1. Keegan Bradley – Bradley is the defending champion of the event after shooting a meager 3 under last year.  He loves playing in the dry courses down in Texas and will have a strong showing this weekend.

2. Jason Day – Day won the event in 2010 and knows the greens better than anyone at the event this year.

3. Phil Mickelson – Mickelson has not finished inside of the top-25 in either of his last two tournaments and seems to be turning very slowly on his drives. With that being said no other golfer on the tour can turn things around quicker then “Lefty”, so expect him to start his comeback this weekend at the BNC.

4. Matt Kuchar – Kuchar won The Player Championship last weekend by shooting a flawless 13 under at Sawgrass. However, he has only participated in the BNC once in the last four years, so he may be a little rusty in the first round.

5. Johnson Wagner – JW has one of the best approach shots on the tour and knows how to lay it up on the green. Look for him to at least end up a couple strokes under this weekend.

6. Ernie Els – Els has not played in the tournament since he finished thirteenth in 2006, but he is drawing a lot of attention this weekend and is a solid fantasy pickup.

7. Jason Dufner – “Duffman” has been erratic over the couple month.  He won the Zurich Classis, finished 68^th last week at the Player Championship, and finished 24^th at the Masters. It is hard to say which golfer will show up, so it safe to expect a performance somewhere in the middle from Dufner.

8. Louis Oosthuizen – Before missing the cut last second, Oosthuizen had two consecutive finishes inside the top-three.

9. Jhonattan Vegas – Veags is playing his best golf of the year, as his seventh place finish last weekend was his best in 2012.

10. Vijay Singh – The veteran is in a very strong grouping, with Dufner and Oosthuizen, and having previously won the event in 2003, is very experienced at the course.

Quarterbacks:
Ryan Fitzpatrick – The “Amish Riffle” electrified the Bills’ offense in 2011.  Fitzpatrick threw for just under 4,000 yards (3,832 yards) and added an impressive 24 touchdowns, as he was a critical cog in the Bills’ 5-2 starts. “Fitzy” unfortunately is the true definition of a gun-slinging quarterback, as he threw a NFL-leading 23 interceptions.  Fitzpatrick will always test the defense downfield, which can be amazing, but can also be disastrous for any fantasy owner.  He will always have games with 2-3 touchdowns, but he will mix them in with 2 or 3 interception games as well. Fitzpatrick is a better bench quarterback for now, or a mid-level starter in leagues that start two quarterbacks.

Vince Young – After coming into Western New York a couple weeks ago to workout with the Bills, the team was reportedly done with contract negotiations with Young.  Then out of nowhere, the Bills offered him a one-year, $2 million dollar contract last week. He will likely win the backup role over current second-string quarterback, Tyler Thigpen, and thus see a heavy dose of playing time this preseason to get acclimated with the playbook.  There will be a small number of Fitzpatrick “haters” who will draft Young based on his career 31-19 record, but they will quickly find out about the pitfalls of waiting on a backup quarterback to overcome the starter, that is unless your name is Tim Tebow.

Running backs:
Fred Jackson – Jackson was on top of the NFL in rushing yardage with over 900 yards, before a horribly timed broken leg in week 11 that cost him the remainder of his career season.  Jackson averaged a stellar 5.5 yards per carry on the year though and was the main beneficiary of the Bills’ newly implemented down hill running game.  Buffalo rewarded him for his hard work with a two-year extension this off-season and Jackson will be a great fantasy back to grab after the third round that will still receive 20-plus touches a game.  Jackson has become the definition of a fantasy workhorse and head coach Chan Gailey will certainly pound the rock inside with “Fast Freddy”.

C. J. Spiller – Spiller truly showcased his versatility last season, by playing both running back and wide receiver as the team’s injury concerns got a height. However after the aforementioned Jackson injury, Spiller was brought back into the backfield. He started six games in Jackson’s absence and the former Clemson Tiger averaged 73.3 rushing yards and 31.2 receiving yards per game during that time. On top of averaging 104 yards per game in his brief six-game starting stint, Spiller scored five touchdowns as well. Spiller can be an amazing fantasy flex player with only 10-15 touches per game and will be one of the premier sleepers heading into the 2012 season, as the Bills finally seem dedicated to getting the ball in his hands.

