Fantasy Baseball Rankings 2022: Sleepers, breakouts, busts from proven computer that called Hand’s struggles

In the fickle world of Major League Baseball, a player that starts as a breakout candidate can just as easily turn into a bust in a matter of weeks. Yermin Mercedes was just such a player for the White Sox last season, after he carried a batting average north of .300 with seven home runs and 30 RBI through the first 50 games of the season. By July, he was back in the minors after his average slumped to .159 for the month of June and designated hitter Eloy Jimenez had returned from a pectoral injury.

A reliable set of 2022 Fantasy baseball rankings can help you sort through players with staying power versus those who are just flashes in the pan. Picking out the 2022 Fantasy baseball breakouts isn’t easy, but hitting on the right ones can make all the difference to your season. Before making any 2022 Fantasy baseball picks, be sure to see the Fantasy baseball rankings 2022 and cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

Last season, SportsLine’s Projection Model identified several top Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts, including reliever Brad Hand.

The team at SportsLine was all over Hand as a Fantasy bust from the start, and he went on to lose his job as a closer as he bounced around between three teams. He had a disastrous 7.57 ERA in a stint with the Blue Jays later in the season. Their model had him listed much lower than expert consensus rankings, and anyone who listened to their advice avoided a major speed bump that could have derailed their season.

Their model is powered by the same people who powered projections for all three major Fantasy sites. And that same group is sharing its 2022 Fantasy baseball rankings and cheat sheets over at SportsLine, helping you find Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts and busts long before your competition. Their cheat sheets, available for leagues on many major sites, are updated multiple times every day.

Any time more MLB news comes out about the updated 2022 MLB schedule or Fantasy baseball injuries, the team at SportsLine updates its projections. Go to SportsLine now to see these proven Fantasy baseball cheat sheets.

Top 2022 Fantasy baseball sleepers

One of the 2022 Fantasy baseball sleepers the model is all over: Washington Nationals designated hitter Nelson Cruz. The elder statesman DH will turn 42 this season, his first as a member of the Nationals. Last season, his 17th as a big-leaguer, Cruz still had 32 home runs.

He made an All-Star appearance last season as a member of the Twins before being dealt to the Rays, his seventh MLB team. Cruz hasn’t had fewer than 32 home runs in a season since 2013. Even if he’s in the twilight of his career, anything approximating what Cruz did last year is going to result in above-average returns based on his current 2022 Fantasy baseball ADP.

Top 2022 Fantasy baseball breakouts

One of the 2022 Fantasy baseball breakouts the model is all over: Toronto infielder Santiago Espinal. The Blue Jays are loaded with young talent and power hitting, but Espinal will backup shortstop Bo Bichette and could be a more long-term solution at third base if recently acquired Matt Chapman doesn’t pan out.

Espinal was in-and-out of the lineup as a prospect last season and battled through a few injuries, but finished the season strong. In the last nine games of the regular season — all starts — he finished with batting splits of .448/.515/.586. Through the first three months of the season, he started 24 of 43 games and hit .292 with five doubles in 96 at bats. Over two years, Espinal has yet to log 162 total games, but he figures to play a key role with Toronto this season with the potential to start for stretches throughout the course of the year.

Top 2022 Fantasy baseball busts 

The model lists Nationals first baseman Josh Bell as one of its top 2022 Fantasy baseball busts. Bell will occupy an important position in the middle of Washington’s lineup, as the Nationals hope he’ll form a powerful lineup nucleus with Juan Soto and Cruz. 

However, SportsLine’s model projects Bell to drop off a little from last season, and sees him as more of a league-average option than one of the top players at his position. In fact, the model projects him to produce at a level close to that of Yuli Gurriel and Miguel Sano, two players who are going off draft boards several rounds after Bell.

How to find proven 2022 Fantasy baseball rankings

SportsLine is also high on a surprising starting pitcher who lands in the top five of its positional rankings. This player is barely going off the board in the top 100 picks, but is projected to outperform starters such as Julio Urias, Max Scherzer and Lucas Giolito. This pick could be the difference in winning your league or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.

So which 2022 Fantasy baseball busts, breakouts, and sleepers should you target or fade in your drafts? Visit SportsLine now to get 2022 Fantasy baseball rankings for every single position, all from the model that called Brad Hand’s disappointing season, and find out.