Some big names are returning from injury-ridden 2022 seasons and could drastically change the fantasy landscape this year.
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Each individual below still has a superior skill set, but this will give managers several sleepless nights until we see them on the field for an extended period of time. Let’s take a look:
Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, San Diego Padres)
Tatis missed all of 2022 due to a combination of injury and suspension, and he will open this season in the same way. But when his suspension ends at the end of April, the 24-year-old could immediately return to the top five fantasy assets. However, shoulder and wrist surgeries Tatis underwent last fall add to concerns that he may not be able to perform at his best right away. The San Diego star needs to hit the ground running to justify his current Sportzshala ADP of 22.5.
Jazz Chisholm (2B, Miami Marlins)
Chisholm showed exciting potential in 60 games last year (.860 OPS, 14 HR, 12 SB) before he was knocked out for the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his lower back. The 25-year-old can play 30-30 players in an entire campaign this year, and he’s moved to the outfield, which will soon make him a multi-position asset.
In short, I love the idea of drafting Chisholm at his current Sportzshala ADP (51.9).
Ozzy Albis (2B, Atlanta Braves)
Albis couldn’t stay healthy last year as he missed three months with a broken foot before suffering a broken pinky finger in just his second game after returning in September. His scoring declined to a foot injury as his last 2022 OPS (.703) was the lowest of his six-year career. To complicate matters, the infielder is also returning from October shoulder surgery.
Also, Albie’s role is troubling. The 26-year-old has spent the majority of his career knocking himself out of the premium roster, but the Braves have other good candidates this season. Overall, I have too many risk factors to choose Albi on his current Sportzshala ADP (50.9).
Tim Anderson (SS, Chicago White Sox)
Anderson has been a top 50 player in recent years and his current Sportzshala ADP rating has dropped to 73.8 after missing almost a month last season with a right groin strain and the last two months with a torn middle finger tendon left hand. Anderson is still in his 30s but has never been a consistent player, having missed 32 percent of his team’s games over the past four seasons. However, I like the idea of drafting the 29-year-old at his discounted draft value.
Tyler O’Neal (HF, St. Louis Cardinals)
O’Neal ends a season where everything went wrong. His injuries began in late May with a right shoulder injury, and by the end of the campaign he also missed time with injuries to both hamstrings. No wonder the Canadian native saw his OPS drop over 200 points in a year, ruining all the hype he had created in his breakout 2021 campaign (34 HR, 15 SB, 0.912 OPS).
Overall, I feel that O’Neal is offering a fair price at his current Sportzshala ADP (105.1) and I hope he will be on some of my 2023 lists.
Brandon Lowe (2B, Tampa Bay Rays)
Although Lowe missed several games in 2022 due to a bruised triceps, it was his lower back that was the main reason he appeared in just 65 competitions. The 28-year-old finished the season with a .691 pts per second mark, the first time his batting average was below .850 since his rookie in 2018, and is now being drafted by Sportzshala with a 153.5 average pick. . A healthy Lowe is positioned as the man to hit 35 homers and I’m very happy to take a chance with him in the middle of the round this year.
Freddy Peralta (SP, Milwaukee Brewers)
One of 2021’s breakout starters, Peralta missed roughly 2.5 months last season with a right lat strain before spending a couple of weeks at IL in September with right shoulder fatigue. He returned at the end of the campaign hitting 7.2 innings in three games, which was certainly not enough to prove he could be a reliable starter this year. I agree with Peralta’s draft, but I would like a small discount on his current Sportzshala ADP (pick 137.0).
Chris Sale (IP, Boston Red Sox)
Sale’s career has taken a turn for the worse in recent years. The lanky southpaw missed all of 2020 and most of 2021 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He was expected to be healthy last year, but instead he missed the first half of the season with a stress fracture in his chest, and after returning for two starts (one of which lasted less than a half), he fell off his bike and was injured. wrist fracture that ended his season.
With less than 50 innings to his credit in the past three years, Sale has given managers plenty of reason to worry that he may not be the ace (career 3.03 ERA, 1.04 WHIP) he once was. I will not pick a 34 year old with his current Sportzshala ADP rating of 161.1.
Adalberto Mondesi (SS, Boston Red Sox)
Mondesi only played 15 games last season before suffering an ACL tear that required surgery at the end of the season. The Royals openly expressed their frustration at the infielder’s inability to stay healthy, which was likely the driving force behind their decision to trade him to Boston. Mondesi is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day and has only played 50 games in the last two years, but he remains a solid season opener in IL fantasy slots due to his ability to rack up massive steal amounts when he is healthy. His current Sportzshala ADP of 216.4 seems reasonable.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
