Yahoo contestants are usually pretty accurate when it comes to evaluating players. While most do fall in line, there are still a handful of great bargains to be had. Comparing a player’s cumulative ADP (average draft position among the six most popular hosting sites) to Yahoo’s ADP, we can find a few players that are specifically dropping in Yahoo leagues. Our expert consensus rating (ECR) is another great tool to compare their rankings too, helping us identify some great undervalued targets.
Yahoo managers seem to be focusing more on speed, saves and batting average this year than on power or RBIs. That strategy can work if executed correctly, but it’s more difficult to succeed with, and it leaves very little room for error. Plus, home runs are always tougher to find at the end of drafts than steals are, which is especially true for this year. So while your competition is fighting for the fleet of foot, your strategy should be to select every power hitter who thankfully falls into your lap (while, of course, still balancing your lineup).
These next five players (and a few honorable mentions) are falling specifically in Yahoo drafts. If you can get them at their current Yahoo ADP, they should be extremely valuable. While I wouldn’t risk fully waiting until then, you can hold out a bit longer than you normally would, helping increase their value.
- Fitz’s Positional Primers
- Justin Mason’s Draft Day Cheat Sheet
- Players the Experts Draft
- Latest Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft
Undervalued Players to Target in Yahoo Leagues (2023 Fantasy Baseball)
Cristian Javier (SP, RB – HOU)
Yahoo ADP: 77
Cumulative ADP: 61
ECR: 55
Coming off of two solid seasons of mostly relief work, Javier was finally granted a full-time starting job last year, and he dominated. The young righty wrapped up the regular season with a tidy 2.54 ERA over 25 starts (and five relief appearances), with 194 K’s and a 0.95 WHIP. He was even nastier in the playoffs in two starts, lasting 11.1 innings, while allowing just one hit and no runs.
Still mistakenly thought of as a pitcher who may not be a full-time starter, Javier has fallen through the cracks in Yahoo leagues. He has surprisingly plummeted down to the middle of round seven (12-team leagues), while a player of a similar caliber, Spencer Strider, is going in the second round. On other sites, including NFC drafts, Javier is going in round five, and the expert consensus likes him even more, ranking him as the 55th-best player overall.
Javier probably won’t reach 200 innings this year, but he is absolutely someone you can rely on as a very solid No. 2 pitcher. He is worth a far earlier selection than 77th overall.
Yahoo ADP: 114
Cumulative ADP: 99
ECR: 92
Lowe was quietly one of the best hitters in baseball last season, and Yahoo managers failed to take notice. The Rangers’ first baseman ranked in the 89% of xBA, 82% of xSLG and 81% of xwOBA. His max-exit velocity was also impressively in the top 11% of the league. He barrels the ball consistently and had little trouble hitting nearly any type of pitch thrown his way — .299 against fastballs, .293 against breaking balls and .338 against off-speed pitches.
The 27-year-old also has the luxury of batting behind Marcus Semien and Corey Seager again, setting him up nicely for plenty of RBI opportunities. Lowe’s .302 batting average was good for seventh in the AL, and his .851 OPS ranked eighth in the league, just behind Julio Rodriguez (.853) and Jose Ramirez (.869).
Lowe was a monster in the second half (.339/.399/.566) and even hit lefties better than righties. At just 27 years old, there is room for improvement, and with the shift no longer an option, I expect even bigger things out of Mr. Lowe’s year. Look to add the lefty-swinging masher in the eighth round rather than the 10th.
Yahoo ADP: 144
Consensus ADP: 106
ECR: 121
I can’t say I’m a big believer in spending a high draft pick on Greene but lasting until 144th overall feels like a misprint. Greene’s stuff is second to none, and while it’s going to take more than a late four-game hot streak to make me a true believer, I do think Greene could reach ace-type status as early as this year. He’ll likely still suffer through some rough patches giving up homers and walks, but the ceiling is enormous for the 6-foot-5, 23-year-old. If things go his way, you could easily be getting 225 strikeouts in the 11th or 12th round. That is something you should absolutely target.
Yahoo ADP: 164
Consensus ADP: 112
ECR: 116
Walker is arguably the biggest steal in Yahoo drafts. The D’backs lineup is going to be an above-average group this year, and Walker’s going to be hitting right in the middle of it. If he stays healthy, Walker feels like a near-lock for 90+ RBIs and 30+ home runs again. His Statcast page is laden with dark red numbers starting with his 91% xwOBA and 93% xSLG. Plus, he’s an absolute machine that rarely misses games.
Walker’s batting average hasn’t been great over the last two seasons hovering around .240. Without the shift, however, he could see a solid increase in that category. Last season, opposing defenses shifted nearly two-thirds of the time against him, resulting in a .233 batting average. The rest of the time, Walker clubbed his way to a .292 average. Not too bad for a guy going in the 16th round.
Walker’s a solid pick in round nine, but he could easily give you fifth-round production. On Yahoo’s site, you can probably wait until round 11 or even 12 to select him, but even that is risky for what he can get you.
Yahoo ADP: 168
Cumulative ADP: 139
ECR: 141
Renfroe is coming off of an injury-plagued season, but when healthy, he’s been an excellent run producer. With 96 RBIs in 2021 for Boston and 72 last year for Milwaukee, the powerful right fielder has averaged better than an RBI every six at-bats. He also hit 60 home runs over that span — a total of 269 games.
Now at full strength again, he’s joining a lineup that includes not only Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani but also Taylor Ward, a healthy Anthony Rendon and Brandon Drury. If this lineup were to stay healthy all season, it could be tops in the league. Of course, health is a big question mark when it comes to the Angels, but I’m willing to wager that Renfroe cracks 85 RBIs again, even if a few of his teammates get hurt. And unlike other sluggers, his average won’t hurt you.
Renfroe’s already hit three dingers and two doubles this spring over thirty at-bats and looks to be completely healthy. If he falls to you at 150th, you’ll have one of the best values of the draft.
Others worth quickly mentioning:
Yahoo ADP: 92
Consensus ADP: 81
ECR: 78
Reynolds’ low RBI totals (mostly caused by a meager surrounding cast) are likely the cause of his fall. This year’s team should be improved, however, and Reynolds is playing for a big contract. He’s a candidate to reach 30 homers while contributing in all five categories. Going after 90th is a great value.
Yahoo ADP: 153
Consensus ADP: 145
ECR: 146
I’ll admit I’m higher than Lowe than most of my colleagues, but even compared to the consensus, Lowe is slightly undervalued. He is coming off of a back injury which is always a tricky ailment to deal with, but his upside is enormous (see 2021), and his swing path is a model of consistency for hitting homers. Lowe’s already connected with two long balls this spring and is an excellent bounce-back candidate.
Yahoo ADP: 163
Consensus ADP: 144
ECR: 139
Chapman cut his strikeouts, and with the shift ban, his average could improve further. With Teoscar Hernandez departed from the lineup, Chapman could move up to possibly fifth in the order leading to even better counting stats. At 163, he’s a bargain.
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Austin Lowell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Austin, check out his archive.