Team-by-Team Fantasy Projections: Kansas City Royals

Here are the 2016 MLB fantasy projections for the Kansas City Royals (ZiPS projections courtesy Dan Szymborski's; Steamer projections courtesy Jared Cross, Dash Davidson and Peter Rosenbloom; Zeile projections courtesy FantasyPros):

Hitters

C Salvador Perez

The reigning World Series MVP is an everyday catcher you want on your fantasy squad. Perez is known as a contact hitter and supplies value in runs, RBIs and HRs. He's a solid C1 for both rotisserie and head-to-head formats.

1B Eric Hosmer

Hosmer broke out with a career-high 93 RBI on the strength of a .297 batting average while hitting primarily in the clean-up spot. He won't wow you in the HR category, and he doesn't run much, but you could do worse than Hosmer after the elite 1B options are off the board.

2B Omar Infante

After having bone chips removed from his right arm during the offseason, Infante is listed as probable to start 2016 but doesn't pose enough of a threat to be considered in season long-formats.

3B Mike Moustakas

Moustakas brings the kind of consistency you want on your season-long fantasy roster. He provides a decent average and counting stats aside from a lack of steals and more importantly, carries few risks. He should be available in the middle rounds of mixed-league drafts.

SS Alcides Escobar

Escobar is more valuable in leagues that track doubles and triples. He bats at the top of the Royals' order, but doesn't possess a high OBP - a worrisome stat for most. Still, he should score plenty of runs and flash some speed - making him a solid SS in AL-only leagues and deep mixed formats.

LF Alex Gordon

Gordon had a quiet season last year, posting just 13 homers and 48 RBIs. He's a decent everyday outfielder, though his inconsistency in fantasy drops him down a couple of tiers. He has eclipsed 20 home runs just twice and hasn't ever driven in more than 90 runs; he's a reasonable bench player in standard leagues or a starter in deeper formats.

CF Lorenzo Cain

Cain should be a high-target OF in every major fantasy format. His OBP ranked among the top 30 in the MLB last season, and his 34 doubles and six triples were more than enough to be worth his mid-round ADP. Expect similar numbers this season, with double-digit home runs likely.

RF Jarrod Dyson

Dyson had zero fantasy relevance last year, playing sparingly and hitting near the bottom of the order when he was in the lineup. Dyson makes for a decent waiver-wire pickup based on stolen base potential, but shouldn't be drafted.

DH Kendrys Morales

When discussing big hitters in the MLB, Morales is constantly overlooked. Hitting in the five-hole in a balanced Kansas City lineup, Morales will produce decent power numbers and could once again approach 90 RBIs if he stays healthy. His major drawback: he's a DH-only play in most standard leagues.

Starters

RHP Edinson Volquez

In a Kansas City rotation that lacks an ace, Volquez could emerge as the best of the bunch. His rate stats will need to improve, and he won't strike out as many batters as other options in his draft range, but as a decent bet for 15+ wins, he does hold value in deep mixed and AL-only leagues.

RHP Yordano Ventura

Like Volquez, Ventura's value lies primarily in the win column. But unlike his teammate, Ventura should contribute in a variety of ways, a lower ERA and higher strikeout total among them. Ventura is a decent depth option in mixed leagues, and an SP4-5 in AL-only configurations.

RHP Ian Kennedy

Kennedy adds a much-needed arm to the Royals rotation amid the departures of Jeremy Guthrie and Johnny Cueto. He's worth drafting in deep leagues or near the end of standard drafts due to the possibility of a 15-win season.

RHP Chris Young

Don't look into Young all that much. Though he registered a stellar 3.06 ERA and remarkable 1.09 WHIP in 123 innings pitched last season, it was his best season of recent memory. He has posted a 4.38 ERA this spring and abysmal 2.38 WHIP with limited fantasy implications. Leave him alone.

RHP Kris Medlen

Medlen should round out the rotation, but may struggle to regain his fantasy relevance. He posted a 4.01 ERA over 58 innings in his comeback from Tommy John surgery, and not much is expected of him this season. Leave him undrafted, but consider him as an AL-only streamer.

Closer

RHP Wade Davis

One of the elite closers in the game, Davis rolled to a commanding 0.79 WHIP and a 0.94 ERA last season. He's a must-have in all formats and will be one of the first relievers off the board.