Fantasy Baseball: Steals, reaches and takeaways from the 2021 Friends and Family draft – Yahoo Sports

We're finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.

The 2020 Friends & Family Draft was about 12 months ago, at a dark time. We weren't even sure if there would be a season. We ultimately watched a quirky 60-game sprint, later in the summer, and hashed out a roto season that was fun but not fully satisfying.

Back to the present. We're looking at six months, 162 games, and a fresh and fun season awaits. With that in mind, we assembled 16 managers and put the Yahoo Friends & Family League back into play, drafting this past Wednesday.

It's a 5x5 rotisserie league, with a transaction cap of 70. You can make roster moves every day.

It's Year 17 for this group. The Yahoo peeps have won nine titles, the guests seven. Who would you bet on this year?

Rosters and commentary follow. Follow us, fade us, learn from our mistakes, or drive into the same ditches. The choice is yours. Say hello to one new manager, Steve Psihogios of Yahoo Canada.

And away we go.

D.J. Short - NBC Sports

1. (1) Jacob deGrom (NYM - SP)

2. (32) Luis Robert (CWS - OF)

3. (33) Corey Seager (LAD - SS)

4. (64) Pete Alonso (NYM - 1B)

5. (65) Kenta Maeda (Min - SP,RP)

6. (96) Jeff McNeil (NYM - 2B,3B,OF)

7. (97) Ryan Pressly (Hou - RP)

8. (128) Ke'Bryan Hayes (Pit - 3B)

9. (129) Frankie Montas (Oak - SP)

10. (160) Jake Cronenworth (SD - 1B,2B,SS)

11. (161) Jarred Kelenic (Sea - OF)

12. (192) James McCann (NYM - C)

13. (193) Justin Turner (LAD - 3B)

14. (224) Greg Holland (KC - RP)

15. (225) Germn Mrquez (Col - SP)

16. (256) David Peralta (Ari - OF)

17. (257) Brandon Nimmo (NYM - OF)

18. (288) Justus Sheffield (Sea - SP)

19. (289) Nick Wittgren (Cle - RP)

20. (320) Tarik Skubal (Det - SP)

21. (321) Starlin Castro (Was - 2B,3B)

22. (352) Jurickson Profar (SD - 2B,OF)

23. (353) Mike Brosseau (TB - 1B,2B,3B,OF)

24. (384) Scott Barlow (KC - RP)

25. (385) Jonathan Schoop (Det - 2B)

26. (416) Odbel Herrera (Phi - 2B,OF)

D.J. Short, NBC Sports: Picking Jacob deGrom at No. 1 overall might be polarizing, but I thought I would be at too much of a disadvantage SP-wise when the board came back to me. Making up ground in homers and steals felt easier to me than finding that true no doubt fantasy ace. I think it was the right move given how my draft played out, though Im going to need some more steals at some point. I took some big swings in this draft with the likes of Luis Robert and Jarred Kelenic and Ill probably need them to pay off to make a real run. Still, I like this team a lot more than I probably have any right to.

Story continues

Steal of the Draft: Whit Merrifield at No. 51 overall. With his rebound on the steals front last year, I think he should be going at least one round earlier. That Royals lineup is pretty interesting too.

Reach of the Draft: Alex Colome at 102 stood out to me as a potential reach, as Twins manager Rocco Baldelli doesnt plan to go into the season with a primary closer. His main competition for saves, Taylor Rogers, didnt go until pick No. 207. I dont think theres a ton of separation between them.

Razzball - Donkey Teeth

1. (2) Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD - SS)

2. (31) Blake Snell (SD - SP)

3. (34) Eloy Jimnez (CWS - OF)

4. (63) Aroldis Chapman (NYY - RP)

5. (66) Gleyber Torres (NYY - 2B,SS)

6. (95) Anthony Rizzo (ChC - 1B)

7. (98) Giancarlo Stanton (NYY - OF)

8. (127) Tommy Pham (SD - OF)

9. (130) Charlie Morton (Atl - SP)

10. (159) Dylan Carlson (StL - OF)

11. (162) Craig Kimbrel (ChC - RP)

12. (191) Jorge Polanco (Min - SS)

13. (194) Andrew Heaney (LAA - SP)

