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Which Astros position players are worthy of being drafted in your fantasy baseball league?
With the 2017 season nearly upon us, the fantasy baseball world gears up for another exciting year. After deepening their lineup in the offseason, the Astros may have more fantasy-relevant players this season than they have had in quite some time.
First, we’ll start by analyzing which position players will provide solid fantasy contributions. Next week, we’ll discuss pitchers. Keep in mind scoring projections and player rankings are based on ESPN fantasy baseball’s 2017 player rankings and may vary based on your league. Draft projections are based on standard 10 to 12-team leagues.
The surefire first-rounder: Jose Altuve
Altuve posted a monster year for fantasy owners in 2016, finishing second in ESPN’s player rater and first among second basemen. ESPN again ranks him second in 2017, behind only Mike Trout.
Even if his power numbers come back down from his career-high total, Altuve has proven to be a durable player who hits for a high average and steals plenty of bases. He should also have more run producing opportunities with this deeper Astros lineup. If you want him, you’ll have to take him in the first round.