Wide Receivers:
Steve Johnson – Johnson should be 100% healthy following his groin surgery earlier this month, which is an exceptionally good sign considering the amount of money Buffalo just paid the receiver.  He is extremely physical for a wideout his size and has deceptive speed always seems to catch opposing cornerbacks sleeping over the top.  He has become one of the premier fantasy receivers in the game, and even better, comes well after the top 10 wideouts are already off the board. Fantasy owners should expect another 1,000 yard-season and 7-10 touchdowns.

David Nelson – Nelson had a very surprising 2011 fantasy season.  He caught 61 balls with 5 touchdowns and turned out to be a huge waiver wire find for Bills fans around the fantasy universe.  Nelson will have a tougher time this year with all the competition at the position, so homers should avoid him if possible in 2012.

T. J. Graham – Graham was a third-round pick out of North Carolina State and is an absolute burner on the outside.  He has the raw speed to be able to get behind any cornerback in the game, which can lead to a lot of long scores for fantasy owners. Graham will need to polish his route running to get consistent playing time, but his blazing speed will get him on the field, one way or another.  He is a late round pick at best in deeper fantasy leagues, but could surprise with 5-7 long scores.

Tight End:
Scott Chandler – Chandler was the leading tight end through the first three weeks of the 2011 season with an outstanding 4 touchdowns.  He lived in between the hashes early on and was Fitzpatrick’s safety blanket in the red-zone.  However, as the year wore on he stopped getting separation from the defense and eventually was barely part of the team’s passing attack. The Bills brought Chandler back by re-signing him to a two-year deal this off-season, and the team would not have brought him back to not get involved offensively.  He should benefit from the Jackson coming back healthy and taking more pressure of him in the middle of the field.

Check back closer to the start of the season for my full fantasy football report of the Buffalo Bills.

 
2011-12 College Average: 17.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.6 blocks, 2.1 3-pointers, 2.0 turnovers

 
Scoring: A- Lamb is one of the premier shooting two-guards in this draft class.  Lamb can hit every shot on the floor and excelled from the perimeter with over 2 3-pointers a game.  He has also perfected the art of the pick-n-roll and knows how to blend in around the basketball.  Lamb’s shot will only get better as he matures as a player and he could easily average 15 points a game throughout his career.

 
Rebounding: B Lamb was able to bring down just under 5 boards (4.9) a game and showed that he is much more then just a jump shooter.  It is rare to see a guy in the two-spot who can rebound as well as Lamb, so it will certainly be something that NBA scouts consider when drafting this summer.

 
Size: B+ The sophomore has outstanding size for a shooting guard.  He stands at a respectable 6’5”, but the most amazing part of his frame is his ridiculous 7’0” wingspan.  The 19 year old’s size will allow him to be able to go up in the air with anyone in the NBA, but he will have to add some weight to his 180-pound frame in order to be able to bang around with the Kobe Bryant’s and Josh Smith’s of the league.

 
Athleticism: B+ Lamb is fast enough to play shooting guard and is athletic enough to play small forward in a small-lineup.  He may not be able to crack the starting lineup for a team in the first week of the 2012 season, but his athletic ability will certainly get him 20-plus minutes per game.

 
Projection: First Round

 
NBA Comparison: New Orleans’s Eric Gordon

Catchers:

1. Carlos Santana, CLE – (5/14 @MIN) (5/15 @MIN) (5/16 vs. SEA) (5/17 vs. SEA) (5/18 vs. MIA) (5/19 vs. MIA) (5/20 vs. MIA)

