At first glance, our fantasy 2B rankings for 2021 look fairly deep, but when you factor in multi-position eligibility, you can imagine many of these players going off the board earlier than expected, at least in deep leagues. In shallow leagues, you shouldn't have a problem finding a good second baseman, even if you wait and dip down to the sleeper tier.
The great thing about second base is you can find almost whatever you need there. There are average hitters, power hitters, and steals contributors. That makes it tough to put this position into tiers, as it really comes down to category needs. A speedster like Nick Madrigal might have more value to your team than a slugger like Mike Moustakas depending on how you've built your team. Moustakas is ranked roughly 10 spots ahead of Madrigal -- and will certainly go higher in drafts -- but you could be better off waiting several rounds and scooping up Madrigal even if that means reaching a bit.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: 2021 Fantasy Baseball Cheat Sheet
It's worth noting that there aren't many "category-winning" SB guys at 2B anymore. Whit Merrifield and Jose Altuve both had that reputation, but both have seen notable drop-offs in steals the past couple seasons. Guys like Ozzie Albies, Cavan Biggio, and Dylan Moore could all get to 20 steals, but unless Garrett Hampson, Jonathan Villar, Jon Berti, or Dee Strange-Gordon get everyday playing time, it seems unlikely that a 2B will even hit 30 SBs.
2021 FANTASY BASEBALL RANKINGS:
Catcher | First | Third | Short | Outfield | Starter | Reliever | Top 300
That doesn't mean finding a four- or five-category contributor at 2B isn't important, but you shouldn't think you will win steals because of your second baseman. Ultimately, that means you shouldn't let a good all-around value pass you by in the draft. There are legit sluggers at this position (Gleyber Torres, Brandon Lowe, Max Muncy, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Ian Happ, etc.), as well as potentially major average contributors (DJ LeMahieu, Merrifield, Altuve, Jeff McNeil, Jean Segura). There are also plenty of high-upside sleepers (Nick Solak, Moore, Gavin Lux, Jake Cronenworth) and worthwhile bench players who can chip in across the board if you need them (Kolten Wong, Tommy Edman).
2021 FANTASY SLEEPERS
Catcher | First | Second | Third | Short | Outfield | Pitcher | Each Team
It's tough to predict when many of these players will be drafted, but if you stay on top of how many 2Bs have been selected as well as your category needs, you should be able to find a solid starter and even a versatile, productive backup.
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We'll be updating our 2B rankings throughout the spring, so check back for the latest player movement. Please note that players are ranked as if they're only eligible at 2B. Some players, such as Gleyber Torres or Ketel Marte, may be ranked higher overall because they're eligible at multiple positions.
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Fantasy Baseball 2B Rankings: Second Base Tiers, Sleepers, Draft Strategy
Rankings based on 5x5 H2H leagues with Rs, HRs, RBIs, SBs, and Batting Average as hitting categories.
Position eligibility based on Yahoo's default settings
* = player not eligible at a position on draft day but expected to play there during the season
| Rank | Player (bats) | Age (as of 4/1) | Team | Other Pos. | Tier |
| 1 | DJ LeMahieu (R) | 32 | Yankees | 1B, 3B | 1 |
| 2 | Keston Hiura (R) | 24 | Brewers | 1B* | 1 |
| 3 | Whit Merrifield (R) | 32 | Royals | OF | 1 |
| 4 | Ozzie Albies (S) | 24 | Braves | -- | 2 |
| 5 | Gleyber Torres (R) | 24 | Yankees | SS | 2 |
| 6 | Brandon Lowe (L) | 26 | Rays | 1B, OF | 2 |
| 7 | Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (R) | 27 | Blue Jays | OF | 2 |
| 8 | Jose Altuve (R) | 30 | Astros | -- | 2 |
| 9 | Cavan Biggio (L) | 25 | Blue Jays | 3B, OF | 2 |
| 10 | Marcus Semien (R)* | 30 | Blue Jays | SS | 2 |
| 11 | Ketel Marte (S) | 27 | D-backs | SS, OF | 2 |
| 12 | Max Muncy (L) | 30 | Dodgers | 1B, 3B | 3 |
| 13 | Mike Moustakas (L) | 32 | Reds | 1B, 3B | 3 |
| 14 | Jeff McNeil (L) | 28 | Mets | 3B, OF | 3 |
| 15 | Ian Happ (S) | 26 | Cubs | 3B, OF | 3 |
| 16 | Nick Solak (R) | 25 | Rangers | 3B, OF | 3 |
| 17 | Dylan Moore (R) | 28 | Mariners | 3B, SS, OF | 3 |
| 18 | Eduardo Escobar (S) | 32 | D-backs | 3B | 3 |
| 19 | Jean Segura (R) | 31 | Phillies | 3B, SS | 4 |
| 20 | Ryan McMahon (L) | 26 | Rockies | 1B, 3B | 4 |
| 21 | Kolten Wong (L) | 30 | Brewers | -- | 4 |
| 22 | Tommy Edman (S) | 25 | Cardinals | 3B, SS, OF | 4 |
| 23 | Nick Madrigal (R) | 24 | White Sox | -- | 4 |
| 24 | Garrett Hampson (R) | 26 | Rockies | SS, OF | 4 |
| 25 | Jake Cronenworth (L) | 27 | Padres | 1B, SS | 4 |
| 26 | Gavin Lux (L) | 23 | Dodgers | -- | 5 |
| 27 | Jonathan Schoop (R) | 29 | Tigers | -- | 5 |
| 28 | Jonathan Villar (S) | 29 | Mets | SS | 5 |
| 29 | Jon Berti (R) | 30 | Marlins | 3B, SS, OF | 5 |
| 30 | Colin Moran (L) | 28 | Pirates | 1B, 3B | 6 |
| 31 | Brendan Rodgers (R) | 24 | Rockies | SS | 6 |
| 32 | Ha-seong Kim (R) | 25 | Padres | SS | 6 |
| 33 | Chris Taylor (R) | 30 | Dodgers | SS, OF | 6 |
| 34 | Freddy Galvis (S) | 31 | Orioles | SS | 6 |
| 35 | Mike Brosseau (R) | 27 | Rays | 1B, 3B | 6 |
| 36 | Ty France (R) | 26 | Mariners | 3B | 6 |
| 37 | Andres Gimenez (L) | 22 | Indians | 3B, SS | 6 |
| 38 | Dee Strange-Gordon (L) | 32 | Reds | SS*, OF | 6 |
| 39 | Jurickson Profar (S) | 27 | Padres | OF | 7 |
| 40 | Michael Chavis (R) | 25 | Red Sox | 1B, OF | 7 |
| 41 | Mauricio Dubon (R) | 26 | Giants | SS, OF | 7 |
| 42 | Wilmer Flores (R) | 29 | Giants | 1B | 7 |
| 43 | Starlin Castro (R) | 31 | Nationals | -- | 7 |
| 44 | Donovan Solano (R) | 33 | Giants | -- | 7 |
| 45 | Joey Wendle (L) | 30 | Rays | 3B, SS | 7 |
| 46 | Luis Urias (R) | 23 | Brewers | 3B, SS | 7 |
| 47 | Isan Diaz (L) | 24 | Marlins | -- | 7 |
| 48 | Scott Kingery (R) | 26 | Phillies | 3B, SS, OF | 7 |
| 49 | David Fletcher (R) | 26 | Angels | 3B, SS, OF | 7 |
| 50 | Adam Frazier (L) | 29 | Pirates | -- | 7 |