Team Fantasy Preview - Washington Nationals
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Throughout the preseason, we will be previewing all 30 teams and what their rosters bring to the fantasy baseball table.
Projected Lineup
| ORDER | POSITION | NAME | BATS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CF | Adam Eaton | L |
| 2 | SS | Trea Turner | R |
| 3 | 2B | Daniel Murphy | L |
| 4 | RF | Bryce Harper | L |
| 5 | 3B | Anthony Rendon | R |
| 6 | LF | Jayson Werth | R |
| 7 | 1B | Ryan Zimmerman | R |
| 8 | C | Matt Wieters | S |
| BENCH | IF | Stephen Drew | L |
| BENCH | OF | Michael Taylor | R |
(Photo courtesy Action Images)
Projected Rotation
| ORDER | NAME | THROWS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Scherzer | R |
| 2 | Stephen Strasburg | R |
| 3 | Tanner Roark | R |
| 4 | Gio Gonzalez | L |
| 5 | Joe Ross | R |
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)
Bullpen Hierarchy
| ROLE | NAME | THROWS |
|---|---|---|
| Closer | Shawn Kelley | R |
| Set-Up | Blake Treinen | R |
| RP | Sammy Solis | L |
(Photo courtesy Action Images)
Top Prospect to Watch in 2017
OF Victor Robles is Baseball America's No. 10 prospect entering the 2017 season, but he is yet to play above high-A. MI Wilmer Difo is much more likely to see major-league playing time this season, after racking up 66 PAs last year. He has little power but good speed and hit above .300 all through A ball. He had a .364 OBP with the Nationals last season.
Who Will Drive You Crazy?
Rendon's horrendous start through April and much of May caused many owners to drop him or trade him away for a fraction of the draft cost. He excelled from mid-May through August, and he hit .291 in the second half with 11 homers. He nearly stopped stealing bases, as he moved to the bottom-third of the lineup. This is where he'll likely start 2017, making him easier to drop with another slow beginning.
(Photo courtesy Action Images)
The One to Own
Coming off what could be considered the worst season of his MLB career, Harper now represents tremendous value whenever he falls to the end of the first/beginning of the second round. His OBP, AVG, homers, runs and RBIs plummeted last season, but he did see a large spike in stolen bases. If he stays willing to steal and sees a return to his other production levels, he could challenge to be the top player in fantasy.
Top Sleeper
Kelly and Treinen are considered co-closers, but Kelley converted seven of nine save opportunities in 2016 after picking up 13 holds for RP Jonathan Papelbon. His impressive 12.41 K/9 was the best rate of his career and his 1.71 BB/9 was also his best. His 2.64 ERA and 2.82 xFIP signify consistency. Available at a Fantasy Pros ADP of 195, he represents tremendous value with plenty of saves likely to be available at the back of Washington's bullpen.