The Braves experienced the end of their seven-year playoff run last season due to several players underperforming. Notable players like Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley, Michael Harris II, and Jurickson Profar, who is currently suspended for the entire season after missing half of the previous season, turned out to be Fantasy baseball disappointments due to injuries, suspensions, or lack of effectiveness. As Fantasy baseball drafts for 2026 approach, creating a successful team will involve not only selecting strong Fantasy baseball picks but also avoiding players labeled as busts.
Additionally, players such as Mookie Betts, J.T. Realmuto, Zac Gallen, and Devin Williams also came off disappointing seasons, failing to meet their Fantasy baseball Average Draft Position (ADP). This raises the question of whether their struggles indicate a downward trend or if they could rebound, making them viable picks in 2026 Fantasy baseball drafts. Before finalizing your draft strategy, it’s essential to explore the 2026 Fantasy baseball rankings and cheat sheets available from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
Last season, SportsLine’s Projection Model successfully identified numerous Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts, and busts, including Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider. Strider topped MLB with 20 wins and 281 strikeouts in 2023, but he struggled with injuries throughout 2024. His return last year saw the model predicting he would have difficulty regaining his pre-injury performance, expecting him to fall short of his high Fantasy ADP (97.81). Even though Strider was the SP30 by average draft position, SportsLine suggested he would barely make it into the top 75 starting pitchers in its rankings.
The outcome was disappointing for Strider, as he logged a 7-14 record with a 4.45 ERA and recorded only 131 strikeouts—less than half his total from 2023. He also faced another month-long injury, ending up near the bottom of the top 100 starting pitchers in Fantasy points, aligning more closely with SportsLine’s projected SP74 than his ADP of SP30. Those who followed the model’s advice and skipped over Strider during drafts were spared a significant headache in their Fantasy rosters.
SportsLine’s model is developed by the same experts behind the projections for all three major Fantasy sites. This group continues to provide 2026 Fantasy baseball rankings and cheat sheets on SportsLine, helping you identify Fantasy baseball sleepers, breakouts, and busts well ahead of your competition. Their cheat sheets are updated daily for many major league formats.
As new MLB news about free agency signings and Fantasy baseball injuries breaks, the SportsLine team continuously revises its projections. Check SportsLine now for these trusted Fantasy baseball cheat sheets.
Top 2026 Fantasy Baseball Busts
One player the model recommends avoiding in the 2026 Fantasy baseball drafts is Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski. After being called up in June last year, he made history by not allowing a hit in his first 11 innings and became an All-Star after just five starts. He had the fifth-highest average fastball velocity in the majors (99.3 m.p.h.) but regressed significantly post-All-Star Game, recording a 6.03 ERA in his final eight starts as hitters adjusted to him. Although he has an average Fantasy ADP that places him among the top 30 starters, SportsLine views him barely in the top 100—making him one to avoid in upcoming drafts.
