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First base is cool again, and that's great news for fantasy baseball managers who want to fill their roto categories or earn their fantasy points from one of MLB's post powerful positions.
No longer do you have to scour in the draft rankings for a good player to fill your 1B spot in your lineup. They're everywhere, with home runs and RBI to stock up on. Many teams will end up with a first baseman in their utility spot, too, because there's that much value even in lower tiers and ADP spots on the 1B board.
A list that includes names like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Nick Kurtz, Bryce Harper, Pete Alonso, Matt Olson, Rafael Devers and Cody Bellinger is an exciting one.
That's before you even get to players like Josh Naylor, Freddie Freeman, Vinnie Pasquantino and Michael Busch.
There are a few exciting young players with prodigious pop, like Jac Caglianone and Sal Stewart and Bryce Eldridge.
There's the mystery of Japanese import Munetaka Murakami.
MORE FANTASY BASEBALL RANKINGS: Catcher rankings
There are also a bunch of players eligible at multiple positions that in many formats will check the first base box.
Someone like Salvador Perez or Luis Arraez may be better served in a different spot in your lineup, but they show up in these rankings and could fill that spot in your lineup in a pinch.
Looking at the rankings we have below, we'd want to end up anywhere in the first three tiers. It does feel like there's a real drop-off beyond Pasquantino, at least in terms of certainty.
But getting any one of the first 10 guys has a chance to be a season-winning move.
We also have created values below for auction leagues. These are operating for a 12-team mixed league with a $260 budget. Again, it's worth going after one of the first 10 players on the board, potentially whoever slides a little later so you can get him at a discount.
MORE: Ranking the 13 greatest Blue Jays players ever, from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to Roy Halladay
Fantasy baseball 1B rankings, tiers for 2026
| Rank | Player | Team | Tier | Auction Value |
| 1 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | TOR | 1 | $43 |
| 2 | Nick Kurtz | ATH | 1 | $41 |
| 3 | Bryce Harper | PHI | 2 | $40 |
| 4 | Pete Alonso | BAL | 2 | $39 |
| 5 | Matt Olson | ATL | 2 | $37 |
| 6 | Rafael Devers | SF | 3 | $36 |
| 7 | Cody Bellinger | NYY | 3 | $32 |
| 8 | Josh Naylor | SEA | 3 | $31 |
| 9 | Freddie Freeman | LAD | 3 | $27 |
| 10 | Vinnie Pasquantino | KC | 3 | $26 |
| 11 | Tyler Soderstrom | ATH | 4 | $22 |
| 12 | Ben Rice | NYY | 4 | $20 |
| 13 | Michael Busch | CHC | 4 | $19 |
| 14 | Yandy Diaz | TB | 4 | $17 |
| 15 | Jac Caglianone | KC | 5 | $16 |
| 16 | Salvador Perez | KC | 5 | $16 |
| 17 | Jake Burger | TEX | 5 | $15 |
| 18 | Christian Walker | HOU | 6 | $14 |
| 19 | Alec Burleson | STL | 6 | $14 |
| 20 | Jonathan Aranda | TB | 6 | $13 |
| 21 | Willson Contreras | BOS | 6 | $12 |
| 22 | Sal Stewart | CIN | 6 | $11 |
| 23 | Luis Arraez | SF | 6 | $11 |
| 24 | Spencer Torkelson | DET | 6 | $10 |
| 25 | Kyle Manzardo | CLE | 6 | $10 |
| 26 | Andrew Vaughn | MIL | 6 | $9 |
| 27 | Munetaka Murakami | CHW | 6 | $9 |
| 28 | Alec Bohm | PHI | 6 | $8 |
| 29 | Nolan Schanuel | LAA | 6 | $7 |
| 30 | Ernie Clement | TOR | 6 | $7 |
| 31 | Spencer Steer | CIN | 6 | $6 |
| 32 | Bryce Eldridge | SF | 6 | $6 |
| 33 | Miguel Vargas | CHW | 6 | $6 |
| 34 | Ryan O'Hearn | PIT | 6 | $5 |
| 35 | Coby Mayo | BAL | 6 | $5 |
| 36 | Spencer Horwitz | PIT | 6 | $4 |
| 37 | Pavin Smith | ARZ | 6 | $4 |
| 38 | Jake Cronenworth | SD | 7 | $4 |
| 39 | Josh Bell | MIN | 7 | $3 |
| 40 | Colt Keith | DET | 7 | $3 |
| 41 | Gavin Sheets | SD | 7 | $2 |
| 42 | Jared Triolo | PIT | 7 | $2 |
| 43 | Rhys Hoskins | CLE | 8 | $2 |
| 44 | Triston Casas | BOS | 8 | $1 |
Top 3 dynasty strategy tips for fantasy baseball 1B
1. Consider present and future opportunity
We're conditioned in fantasy sports to think about what a player is going to do for us right now. In a dynasty league, you have to consider both now and later.
2. Don't overdo it on young players
Yes, dynasty leagues are set up to last forever. They often don't, though, and there's always the owner who drafts only prospects. It's fine to draft a proven veteran.
3. The best ability is availability
Early in careers, it's not always easy to know whether a guy will have injury trouble. But the injury prone label is one that is especially painful in dynasty leagues, because you end up with the same player hurt over and over through the years.
MORE: How Nick Kurtz earned Sporting News AL Rookie of the Year Award
Top dynasty 1B to draft in 2026
Note that these aren't rankings, but rather a few players we wanted to single out as ones we would be targeting.
Nick Kurtz
Kurtz broke out as a rookie with the Athletics, and while some will want to see more to know he's not going to be a one-hit wonder, we've seen enough. This will be one of the best first basemen in baseball for the next decade, and he might be the No. 1 1B on dynasty draft boards, even though owners won't quite draft him like that.
Jac Caglianone
While Caglianone might spend a portion of his career OF-eligible rather than 1B, now is the time to buy low on the Royals youngster. He struggled as a rookie, but he's still got potent power and looks like he'll figure it out. He could be a top-10 1B (or top-20 OF) for a decade.
Sal Stewart
The batting average might not be great with Stewart, but he homered once every 11 at bats after his call-up by the Reds at the end of last season. There are few with as much power in baseball as Stewart, and he's got a great alliterative name, too.
Raphy Velasquez
This is the guy to target if your league has room for minor leaguers, too. A Cleveland prospect, Velasquez has hit at every level, including in 2025 as one of the youngest players in Double-A. He'll hit when he gets to the big leagues, too.
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