2. Matt Wieters, BAL – (5/14 vs. NYY) (5/15 vs. NYY) (5/16 @KC) (5/17 @KC) (5/18 @WAS) (5/19 @WAS) (5/20 @WAS)

3. Brian McCann, ATL – (5/14 vs. CIN) (5/15 vs. CIN) (5/16 vs. MIA) (5/17 vs. MIA) (5/18 @TB) (5/19 @TB) (5/20 @TB)

4. Mike Napoli, TEX – (5/14 vs. KC) (5/15 vs. KC) (5/16 vs. OAK) (5/17 vs. OAK) (5/18 @HOU) (5/19 @HOU) (5/20 @HOU)

5. Yadier Molina, STL – (5/14 vs. CHC) (5/15 vs. CHC) (5/16 @SF) (5/17 @SF) (5/18 @LAD) (5/19 @LAD) (5/20 @LAD)

6. Joe Mauer, MIN – (5/14 vs. CLE) (5/15 vs. CLE) (5/16 @DET) (5/17 @DET) (5/18 @MIL) (5/19 @MIL) (5/20 @MIL)

7. Buster Posey, SF – (5/14 vs. COL) (5/15 vs. COL) (5/16 vs. STL) (5/17 vs. STL) (5/18 vs. OAK) (5/19 vs. OAK) (5/20 vs. OAK)

8. Miguel Montero, ARI – (5/14 @LAD) (5/15 @LAD) (5/16 @COL) (5/17 @COL) (5/18 @KC) (5/19 @KC) (5/20 @KC)

9. A.J. Pierzynski, CHW – (5/14 vs. DET) (5/15 vs. DET) (5/16 @LAA) (5/17 @LAA) (5/18 @CHC) (5/19 @CHC) (5/20 @CHC)

10. Ramon Hernandez, COL – (5/14 @SF) (5/15 @SF) (5/16 vs. ARI) (5/17 vs. ARI) (5/18 vs. SEA) (5/19 vs. SEA) (5/20 vs. SEA)

First Base:

1. Freddie Freeman, ATL – (5/14 vs. CIN) (5/15 vs. CIN) (5/16 vs. MIA) (5/17 vs. MIA) (5/18 @TB) (5/19 @TB) (5/20 @TB)

2. Adrian Gonzalez, BOS – (5/14 vs. SEA) (5/15 vs. SEA) (5/16 @TB) (5/17 @TB) (5/18 @PHI) (5/19 @PHI) (5/20 @PHI)

3. Prince Fielder, DET – (5/14 @CHW) (5/15 @CHW) (5/16 vs. MIN) (5/17 vs. MIN) (5/18 vs. PIT) (5/19 vs. PIT) (5/20 vs. PIT)

4. Albert Pujols, LAA – (5/14 vs. OAK) (5/15 vs. OAK) (5/16 vs. CHW) (5/17 vs. CHW) (5/18 @SD) (5/19 @SD) (5/20 @SD)

5. Joey Votto, CIN – (5/14 @ATL) (5/15 @ATL) (5/16 @NYM) (5/17 @NYM) (5/18 @NYY) (5/19 @NYY) (5/20 @NYY)

6. Mark Teixeira, NYY - (5/14 @BAL) (5/15 @BAL) (5/16 @TOR) (5/17 @TOR) (5/18 vs. CIN) (5/19 vs. CIN) (5/20 vs. CIN)

7. Ike Davis, NYM – (5/14 vs. MIL) (5/15 vs. MIL) (5/16 vs. CIN) (5/17 vs. CIN) (5/18 @TOR) (5/19 @TOR) (5/20 @TOR)

8. Paul Goldschmidt, ARI – (5/14 @LAD) (5/15 @LAD) (5/16 @COL) (5/17 @COL) (5/18 @KC) (5/19 @KC) (5/20 @KC)

9. Paul Konerko, CHW – (5/14 vs. DET) (5/15 vs. DET) (5/16 @LAA) (5/17 @LAA) (5/18 @CHC) (5/19 @CHC) (5/20 @CHC)

10. Carlos Pena, TB – (5/14 @TOR) (5/15 @TOR) (5/16 vs. BOS) (5/17 vs. BOS) (5/18 vs. ATL) (5/19 vs. ATL) (5/20 vs. ATL)

Second Base:

