pick in any draft, you want to minimize your risk.
- Second Round – Troy Tulowitzki
This is another example of too much risk. Consider Ian Desmond in the final year of his current contract, and he has finished in the top three in SS the past two years in a row. If ADP has you worried about SS being weak, don’t. Like I said at the start, focus on the guys you like. And Desmond is a guy I really like in a contract year.
- Third Round – Michael Brantley
The third round is too early to draft off of just last year stats, never pay for a career year. I have made this mistake many times. Don’t do it, it’s not worth it. Paying for a career year will never win you the championship. But avoiding paying for overpriced guys’ gives you a way better shot.
- Fourth Round – Adam Wainwright
Why take a high-risk player when there are better arms around. If available you’d be better off taking Ryan Zimmerman. If he is gone then wait on pitching another round or 2. I will not take Adam Wainwright in a single draft I do just because I can’t justify the risk from my #1 pitcher.
- Fifth Round – Billy Hamilton
Hamilton is a trendy pick for the speed, but Dee Gordon is the man who led the league in steals, not Hamilton. Take Dee Gordon and get the weak position out of the way, remember outfield is deep. So if he is still there and you are worried about speed, take Gordon.
- Sixth Round – Jason Heyward
Don’t draft for good defense, remember you are not making a real baseball team. There is no benefit to drafting a guy with great defense when he only has an average offense. Instead take one of the top closers with high strikeouts in this round.
- Seventh Round – Jake Arrieta
A player has to show me again before I draft them this early; Again, don’t pay for career years. Jake has never had as good of a season as he did last year before and you’d be paying for last year’s stats. There is a good chance he could get more wins than last year with the Cubs improved roster, but let someone else take that risk. With so many other pitchers to take in this round, skip Jake and take someone else. Jacob Degrom and Hisashi Iwakuma are both better options.
- Eighth Round – Jay Bruce
I am not a huge Jay Bruce fan. And I have a bad feeling about the Reds this season. Who hits third if Joey Votto bats second? Brandon Phillips? No thanks. Take someone with a stronger lineup and pass on Bruce. If Jorge Soler is still around take him. If Soler is gone take Kole Calhoun.
- Ninth Round – Matt Carpenter
Carpenter is exclusively a third baseman, and you can’t afford to draft a third baseman with no power. Win power is dying off in baseball and you need every bopper you can get. Pablo Sandoval or Manny Machado should hit more home runs than Matt Carpenter. Both drafted in the same round.
- Tenth Round – Justin Verlander
I hate to bring this up, but but don’t draft him because Verlander has nothing left in the tank after spending his time with Kate Upton. Don’t be the guy who thinks Verlander makes a comeback this year. As far as I see it this guy is a last round flyer now, nothing more.
