It's official: The NL-only draft pool is easier than the AL this year. Our latest Head-to-Head points mock, as compared to the AL-only one that came before it, was enough confirmation for me
It's easier on the front end, with 17 of the top 24 highest-drafted players being in the NL. It's easier on the back end, offering a higher caliber of starting pitcher for those last few roster spots.
In fact, starting pitcher is where the difference is most evident. Going by FantasyPros ADP, 12 of the top 15 starting pitchers are in the NL. Fittingly, there wasn't the same desperation in the early rounds of this mock, with everyone reaching for something purely out of scarcity. In fact, the first two rounds weren't so unlike what you'd see in a standard mixed league.
In addition to starting pitcher, the NL is probably the strongest at first base, which is a departure from past years. There are more than enough quality options to go around in a 10-team league. Third base is pretty strong, too, especially if you're a believer in Ke'Bryan Hayes and Alec Bohm. Shortstop of course offers its share of studs, but the drop-off is steep after the top nine or so. Some of us were having to stretch in the outfield, too, even in a three-outfielder league.
At the time of this draft, Justin Turner (Round 11), Mark Melancon (Round 15) and Trevor Rosenthal (Round 17) were all still free agents, which might explain why they fell. There were fairly strong indicators all would return to the NL, but no one could say for sure what roles Rosenthal and Melancon would fill. For other free agents like Taijuan Walker (Round 9) and James Paxton (Round 10), there was no telling where they'd ultimately wind up.
Here's who took part in this draft:
1) George Maselli, CBS Sports
2) Crosby Spencer, RotoFanatic (@crosbyspencer1)
3) Kayla Van Horn, former Podcast League participant
4) Scott White, CBS Sports (@CBSScottWhite)
5) Richardo, Razzball (@RichardoPL83)
6) Chris Towers, CBS Sports (@CTowersCBS)
7) Rhys White, Six Man Rotation (@RhysBWhite)
8) B_Don, Razzball (@RazzBDon)
9) Phil Ponebshek, Patton & Company
10) Chris Mitchell, FantasyData (@CJMitch73)
So which 2021 Fantasy baseball sleepers should you snatch in your draft? And which undervalued first baseman can help you win a championship? Visit SportsLine now to get Fantasy baseball rankings for every single position, all from the model that called Will Smith's huge breakout last season, and find out.
