Team Fantasy Preview - Chicago Cubs
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Throughout the preseason, we will be previewing all 30 teams and what their rosters bring to the fantasy baseball table. This edition covers the Chicago Cubs:
Projected Lineup
| ORDER | POSITION | NAME | BATS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LF | Kyle Schwarber | L |
| 2 | 3B | Kris Bryant | R |
| 3 | 1B | Anthony Rizzo | L |
| 4 | 2B | Ben Zobrist | S |
| 5 | SS | Addison Russell | R |
| 6 | RF | Jason Heyward | L |
| 7 | C | Willson Contreras | R |
| 8 | CF | Jon Jay | L |
| Bench | 2B/SS/3B | Javier Baez | R |
| Bench | OF | Albert Almora Jr. | R |
Projected Rotation
| ORDER | NAME | THROWS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jon Lester | L |
| 2 | Jake Arrieta | R |
| 3 | Kyle Hendricks | R |
| 4 | John Lackey | R |
| 5 | Brett Anderson | L |
Bullpen Hierarchy
| Role | Name | THROWS |
|---|---|---|
| Closer | Wade Davis | R |
| Set-Up | Hector Rondon | R |
| RP | Koji Uehara | R |
Top Prospect to Watch in 2017
Almora is expected to begin the season at the major league level. He played in 47 games with the Cubs last season, and should stick in 2017. That doesn't mean he'll break out in any meaningful way, because this team is stacked, but merely being on the roster gives him a head start on all the prospects in Triple-A. It's not inconceivable that he could wrestle Jon Jay's job away from him.
Who Will Drive You Crazy?
Baez is not guaranteed to start despite his star-making performances in the 2016 postseason. In fact, he may have played himself into a super-utility role, which would certainly diminish his upside. Baez has long been touted for his power and derided for his strikeouts. Not playing him everyday will diminish both while protecting him overall, but that doesn't help his fantasy stock.
The One to Own
It's Bryant, obviously. I love Rizzo's play, but Bryant has extra positional eligibility. Otherwise, they had almost identical seasons. Bryant slashed .292/.385/.554 while Rizzo went .292/.385/.544. Bryant hit more home runs while Rizzo hit more doubles. While their counting stats could waver, Bryant's positional flexibility puts him over the edge.
Top Sleeper
Heyward was a disaster in 2016. It was easily the worst season of his career despite being the most favorable situation he has ever played in. He has burned too many owners, and it's possible his ADP craters. While he'll probably never become the big time power threat he was expected to be, he has been a 20-SB threat and should hit for a much better batting average.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)