1. Robinson Cano, NYY – (5/14 @BAL) (5/15 @BAL) (5/16 @TOR) (5/17 @TOR) (5/18 vs. CIN) (5/19 vs. CIN) (5/20 vs. CIN)

2. Dustin Pedroia, BOS – (5/14 vs. SEA) (5/15 vs. SEA) (5/16 @TB) (5/17 @TB) (5/18 @PHI) (5/19 @PHI) (5/20 @PHI)

3. Ben Zorbist, TB – (5/14 @TOR) (5/15 @TOR) (5/16 vs. BOS) (5/17 vs. BOS) (5/18 vs. ATL) (5/19 vs. ATL) (5/20 vs. ATL)

4. Ian Kinsler, TEX – (5/14 vs. KC) (5/15 vs. KC) (5/16 vs. OAK) (5/17 vs. OAK) (5/18 @HOU) (5/19 @HOU) (5/20 @HOU)

5. Dan Uggla, ATL – (5/14 vs. CIN) (5/15 vs. CIN) (5/16 vs. MIA) (5/17 vs. MIA) (5/18 @TB) (5/19 @TB) (5/20 @TB)

6. Rickie Weeks, MIL – (5/14 @NYM) (5/15 @NYM) (5/16 @HOU) (5/17 @HOU) (5/18 vs. MIN) (5/19 vs. MIN) (5/20 vs. MIN)

7. Neil Walker, PIT - (5/14 @MIA) (5/15 @MIA) (5/16 @WAS) (5/17 @WAS) (5/18 @DET) (5/19 @DET) (5/20 @DET)

8. Jason Kipnis, CLE – (5/14 @MIN) (5/15 @MIN) (5/16 vs. SEA) (5/17 vs. SEA) (5/18 vs. MIA) (5/19 vs. MIA) (5/20 vs. MIA)

9. Jemile Weeks, OAK – (5/14 @LAA) (5/15 @LAA) (5/16 @TEX) (5/17 @TEX) (5/18 @SF) (5/19 @SF) (5/20 @SF)

10. Danny Espinosa, WAS – (5/14 vs. SD) (5/15 vs. SD) (S/16 vs. PIT) (5/17 vs. BAL) (5/18 vs. BAL) (5/19 vs. BAL) (5/20 vs. BAL)

Third Base:

1. Miguel Cabrera, DET – (5/14 @CHW) (5/15 @CHW) (5/16 vs. MIN) (5/17 vs. MIN) (5/18 vs. PIT) (5/19 vs. PIT) (5/20 vs. PIT)

2. David Wright, NYM – (5/14 vs. MIL) (5/15 vs. MIL) (5/16 vs. CIN) (5/17 vs. CIN) (5/18 @TOR) (5/19 @TOR) (5/20 @TOR)

3. Hanley Ramirez, MIA – (5/14 vs. PIT) (5/15 vs. PIT) (5/16 @ATL) (5/17 @ATL) (5/18 @CLE) (5/19 @CLE) (5/20 @CLE)

4. David Freese, STL – (5/14 vs. CHC) (5/15 vs. CHC) (5/16 @SF) (5/17 @SF) (5/18 @LAD) (5/19 @LAD) (5/20 @LAD)

5. Alex Rodriguez, NYY – (5/14 @BAL) (5/15 @BAL) (5/16 @TOR) (5/17 @TOR) (5/18 vs. CIN) (5/19 vs. CIN) (5/20 vs. CIN)

6. Brett Lawrie, TOR – (5/14 vs. TB) (5/15 vs. TB) (5/16 vs. NYY) (5/17 vs. NYY) (5/18 vs. NYM) (5/19 vs. NYM) (5/20 vs. NYM)

7. Adrian Beltre, TEX - (5/14 vs. KC) (5/15 vs. KC) (5/16 vs. OAK) (5/17 vs. OAK) (5/18 @HOU) (5/19 @HOU) (5/20 @HOU)

8. Pablo Sandoval, SF – (5/14 vs. COL) (5/15 vs. COL) (5/16 vs. STL) (5/17 vs. STL) (5/18 vs. OAK) (5/19 vs. OAK) (5/20 vs. OAK)

9. Mark Reynolds, BAL – (5/14 vs. NYY) (5/15 vs. NYY) (5/16 @KC) (5/17 @KC) (5/18 @WAS) (5/19 @WAS) (5/20 @WAS)

10. Ryan Zimmerman, WAS – (5/14 vs. SD) (5/15 vs. SD) (S/16 vs. PIT) (5/17 vs. BAL) (5/18 vs. BAL) (5/19 vs. BAL) (5/20 vs. BAL)

