Now that the 2026 fantasy baseball season is just about done, it’s time for some deep review. That includes an audit of how well we did in our coverage. And overall, we were right on many things throughout the 2026 campaign. So, let’s do some gloating, shall we?
To grab these players
Back in Week 1, Max Meyer was among the five pitchers we noted you should pick up. And for those who listened, you did well. Meyer struck out 121 over 111 innings, posted a sub-3.00 ERA, and made it to the 2026 All-Star Game based upon his performance.
Unfortunately, his second half was derailed by injuries. That doesn’t dimish the fact that Meyer was quite the pickup.
In Week 2, Emerson Hancock was the big name on our waiver wire pitcher list. Hancock, a former first-round pick, made the adjustment, working that four-seamer early on and it carried him to what was a real breakthrough season for the right-hander. He posted a 3.57 ERA this year.
And in Week 3, we noted that Dillon Dingler‘s hot start was not to be ignored. Yes, Dingler had a very down second half, which did not help the Tigers’ postseason hopes. But at the end of day, Dingler
Jensen’s breakout
At multiple times this year, we preached patience with Carter Jensen. That was for a reason.
Jensen was a high-octane catcher in the Minors, thanks in large part to the bat. And in 2026, Jensen went from prospect to building block. The Royals rookie catcher hit 25 home runs and posted a BB% above 10% in his first 146 games of 2026.
He was a guy who could have been picked up either very late in drafts, or added in free agency. Next year, that won’t be a luxury.
Strong runs from Montgomery & Simpson
Back in March, we sought to highlight true breakout options, not just the types (i.e. CJ Abrams, Cam Schlittler) who were already valuable fantasy assets before the “big” year. Two of the players we highlighted were Colson Montgomery and Chandler Simpson.
Simpson was a fascinating player heading into 2026. You knew that he wasn’t going to deliver in the power department. However, the plus-plus speed and the hit tool garnered enough attention. Thanks to a strong second half, he entered play tied for fifth in total hits (174) and three off the stolen base (46) lead.
As for Montgomery, he hit 31 home runs. Was the average a problem? Yes. But he brought home runs and proved to be valuable, even if the batting average wasn’t high.
To stay away from injury-prone aces
We hit and missed with some of the players on our overvalued/no-draft list. But we hit on the vast majority.
Spencer Strider’s season was a mess, leading to more questions as to whether he will be a starter long-term. Trey Yesavage also missed a lot of time.
Blake Snell had trouble staying on the mound despite great results when he was healthy. Hunter Greene, meanwhile, lasted one month overall.
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