We are in a period of unusual stability atop fantasy drafts, as four of the top five hitters from 2025 ADP (Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr., Juan Soto) remain the top five this year. Also, the No. 1 starter (Tarik Skubal) is a repeat of 2025. Sure, they have slid around within the group, but the overall stability atop the fantasy pyramid is both remarkable and highly unusual.
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For 2026, Judge and Ohtani have separated from the pack. The two superstars lived up to lofty expectations last year, while Witt experienced a small decline. At this point, all discussions involving the No. 1 overall pick revolve around Judge versus Ohtani (Ohtani might have gained a recent edge, what with hisgrand slam in Japan's first game of the World Baseball Classic — a 13-0 rout over Chinese Taipei). But over the years, we have rarely seen the top draft options finish in the same spot.
We need to recognize the unusual place we are at right now and open our minds to the possibility that someone could surge past the Dodgers and Yankees superstars. Here are the players who have the upside to make that happen, even if some of them have enough downside that they do not immediately follow Judge and Ohtani off draft boards.
Garrett Crochet, SP, Boston Red Sox
Many readers will be surprised by the choice to start off with Crochet, but hear me out. When a starting pitcher has a special season, he can help fantasy teams as much as any hitter. And although he is the third starter by ADP, Crochet may have a higher ceiling than Skubal or Paul Skenes.
The left-hander ranked second in baseball in innings last year (behind Logan Webb) and topped the majors in strikeouts. His career 31.8% strikeout rate is superior to that of Skubal and Skenes, and the Red Sox arguably have a better offense and bullpen than the Tigers or Pirates.
Tarik Skubal, SP, Detroit Tigers
If I'm mentioning Crochet, I need to follow up that pick with Skubal, who is the consensus No. 1 pitcher in 2026 drafts. Skubal should beat Crochet in the WHIP category, while also matching him in total innings. Either of the two hurlers could be the No. 1 overall asset, and Skenes would join them in the conversation if it weren't for a lackluster supporting cast that will cost him some wins.
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Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Kansas City Royals
It makes sense that the player who is most often selected immediately after Judge and Ohtani has the best chance of any hitter to unseat them. Witt's homer total dipped last year, which was mostly due to a decline in HR/FB rate. He should bounce back in that area, especially given the news that the fences are coming in at Kauffman Stadium. And the former 49-steal shortstop could lead the majors in swipes at any time, given that his 30.2 ft/sec sprint speed is tied for second-best in baseball.
In fact, if we knew that we would get the 25-year-old's batting stats (32 HR, 109 RBI, 125 R, .332 BA) from 2024 and steals total (49) from 2023, he would be selected ahead of Judge and Ohtani in categories leagues.
Ronald Acuña Jr., OF, Atlanta Braves
Acuña is an easy pick for this article, as he is still in his prime (age 28) and was the No. 1 fantasy asset in 2023, when he hit .337 with 41 homers, 106 RBI, 149 runs and 73 steals. Two straight injury-impacted seasons have dropped Acuña to the back end of the first round. And while that is the sensible spot for the biggest boom-or-bust Rd. 1 option, we must acknowledge that a full bounce-back to his 2023 form would result in numbers that Judge and Ohtani would struggle to match.
Juan Soto, OF, New York Mets
Soto must be on this list, as he was the most valuable player not named Judge or Ohtani last season. Much of that value came from his surprising 38 steals, and while no one expects him to repeat that total this year, it's worth noting that he was caught stealing just four times and could choose to continue his aggressive base running. The swipes will decide if Soto chases the top pair of players, as his plate skills are certainly up to the task. And it helps that the Mets lineup is arguably deeper than it was last year.
Elly De La Cruz, SS, Cincinnati Reds
Although De La Cruz has low odds of finishing first overall, he has a better chance than most fantasy managers realize. He is also newly in the 2026 top five in terms of Yahoo ADP, having unseated José Ramírez (who finished top five in 2025).
A quad injury sapped De La Cruz's skills last summer, and at the midpoint of the season, he was hitting .279 with 18 homers, 22 steals, 56 RBI and 65 runs scored. Double those numbers and add in a few more steals from someone who swiped 67 bases in 2024, and it's easy to see how the 24-year-old could skyrocket up the rankings to the point where he has Judge and Ohtani in his sights.
Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics
My last sleeper to upend Judge and Ohtani also has the latest ADP of the group. There are good reasons that Kurtz hangs around longer than the others — his track record is limited and his contact skills are still a work in progress. But Kurtz has a booming bat, and if he could replicate his rookie-year production across 162 games, he would wind up with 50 homers and nearly 220 R+RBI.
To truly challenge Judge and Ohtani, the slugger would need to post a double-digit steals total, which is possible given that he's heading into his age-23 season with 43rd percentile sprint speed.