Shortstop:

1. Troy Tulowitzki, COL – (5/14 @SF) (5/15 @SF) (5/16 vs. ARI) (5/17 vs. ARI) (5/18 vs. SEA) (5/19 vs. SEA) (5/20 vs. SEA)

2. Jose Reyes, MIA – (5/14 vs. PIT) (5/15 vs. PIT) (5/16 @ATL) (5/17 @ATL) (5/18 @CLE) (5/19 @CLE) (5/20 @CLE)

3. Derek Jeter, NYY – (5/14 @BAL) (5/15 @BAL) (5/16 @TOR) (5/17 @TOR) (5/18 vs. CIN) (5/19 vs. CIN) (5/20 vs. CIN)

4. Elvis Andrus, TEX – (5/14 vs. KC) (5/15 vs. KC) (5/16 vs. OAK) (5/17 vs. OAK) (5/18 @HOU) (5/19 @HOU) (5/20 @HOU

5. Starlin Castro , CHC – (5/14 @STL) (5/15 @STL) (5/16 vs. PHI) (5/17 vs. PHI) (5/18 vs. CHW) (5/19 vs. CHW) (5/20 vs. CHW)

6. Yunel Escobar, TOR – (5/14 vs. TB) (5/15 vs. TB) (5/16 vs. NYY) (5/17 vs. NYY) (5/18 vs. NYM) (5/19 vs. NYM) (5/20 vs. NYM)

7. Rafael Furcal, STL – (5/14 vs. CHC) (5/15 vs. CHC) (5/16 @SF) (5/17 @SF) (5/18 @LAD) (5/19 @LAD) (5/20 @LAD)

8. Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE – (5/14 @MIN) (5/15 @MIN) (5/16 vs. SEA) (5/17 vs. SEA) (5/18 vs. MIA) (5/19 vs. MIA) (5/20 vs. MIA)

9. Jimmy Rollins, PHI – (5/14 vs. HOU) (5/15 vs. HOU) (5/16 @CHC) (5/17 @CHC) (5/18 vs. BOS) (5/19 vs. BOS) (5/20 vs. BOS)

10. Zack Cozart, CIN – (5/14 @ATL) (5/15 @ATL) (5/16 @NYM) (5/17 @NYM) (5/18 @NYY) (5/19 @NYY) (5/20 @NYY)

Outfield:

1. Matt Kemp, LAD – (5/14 vs. ARI) (5/15 vs. ARI) (5/16 @SD) (5/17 @SD) (5/18 vs. STL) (5/19 vs. STL) (5/20 vs. STL)

2. Josh Hamilton, TEX – (5/14 vs. KC) (5/15 vs. KC) (5/16 vs. OAK) (5/17 vs. OAK) (5/18 @HOU) (5/19 @HOU) (5/20 @HOU)

3. Curtis Granderson, NYY – (5/14 @BAL) (5/15 @BAL) (5/16 @TOR) (5/17 @TOR) (5/18 vs. CIN) (5/19 vs. CIN) (5/20 vs. CIN)

4. Matt Holliday, STL – (5/14 vs. CHC) (5/15 vs. CHC) (5/16 @SF) (5/17 @SF) (5/18 @LAD) (5/19 @LAD) (5/20 @LAD)

5. Andrew McCutchen, PIT – (5/14 @MIA) (5/15 @MIA) (5/16 @WAS) (5/17 @WAS) (5/18 @DET) (5/19 @DET) (5/20 @DET) 

6. Giancarlo Stanton, MIA – (5/14 vs. PIT) (5/15 vs. PIT) (5/16 @ATL) (5/17 @ATL) (5/18 @CLE) (5/19 @CLE) (5/20 @CLE)

7. Adam Jones, BAL – (5/14 vs. NYY) (5/15 vs. NYY) (5/16 @KC) (5/17 @KC) (5/18 @WAS) (5/19 @WAS) (5/20 @WAS)

8. Jason Heyward, ATL - (5/14 vs. CIN) (5/15 vs. CIN) (5/16 vs. MIA) (5/17 vs. MIA) (5/18 @TB) (5/19 @TB) (5/20 @TB)

9. Jose Bautista, TOR – (5/14 vs. TB) (5/15 vs. TB) (5/16 vs. NYY) (5/17 vs. NYY) (5/18 vs. NYM) (5/19 vs. NYM) (5/20 vs. NYM)

