Fantasy baseball rankings 2022: Top 80 outfielders

Your opinion on the depth of outfield in fantasy baseball this season really depends on if you are an optimist or not.

After you get past the first few studs, you can look at the list and tell yourself two very different stories. A reportedly healthy Mike Trout available late in the first round? The optimist will take that all day. Conversely, Trout is in his 30s now and carries a ton of injury concerns, especially after his 2021 season was wrecked due to a calf strain. Do you want that much risk with your first position player? The same question could be asked when assessing Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. as he recovers from a July ACL tear. He might miss the first month of this season, but if he’s fully healthy by May, he could be a value pick.

These concerns continue — and really become magnified — once you get into the 20s at this position. Consider this group: Byron Buxton, Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and Cody Bellinger. I have them lumped pretty close together, and if you are optimistic about any of those guys entering this season, you should absolutely love them at that spot because you know they could be elite fantasy commodities if they get some good fortune.

BUT ... investing in one of those players is like investing in crypto: It’s extremely speculative.

In general, I’ve tried to grab two outfielders from inside the top 20 here, because that crew is fairly safe. Then I will take my shots on some players later on. Once you get into the 40s and 50s, the field really levels off.

Here are my top-80 outfielder rankings for 2022 fantasy baseball leagues.

2022 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 80 OF