Lance Zierlein

Fantasy football rankings

Deshaun Watson is being drafted on average as the 38th overall player in fantasy, according to Fantasypros. Jim Rogash/Getty Images
#QUARTERBACKSPOSTEAMBYE
1Aaron RodgersQBGB7
2Deshaun WatsonQBHOU10
3Tom BradyQBNE11
4Drew BreesQBNO6
5Russell WilsonQBSEA7
6Cam NewtonQBCAR4
7Kirk CousinsQBMIN10
8Ben RoethlisbergerQBPIT7
9Matt RyanQBATL8
10Carson WentzQBPHI9
11Jimmy GaroppoloQBSF11
12Matthew StaffordQBDET6
13Andrew LuckQBIND9
14Pat MahomesQBKC12
15Jameis WinstonQBTB5
16Philip RiversQBLAC8
17Marcus MariotaQBTEN8
18Jared GoffQBLAR12
19Andy DaltonQBCIN19
20Case KeenumQBDEN10
21Dak PrescottQBDAL8
22Derek CarrQBOAK7

 

    BYE 20Royce FreemanRBDEN10
 RUNNING BACKS    21Carlos HydeRBCLE11
1Todd GurleyRBLAR12 22Marshawn LynchRBOAK7
2LeVeon BellRBPIT7 23Peyton BarberRBTB5
3Ezekiel ElliottRBDAL8 24Jamaal WilliamsRBGB7
4David JohnsonRBARI9 25Jay AjayiRBPHI9
5Saquon BarkleyRBNYG9 26Mark IngramRBNO6
6Alvin KamaraRBNO6 27Kerryon JohnsonRBDET6
7Melvin GordonRBLAC8 28Rex BurkheadRBNE11
8Leonard FournetteRBJAX9 29Marlon MackRBIND9
9Kareem HuntRBKC12 30Isaiah CrowellRBNYJ11
10Joe MixonRBCIN9 31Chris CarsonRBSEA7
11Christian McCaffreyRBCAR4 32Tevin ColemanRBATL8
12Jordan HowardRBCHI5 33Dion LewisRBTEN8
13Dalvin CookRBMIN10 34Corey ClementRBPHI9
14Devonta FreemanRBATL8 35Sony MichelRBNE11
15LeSean McCoyRBBUF11 36Chris ThompsonRBWAS4
16Kenyan DrakeRBMIA11 37Rashaad PennyRBSEA7
17Derrick HenryRBTEN8 38Tarik CohenRBCHI5
18Alex CollinsRBBAL10 39Adrian PetersonRBWAS4
19Lamar MillerRBHOU10 40Austin EkelerRBSD8


 

 WIDE RECEIVERS  BYE      BYE
1Antonio BrownWRPIT7  23Marquise GoodwinWRSF11
2DeAndre HopkinsWRHOU10  24Chris HoganWRNE11
3Odell Beckham JrWRNYG9  25Allen RobinsonWRCHI5
4Julio JonesWRATL8  26Corey DavisWRTEN8
5Michael ThomasWRNO6  27Marvin JonesWRDET6
6Davante AdamsWRGB7  28Michael CrabtreeWRBAL10
7A.J. GreenWRCIN9  29Nelson AgholorWRPHI9
8Mike EvansWRTB5  30Emmanuel SandersWRDEN10
9Tyreek HillWRKC12  31Will FullerWRHOU10
10Adam ThielenWRMIN10  32Kelvin BenjaminWRBUF11
11Keenan AllenWRLAC8  33Robert WoodsWRLAR12
12Doug BaldwinWRSEA7  34Robby AndersonWRNYJ11
13Stefon DiggsWRMIN10  35Jamison CrowderWRWAS4
14Josh GordonWRCLE11  36Alshon JefferyWRPHI9
15T.Y. HiltonWRIND9  37Julian EdelmanWRNE11
16Larry FitzgeraldWRARI9  38Cooper KuppWRLAR12
17JuJu Smith-SchusterWRPIT7  40Calvin RidleyWRATL8
18Demaryius ThomasWRDEN10  41Randall CobbWRGB7
19Amari CooperWROAK7  42Chris GodwinWRTB5
20Brandin CooksWRLAR12  43Kenny GolladayWRDET6
21Jarvis LandryWRCLE11  44Jordy NelsonWROAK7
22Golden TateWRDET6  45Mike WilliamsWRLAC8

 

 TIGHT ENDS  BYE
1Rob GronkowskiTENE11
2Travis KelceTEKC12
3Zach ErtzTEPHI9
4Jimmy GrahamTEGB7
5Greg OlsenTECAR4
6Evan EngramTENYG9
7Trey BurtonTECHI5
8David NjokuTECLE11
9Delanie WalkerTETEN8
10George KittleTESF11
11Jordan ReedTEWAS4
12Eric EbronTEIND9
13Kyle RudolphTEMIN10
14O.J. HowardTETB5
15Tyler EifertTECIN9

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When we look back at last year's championship roster, we remember the big home runs from Yordan Alvarez and the combined no-hitter against the Phillies. But we often forget the total lack of production from the DH position throughout the postseason.

Whether it was Trey Mancini, David Hensley, or Aledyms Diaz, the Astros couldn't find anyone to consistently produce in that role.

In the ALCS against the Yankees, Yordan only hit as the DH in 1 of 4 games. In the other three games, the DH spot in the lineup went hitless.

In the World Series, Alvarez was only used as a DH twice. And when that happened, Aledmys Diaz started in left field. In his two starts in left, he went 0-7 with 4 strikeouts.

It wasn't until Game 6 when Dusty Baker finally started Christian Vazquez, that the club finally got some production out of the DH spot.

So why bring this up? When looking at the 2023 version of the Astros, they have a rookie phenom in Yainer Diaz and a quality left-handed bat in Michael Brantley (health pending). If Yordan continues to play primarily in left field throughout the postseason, Yainer can give the Astros all the thump they need at DH.

And the Astros are going to need it. They've fallen to 21st in team ERA over the last 30 games. But on the bright side, they're No. 1 in team OPS over that same time period.

Of course, to make this work, the club may have to add another catcher to the postseason roster for Dusty Baker to feel comfortable starting both Diaz and Maldonado in case an injury should occur. When Vazquez finally started at DH in Game 6 last season, the team added another catcher after Yuli Gurriel went down with a knee injury.

But if this plan is put into place, the 2023 Astros offense should be even more potent than last year's version. The only question is, will Dusty use it to his advantage?

Be sure to watch the video above for the full discussion.

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Listen to The Bench with John Granato and Lance Zierlein weekday mornings on ESPN 97.5 and 92.5 FM.

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