10. Ryan Braun, MIL - (5/14 @NYM) (5/15 @NYM) (5/16 @HOU) (5/17 @HOU) (5/18 vs. MIN) (5/19 vs. MIN) (5/20 vs. MIN)

Starting Pitchers:

1. Clayton Kershaw, LAD – (5/14 vs. ARI) (5/19 vs. STL)

2. Stephen Strasburg, WAS - (5/15 vs. SD) (5/20 vs. BAL)

3. David Price, TB – (5/15 @TOR) (5/20 vs. ATL)

4. Matt Cain, SF – (5/17 vs. STL)

5. Justin Verlander, DET - (5/18 vs. PIT)

6. C. C. Sabathia, NYY – (5/15 vs. SD) (5/20 vs. CIN)

7. Felix Hernandez, SEA - (5/16 @CLE)

8. Tim Lincecum , SF - (5/15 vs. COL) (5/20 vs. OAK)

9. Roy Halladay, PHI – (5/17 @CHC)

10. Cliff Lee, PHI – (5/15 vs. HOU) (5/20 vs. BOS)

Relief Pitchers:

1. Craig Kimbrel, ATL - (5/14 vs. CIN) (5/15 vs. CIN) (5/16 vs. MIA) (5/17 vs. MIA) (5/18 @TB) (5/19 @TB) (5/20 @TB)

2. Jim Johnson, BAL - (5/14 vs. NYY) (5/15 vs. NYY) (5/16 @KC) (5/17 @KC) (5/18 @WAS) (5/19 @WAS) (5/20 @WAS)

3. Chris Perez, CLE – (5/14 @MIN) (5/15 @MIN) (5/16 vs. SEA) (5/17 vs. SEA) (5/18 vs. MIA) (5/19 vs. MIA) (5/20 vs. MIA)

4. Jonathan Axford, MIL – (5/14 @NYM) (5/15 @NYM) (5/16 @HOU) (5/17 @HOU) (5/18 vs. MIN) (5/19 vs. MIN) (5/20 vs. MIN)

5. Jonathan Papelbon, PHI – (5/14 vs. HOU) (5/15 vs. HOU) (5/16 @CHC) (5/17 @CHC) (5/18 vs. BOS) (5/19 vs. BOS) (5/20 vs. BOS)

6. Fernando Rodney, TB – (5/14 @TOR) (5/15 @TOR) (5/16 vs. BOS) (5/17 vs. BOS) (5/18 vs. ATL) (5/19 vs. ATL) (5/20 vs. ATL)

7. Henry Rodriquez, WAS - (5/14 vs. SD) (5/15 vs. SD) (S/16 vs. PIT) (5/17 vs. BAL) (5/18 vs. BAL) (5/19 vs. BAL) (5/20 vs. BAL)

8. Jose Valverde, DET - (5/14 @CHW) (5/15 @CHW) (5/16 vs. MIN) (5/17 vs. MIN) (5/18 vs. PIT) (5/19 vs. PIT) (5/20 vs. PIT)

9. Joe Nathan, TEX - (5/14 vs. KC) (5/15 vs. KC) (5/16 vs. OAK) (5/17 vs. OAK) (5/18 @HOU) (5/19 @HOU) (5/20 @HOU)

10. Heath Bell, MIA - (5/14 vs. PIT) (5/15 vs. PIT) (5/16 @ATL) (5/17 @ATL) (5/18 @CLE) (5/19 @CLE) (5/20 @CLE)

Make sure to check back for my weekly player rankings.

Castro has a very similar skill set to Philadelphia’s Jimmy Rollins, who was a fantasy MVP for years before winning his 2008 NL MVP.  Castro is still learning the game, so it is scary to see what his fantasy potential will amount to once he finally hits his prime in a couple years.  The 22-year old is one of his generation’s leading shortstops, joining Texas’ Elvis Andrus and Cincinnati’s Zack Cozart.  Castro is still the lesser known of the three star shortstops and came much cheaper in fantasy leagues around the country because of it.

