2026 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Sleepers, breakouts, busts per model that nailed Raleigh's huge season
CBS Sports
by
Daniel Lewis
February 19, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The 2026 Fantasy Baseball season is heating up, with early drafts underway as MLB spring training begins. While stars like Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge are obvious top picks, the key to building a championship roster lies in identifying undervalued sleepers, breakout players, and potential busts. SportsLine’s Projection Model, which accurately predicted Cal Raleigh’s breakout season last year, has identified several promising names for 2026. This model, trusted by three major Fantasy sites, provides updated rankings and cheat sheets to help fantasy players gain an edge in their drafts.
One standout sleeper is Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe. Despite being undervalied in early draft prep, SportsLine projects him as the No. 6 second baseman, ahead of higher-profile names like Nico Hoerner and Ozzie Albies. Lowe’s power surge in 2025, including 31 home runs and 83 RBI, positions him as a mid-round value pick with potential for even bigger numbers in 2026.
For breakouts, look to Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman. After struggling early in his career, Goodman burst onto the scene in 2025 with a .278 average, 31 home runs, and an impressive OPS of .843. Despite his breakout season, Goodman remains undervalied, projected as the No. 2 catcher by SportsLine, offering significant upside for fantasy teams willing
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Originally published on CBS Sports on 2/19/2026