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Fantasy Baseball Rankings 2021: Sleepers, busts, breakouts by model that called Bryant's down year

Mar. 19, 2021
Fantasy Baseball Rankings 2021: Sleepers, busts, breakouts by model that called Bryant's down year

Owners should be deep into their 2021 Fantasy baseball draft prep by now, trying to identify the 2021 Fantasy baseball busts, sleepers, and breakouts that will define this season of Major League Baseball. Every MLB season is a chance for a batch of previously unknown or unheralded players to step into the spotlight, for young players to make a major jump, and for players to move into superstardom.

How do you find the 2021 Fantasy baseball breakouts, and where should every player be in your 2021 Fantasy baseball rankings? Before going on the clock, be sure to see the 2021 Fantasy baseball cheat sheets and rankings from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

Last season, SportsLine's Projection Model identified several top Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts, including Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant.

The team at SportsLine was all over Bryant as a Fantasy bust from the start and he went on to slash .206/.291/.351 over 34 games, failing to rank among the top 45 third baseman despite being drafted in the fifth or sixth round on average. Their model had him listed much lower than expert consensus rankings, and anyone who listened to their advice avoided a major speedbump that could have derailed their season.

Their model is powered by the same people who powered projections for all three major Fantasy sites. And that same group is sharing its 2021 Fantasy baseball rankings and cheat sheets over at SportsLine, helping you find Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts long before your competition. Their cheat sheets, available for leagues on many major sites, are updated multiple times every day.

Any time more MLB news comes out about the updated 2021 MLB schedule or Fantasy baseball injuries, the team at SportsLine updates its projections. Go to SportsLine now to see these proven Fantasy baseball cheat sheets.

One of the 2021 Fantasy baseball sleepers the model is all over: Marlins second baseman Jon Berti. The 31-year-old didn't make his Major League debut until 2018 with the Blue Jays, but he's carved out an important role with the Marlins thanks to a solid plate approach and terrific speed.

Berti has posted a .362 OBP over 376 plate appearances with Miami over the last two seasons and stolen 26 bases. Berti has 28 extra-base hits during that span as well, while his 15.4 percent walk rate in 2020 indicates he has a strong feel for the strike zone. That's why the model ranks him ahead of players Tommy La Stella and Keston Hiura, who are being drafted two rounds earlier on average in standard CBS Sports Fantasy baseball leagues.

One of the 2021 Fantasy baseball breakouts the model is all over: Giants left fielder Alex Dickerson. The 30-year-old gave an inkling of what he could do in 2020, smacking 10 home runs and driving in 27 for a .947 OPS. But a deeper dive into Dickerson's numbers point to what he can do given a full season on the roster.

Dickerson has now been to the plate 653 times in his five-year career, has homered 26 times, driven in 92 RBIs, and slashed .273/.342/.493. Dickerson registered a stout 90.9 mph average exit velocity, a 17.8 degree average launch angle, and a barrel rate of 10.7 in 2020, all career-bests. Dickerson is being taken in the 16th round of standard CBS Sports Fantasy baseball drafts, but his ranking by SportsLine's model is much better than that. In fact, he's listed above left fielders like Eloy Jimenez, Jeff McNeil and Austin Meadows despite those players being drafted at least three rounds earlier on average.

One of the 2021 Fantasy baseball busts the model is fading: Tigers first baseman Jeimer Candelario. The 27-year-old is going in the 12th round on average after posting an .872 OPS with seven home runs and 29 RBIs during the shortened 2020 season, but those numbers were much higher than the .643 and .710 he had in his first two full seasons in the big leagues.

Candelario's peripherals from last season look slightly troubling, as his BABIP jumped by 110 points over the prior season. Even with an added two miles per hour to his average exit velocity, Candelario can't expect to enjoy that kind of batted-ball luck over the course of a full season. That's why the model ranks him behind 18th-round options at first base like Joey Votto and Carlos Santana.

SportsLine is also high on a right fielder with a 2021 Fantasy baseball ADP barely outside the top 100 who finishes ahead of studs like defending Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge. This pick could be the difference in winning your league or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.

So which 2021 Fantasy baseball busts, breakouts, and sleepers should you target or fade in your drafts? Visit SportsLine now to get 2021 Fantasy baseball rankings for every single position, all from the model that called Kris Bryant's disappointing season, and find out.


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