The only downside to Castro’s game is that he will need to develop a little more pop to be a consistent top-tier shortstop in fantasy.  He has only hit one home run this season in his first 32 contests, but he should start to heat up as the weather begins to turn.  No hitters like hitting during the cold months of April and May, so expect Castro to finish with over 10 homers when it is all is said and done. Castro is one of the next stars in the MLB, regardless of the opinion of Miami Marlins’ manager Ozzie Guillen.

The team is being overly cautious with Strasburg, because he had such an exhausting rehab following his Tommy John surgery at the end of 2010. However, like most pitchers, Strasburg has come back even stronger and is throwing harder then he ever has. His pitches are hitting all of the plate and his fastball his topping out at just over 95 MPH, which is among the best in the MLB. He has struck out a phenomenal 51 batters in his 44 innings already and may have become the new poster child for Doctor Andrews’ famous procedure. Despite Strasburg coming back like a 21-year old, the team is still going to be conservative with him, like most general managers across the game would be.

The Nationals are currently 21-12 and leading the National League East, over the Atlanta Braves, by a meager half a game. If the Nats keep winning, or in the very least stay competitive, then it will be absolutely impossible for the team to shutdown their best player right before the playoffs. This could end up being a saving grace for the Strasburg’s fantasy value down the stretch, so there could be a huge wave of band-wagon Washington National fans come June just to keep their fantasy hopes alive. It is not being biased; it is simply fantasy baseball.

Jackson has lead the team in rushing each of the past three seasons and the former Division III College star has become the lifeblood of the Buffalo offense. He gives the Bills a powerful downhiller runner that they do not get with Clemson speedster, C. J. Spiller. Jackson averaged a respectable 5.5 yards per attempt last season and showed that he can handle the brunt of the team’s running attack.

Keeping Jackson in Buffalo through 2014 was the latest of general manager, Buddy Nix’s huge off-season moves and for the first time in over 20 years the Buffalo Bills are finally spending some money. The team has really tried to turn their team around and is finally giving credence to the phrase “No one circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills”.

Small Leagues: 8-10 man leagues 

C Jesus Montero, SEA – Montero may have started the season as the M’s designated hitter, but Miguel Oliva’s early season groin injury has put Montero back behind the plate.  Montero is an extremely disciplined hitter and will help the team not miss a beat following the loss of their starting backstop.

1B Mitch Moreland, TEX – Moreland has hit safely in seven of his last eight games and has raised his batting average from .232 to .260 just in the month of May.  His home run power will always be there, but he will become a true fantasy star if he can keep his batting around .280.

2B Ben Zobrist, TB – Zobrist may have a completely embarrassing .206 batting average, but he also has a respectable 4 homers and 12 RBIs on the year.  “Zorro’s” batting average will come around eventually, so the veteran certainly has some multi-hit games in his future.

3B Mike Aviles, BOS – Aviles continues to be impress with 5 home runs and 19 RBIs on the year.  The veteran is also eligible at second base and shortstop in most leagues, so his ability to be plugged in at a variety of positions is just icing on the cake.

SS Cody Ransom, ARI – Ransom has captured the attention of the fantasy community in the last couple weeks. He has crushed 3 home runs, 8 hits, and 8 RBIs in his last seven games alone.  Ransom is worth starting while he is in such a hot streak, but owners should be weary, because the 36-year old has a long cold stretch coming.

OF Jordan Schafer , HOU – Schafer is still available in a majority of fantasy leagues, despite showing a combination of both speed and power in centerfield.  He has an amazing 11 stolen bases on the year, but has uncharacteristically added 2 homers with his dynamic base sealing ability. Schaffy also has drawn 13 walks so far and has become a great fantasy pickup in all formats.

OF Angel Pagan, SF – Pagan has hit 4 homers already for the Giants, which is surprisingly only 3 behind his total from all of 2011.  The 30-year old looks rejuvenated on the west coast, and his 4 stolen bases coupled with his power numbers have a made him a fantasy All-Star so far.

