6 players who can end Buster Posey's reign as the No. 1 fantasy catcher
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Coming off a 2016 season in which he slashed .288/.362/.434 with 14 home runs and 80 RBIs while leading all catchers with 614 plate appearances and 82 runs scored, San Francisco Giants C Buster Posey once again enters 2017 draft boards as the top-ranked fantasy backstop.
Catcher has traditionally been a position lacking depth, but there are more players than ever who could unseat Posey and end the season atop the fantasy catcher standings.
The favorites
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Jonathan Lucroy, Texas Rangers
With 11 home runs in 47 games with the Rangers compared to 13 in 95 games with the Milwaukee Brewers, Lucroy's power prospects immediately improved upon switching leagues. A career .284 hitter, the long ball has never been a huge part of the 30-year-old's arsenal - last season's 24 home runs far exceeded his previous best of 18 in 2013.
The consensus second-ranked fantasy catcher heading into 2017, a full season at Texas' Globe Life Park in Arlington should only help Lucroy's prospects.
Gary Sanchez, New York Yankees
Sanchez homered 20 times in a 53-game rookie season, while slashing .299/.376/.657. After going deep 10 times in 71 Triple-A games, the 6-foot-3 Dominican Republic native clearly enjoyed the hitter-friendly confines of Yankee Stadium after reaching the majors.
In trying to get his bat in the lineup as much as possible, New York slotted Sanchez into the DH spot for 17 of his 53 outings. Should this trend continue, he could play in upward of 150 games - a mouth-watering prospect, given his power threat.
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Kyle Schwarber, Chicago Cubs
Schwarber may not be eligible at catcher on all fantasy sites; he played 20 games at the position in his 2015 rookie season, but in his injury-shortened 2016, his lone two games played were in the outfield. He may catch just often enough in 2017 to gain in-season eligibility at the position.
A World Series return that saw the left-handed slugger slash .412/.500/.471 in 17 at-bats reminded many of his offensive potential. With enough playing time, the 23-year-old could lead all fantasy catchers in home runs, even if most of his action technically comes in the outfield.
In the mix
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Yasmani Grandal, Los Angeles Dodgers
The switch-hitting Grandal broke out with career-highs in home runs (27), RBIs (72) and games played (126) last season. A .228 batting average wasn't much help in formats that didn't include OBP, as his .339 mark in the category showcased his patience and ability to draw walks.
20 of his homers came at pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium and his 38.9 percent hard-hit rate ranked second behind Welington Castillo among catchers with at least 450 plate appearances. With some better batted-ball luck (his 2016 BABIP was just .250), Grandal's average could improve to complement his power potential.
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Willson Contreras, Chicago Cubs
Contreras slashed .282/.357/.488 with 12 home runs and 35 RBIs in his 76-game rookie season, while also playing enough in the outfield to gain multi-position eligibility. With David Ross now retired, the path is clear for Contreras to be the everyday catcher in a potent Cubs lineup.
He may not overwhelm in the power department, but his minor league stats revealed a player who boasts a strong ability to get on base. As well, his ability to feature in the outfield comes as a nice bonus, as he could see regular time there should injuries strike.
The sleeper
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Tom Murphy, Colorado Rockies
Ready for his first full season, Murphy hit eight home runs in 32 major league games over 2015 and 2016. Last season, he homered 19 times in 80 outings with Triple-A Colorado Springs. A power hitter playing in the thin air of Coors Field? That's reason enough for fantasy optimism.
With veteran Nick Hundley not being re-signed, Murphy and Tony Wolters will share the catching duties. Wolters homered just three times in 71 games as a rookie in 2016, but is viewed as the superior defender of the two. If offense is emphasized at the position, though, Murphy's bat should get him the majority of the work, upping the 25-year-old's fantasy potential.