Team-by-Team Fantasy Projections: Cleveland Indians

Here are the 2016 MLB fantasy projections for the Cleveland Indians (ZiPS projections courtesy Dan Szymborski; Steamer projections courtesy Jared Cross, Dash Davidson and Peter Rosenbloom; Zeile projections courtesy FantasyPros):

Hitters

C Yan Gomes

Gomes hit in the sixth spot for most of last season; occasionally moving up to No. 5 due to 1B Carlos Santana's struggles at the plate, but didn't find much success. Gomes hits for power and is worth a spot on your season-long fantasy roster as a low-end C1 or solid C2.

1B Mike Napoli

Napoli signed with the Indians in the offseason in an attempt to bolster the lineup. Though he has failed to regain his 2013 form, when he belted 23 homers and drove in 92 runs, Napoli should continue to be a threat. Though his best years are behind him, he's still a decent late pick in deeper leagues.

2B Jason Kipnis

Kipnis saw his performance wane after the All-Star break, and that contributed to the Indians missing out on a Wild Card spot. However, the 24-year-old was a superb DFS play at a cheap price and will continue to see success batting in the third spot. He should be one of the top five 2Bs off the board.

3B Juan Uribe

Uribe takes over primary third-base duties from Giovanny Urshela; strangely, both players have similar projections for the season. Don't expect either player to be much of a fantasy factor; neither hits well enough, and the possibility of a timeshare may exist for the entire season.

SS Francisco Lindor

The 22 year-old Lindor hit an impressive .313 with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs as a rookie. He will likely hit in the two spot, and rightfully so: his OPS was .835 last season. He's a must-have in all fantasy formats that count runs scored and stolen bases.

LF Michael Brantley

While Brantley was by far Cleveland's best offensive player last season, he's expected to be out until May after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. He's worth a mid-round flier in redraft leagues, but owners should keep their expectations in check.

CF Tyler Naquin

Naquin has improved his spring average to .476 and figures to see time in CF along with veterans Rajai Davis and Will Venable until Abraham Almonte returns from a 8-game PED suspension. Naquin shouldn't be drafted in any mixed-leagues, but is worth keeping tabs on to start the season.

RF Lonnie Chisenhall

Chisenhall mashes right-handed pitchers, but he hits at the bottom of the order and is too inconsistent to be considered in season-long leagues.

DH Carlos Santana

Santana has hit more than 25 home runs twice in his career and has recorded back-to-back 85-RBI seasons. He's worth drafting and stashing on your bench in season-long formats, or using in a UTIL spot if you have one.

Starters

RHP Corey Kluber

Kluber followed up his 2014 Cy Young campaign with a bit of a thud (9-16, 3.46 ERA), though his peripherals were better than his record. Kluber is worth an early draft pick, and should get luckier in the win category.

RHP Carlos Carrasco

Carrasco's ERA dropped more than a point from a career-best 2.55 mark in 2014, and he allowed a career-high 18 home runs. That said, his impressive change-up will continue to make batters miss. He's worthy of a spot as an SP2-3, with a decent chance at 15+ wins and more than 200 strikeouts.

RHP Danny Salazar

Salazar has his first 180-inning season under his belt and should average better than a strikeout per inning in 2016. He'll be drafted as an SP3-4 in all mixed formats and is equally effective against right- and left-handed hitters.

RHP Trevor Bauer

Bauer posted an ugly 4.55 ERA while surrendering 23 home runs In his second year as a starter. He's an afterthought in redrafts due to his steep ERA and control struggles.

RHP Cody Anderson

Anderson is the wild card of the bunch, coming off an impressive debut in which he posted a 3.05 ERA in 15 starts. His projections are modest given his lack of big-league experience, but he could be worth a waiver-wire pickup if he shows he can carry over the success of last season.

Closer

RHP Cody Allen

Allen has the stuff to make batters miss with a good rising four-seam fastball and a curveball that is thrown extremely hard. He's a viable option in all formats and should be available in the mid-to-late rounds of redraft leagues.