14. (223) Jake Odorizzi (Hou - SP)

15. (226) Andrew Vaughn (CWS - 1B)

16. (255) James Paxton (Sea - SP)

17. (258) Kolten Wong (Mil - 2B)

18. (287) Bryan Reynolds (Pit - OF)

19. (290) Joey Votto (Cin - 1B)

20. (319) Robbie Ray (Tor - SP)

21. (322) Daulton Varsho (Ari - C,OF)

22. (351) Maikel Franco (Bal - 3B)

23. (354) Jos Quintana (LAA - SP)

24. (383) Evan White (Sea - 1B)

25. (386) Garrett Crochet (CWS - RP)

26. (415) Gregory Soto (Det - SP,RP)

Donkey Teeth, Razzball: Last year was my first season in this prestigious league and I learned a few things or at least I hope I learned a few things! Chasing saves last year with all the scavengers in this league was a nightmare made even scarier by the very limited league transactions allowed (only 70 per team for the entire season). So I bit the bullet and ponied up a fourth-round pick for Aroldis Chapman.

The strict moves limit also forces a premium on starting pitching since we can only cycle through so many arms from the waiver wire. I didn't love having to reach by spending pick No. 31 on Blake Snell, but he was the last of a tier based on my rankings. Like the age old saying goes, "When in Yahoo, do as the Yahooeans do."

Steal: Bobby Witt Jr. (18th round, Pick 285, Patrick Daugherty). Witt was at the top of my queue for several rounds but I kept kicking the can since I had already gambled on Andrew Vaughn. If Witt happens to break camp with the Royals big league club, there's a great chance he's a top 100 player this year with the possibility of much more.

Reach: Aaron Nola (1st round, Pick 14, Steve Psihogios). Even with the huge pitching premium in this draft, I can't get behind Nola in the first round.

Y! - Dalton Del Don

1. (3) Gerrit Cole (NYY - SP)

2. (30) Brandon Woodruff (Mil - SP)

3. (35) Tyler Glasnow (TB - SP)

4. (62) Javier Bez (ChC - SS)

5. (67) Yon Moncada (CWS - 3B)

6. (94) Kenley Jansen (LAD - RP)

7. (99) Byron Buxton (Min - OF)

8. (126) Victor Robles (Was - OF)

9. (131) Kevin Gausman (SF - SP,RP)

10. (158) Travis d'Arnaud (Atl - C,1B)

11. (163) C.J. Cron (Col - 1B)

12. (190) Nick Senzel (Cin - OF)

13. (195) Kyle Schwarber (Was - OF)

14. (222) Miguel San (Min - 1B,3B)

15. (227) Jake McGee (SF - RP)

16. (254) Myles Straw (Hou - SS,OF)

17. (259) Chris Taylor (LAD - 2B,SS,OF)

18. (286) Mauricio Dubn (SF - 2B,SS,OF)

19. (291) Justin Upton (LAA - OF)

20. (318) Alex Reyes (StL - RP)

21. (323) Brandon Belt (SF - 1B,OF)

22. (350) A.J. Puk (Oak - RP)

23. (355) Lorenzo Cain (Mil - OF)

24. (382) Kyle Crick (Pit - RP)

25. (387) Corey Knebel (LAD - RP)

26. (414) Brandon Workman (ChC - RP)

Dalton Del Don, Yahoo: Ive been going pitching-heavy in all my leagues this year. Its a bit different in this format with 16 teams and an innings limit, but I think the strategy worked mostly the same. Yahoos position eligibility being so generous certainly helps.

I raised an eyebrow when Mark Melancon went in round 8 given the crowded bullpen situation in San Diego, but Laz followed that up a few rounds later by swooping Shohei Ohtani (Batter) when I had my heart set on him. Ohtani becomes more valuable in daily formats, and hes looked terrific this spring. The Angels have the best park in baseball for lefty power, will no longer use a humidor this season, and Ohtani will run too. He was an absolute steal here.

Starting pitching was in high demand early, including Gerrit Cole coming off the board with the third overall pick. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NBC Sports - Patrick Daugherty

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Fantasy Baseball: Steals, reaches and takeaways from the 2021 Friends and Family draft - Yahoo Sports