Bryce Harper, OF, Washington Nationals, Average NFBC pick: 9
After a 2015 when he led the major leagues in on base and slugging at just 22 years old with 42 home runs, Harper was drafted among the first 2-3 selections in 2016 drafts, so seeing him at #9 is actually having him drop quite a bit this season.
However, after a 2016 where he hit only .243 with 24 home runs, many fantasy owners are wondering if his 2015 could be the aberration, with his 24 home runs last season marking his second-most in his five seasons.
While in 2015, Harper was solid throughout the season, his 2016 started off much like that 2015 but seemingly hit a wall. In April, Harper hit .286/.406/.714 with 9 home runs and 5 stolen bases. His entire second half, he only hit 5 home runs.
One thing notable in his 2016 was that Harper did show off his tremendous athleticism, stealing 21 bases (though he was caught 10 times). He did walk 108 times, so he was still able to get on base at a good clip.
In August, SI’s Tom Verducci revealed that Harper had been playing through an injury in 2016 that limited his ability to produce solid contact.
While he has reported healthy this spring, like Machado, Harper is simply a guy that requires a more secure hitter paired with him in order to balance the risk that is inherent with Harper, in spite of his elite ability.
Next: Late Season Push