Fantasy: 5 bounce-back candidates

One of the keys to building a great roster is finding value in the middle and late rounds of drafts. It's easy enough to choose stars with your first few picks, but nailing those value selections could be the difference between a good year and a bad one.

Here are five players who could deliver bounce-back campaigns in 2023.

Average draft positions are from FantasyPros as of March 13

Joey Gallo, Twins - OF (ADP 328)

Gallo is looking to put a disastrous couple of seasons in the rearview mirror as he moves away from the pressure cookers of New York and Los Angeles. The slugger has enjoyed hitting at Target Field throughout his career with a .954 OPS and six home runs in just 15 games at his new home ballpark. Gallo's propensity to strike out gives him a rock-bottom floor, but he is just a season removed from hitting 38 home runs for the Rangers in 2021. As long as you're prepared for some cold spells, Gallo has the potential to deliver some strong power numbers at a bargain price tag.

Aroldis Chapman, Royals - RP (ADP 293)

Chapman authored the worst season of his career in 2022. The veteran battled injuries and lost his closer's job to Clay Holmes. The Royals are betting on a rebound campaign from Chapman in 2023 and are heading into the season with him as their closer. Chapman will have to find a way to limit his walks after permitting more than six free passes per nine innings in each of the last two seasons. He also saw his average fastball velocity (97.7 mph) drop to its lowest mark since 2012 last season. The move away from the AL East to the cushier AL Central should help. There is certainly downside associated with selecting Chapman, but he could deliver some profit for fantasy teams looking for a closer in the later rounds of drafts.

Max Muncy, Dodgers - 2B/3B (ADP 131)

Muncy is expected to slide over to third base after Justin Turner's departure to the Red Sox in free agency. The 32-year-old struggled through one of his worst seasons in 2022 as he to recovered from offseason elbow surgery. Muncy slashed just .196/.329/.384 but was still able to hit 21 home runs. He could find himself batting in the cleanup spot in the Dodgers' lineup, which would provide ample opportunities to drive in runs. Muncy has three seasons with at least 30 home runs in his career and it wouldn't be much of a surprise if he's able to add a fourth while flirting with 100 RBIs.

Yasmani Grandal, White Sox - C (ADP 279)

Grandal struggled through injuries last season and posted the worst offensive season of his career. As he enters his age-34 campaign, it's fair to wonder how much Grandal has left in the tank. However, if he's able to stay on the field, Grandal is just one season removed from hitting 23 home runs with a 158 wRC+ in just 93 games. Catcher is never the deepest position in fantasy baseball, and Grandal could pay major dividends at a reduced price tag this season.

Lucas Giolito, White Sox - SP (ADP 146)

The White Sox had a starting pitcher emerge in the Cy Young conversation last season, but it wasn't the hurler many expected. Dylan Cease took the mantle as Chicago's best starter in 2022 while Giolito struggled through his worst season since 2018. Giolito continues to be plagued by home runs and saw his command elude him at times last season. Despite the reasons for concern, there are still some areas to look at that could indicate a rebound is in store. Giolito posted a strong 13.5% swinging-strike rate and his advanced indicators showed that he underperformed his ERA last season. The price tag will be reasonable at most drafts and Giolito could be poised to rebound and emerge as a trusted mid-tier fantasy starting pitcher in 2023.