SP James McDonald, PIT – It is hard to believe that McDonald is still available in a majority of fantasy leagues with his glimmering 2.70 ERA.  He is hitting all his targets and is not afraid to make a batter chase a pitch outside of the strike-zone. McDonald has looked the Buco’s best starter, which has come as a huge surprise to anyone with A. J. Burnett on his or her roster.

SP Carlos Zambrano, MIA – “Big Z” has shown that he is finally healthy and back in “baseball shape”. He has a 2.51 ERA through his first six starts, but none of them were as impressive as his nine-inning shutout over the Houston Astros Tuesday night.  He was hitting every one of his targets, while striking out nine batters and only allowing 4 base runners (3 hits and 1 walk).

RP David Robertson, NYY – With Mariano Rivera done for the year, Robertson just became the most coveted free agent pick of the year.  Robertson has seriously struggled in his first two save chances, including the ninth inning disaster late Wednesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays.  However, if he can settle into his new role, then he could easily end up 30 saves by the time the year is done.

With the sixth week of the fantasy baseball season upon us, free agents picks are as important as ever.  Below are my week six free agent pickups for large fantasy leagues:

1B Kila Ka’aihue, OAK – Ka’aihue may not be the everyday first baseman in Oakland, but he has played much better then his opponent, Daric Barton who is hitting under .203.  Ka’aihue is batting a much more efficient .266 in his 19 games and is showing great discipline at the plate with only 10 strikeouts.

2B Robert Andino, BAL – Andino has been a critical part of the Orioles’ recent success, as their batter in the nine-spot is batting .306 in 27 games.

3B Placido Polanco, PHI – “Master P” has 12 hits in May, this could be the comeback that the he has dreamed about since Only God Can Judge Me Now.

SS Tyler Pastornicky, ATL – The “Reverend” continues to prove the none-believers wrong as he has amassed an ungodly 16 hits in his last 14 games.  Pastornicky may not have home run power, but he can certainly hit for average in an otherwise inconsistent Braves’ lineup.

OF Michael Brantley, CLE – Brantley was a waiver wire All-Star in 2011, but has started the season somewhat slower then expected.  He is only batting .239 so far, but he looks like he is waking up with 8 hits in his last eight games.

OF Josh Reddick, OAK – Reddick has already crushed 6 homers on the year and has shown some very promising power.  The 25-year old is a bit of a free swinger with 22 strikeouts on the year, but his potential to hit 20 plus homers is too good to pass up.

SP Jeanmar Gomez, CLE – Gomez was incredible through his first three starts this year, but ran into trouble last night, as he was shelled for 8 runs against the White Sox.  Gomez has great control over his fastball, but like all pitchers, it tends to float up in the strike-zone.  Gomez is still worth stashing in mixed leagues, as he will throw the occasional fantasy gem.

SP R. A. Dickey, NYM – Dickey is getting no respect in fantasy leagues around the country, despite having a strong 4-1 record.  The knuckle-baller also has a 3.75 ERA and has had a quality start in five of his six starts.

RP Rafael Soriano, NYY – While David Robertson has looked very nervous in his first two save opportunities, he will likely remain the man in the ninth.  However, if Robertson continues to struggle, then the job will be Soriano’s to lose.  Soriano does have 90 career saves under his belt, including a huge 45-season in 2010 with Tampa Bay, so he does have experience as a closer.  He will still grab the occasional save from Robertson from now, and is certainly worth stashing in bigger mixed leagues incase he gets the job in a couple weeks.

Hamilton has really put to bed all the erroneous off-season rumors that he is not staying focused, as “Big Ham” appears to be the most focused thing in all of Texas. He is extremely disciplined at the plate and has severely limited his strikeouts numbers from last year. His raw home run power can lead a fantasy outfield for the whole season, especially since most players at the position do not hit 3 home runs in a week, let alone 4 in a single game.

Hamilton has all the confidence of head coach Ron Washington, so he is not afraid to swing for the fences on every at-bat. Hamilton has truly become one of the elite fantasy contributors in the MLB and is putting up exactly the kind of numbers that everyone thought Albert Pujols would be putting up. He is already in contention for the AL MVP, if not the front-runner for the prestigious award. However, if he keeps this type of performance up for the remainder of the season, he will have another piece of hardware to add to his shelf, a fantasy baseball MVP.