"Daily analysis of the biggest risers and fallers in dynasty, redraft, and prospect fantasy baseball rankings for 2026-02-28."
The fantasy baseball community experienced some seismic shifts in consensus rankings over the past few days, with dynasty rankings showing particularly volatile movement as spring training news and long-term outlook adjustments sent players soaring and plummeting through expert rankings. While redraft rankings remained relatively stable with modest single-digit changes, the dynasty landscape saw multiple players move triple-digit spots as analysts processed new information about injuries, prospect developments, and role changes.
The most dramatic mover was Luis Garcia, who rocketed up 151 spots from #410 to #259 despite the concerning news that he'll miss the entire 2026 season due to elbow surgery. This counterintuitive rise suggests experts are looking past the immediate injury concern and focusing on Garcia's long-term dynasty value, particularly his strong batting average potential and speed (projected for around 15 stolen bases when healthy). The surgery may actually provide clarity on his timeline, allowing dynasty managers to stash him with more confidence.
Victor Robles surged 103 spots from #500 to #397, likely benefiting from his move to Seattle and clearer role definition. Though projected for a short-sided platoon role, his combination of power and average makes him a valuable depth piece in dynasty formats, especially with his draft rank settling around #224 in redraft leagues.
The prospect movement was equally notable, with Tommy Troy climbing 93 spots from #488 to #395. The Arizona shortstop's rise coincides with his progression to Triple-A and growing recognition of his 25+ home run potential. As one of the top Diamondbacks prospects, Troy appears to be gaining momentum toward a potential 2026 debut.
Veteran pitcher Zach Eflin jumped 83 spots from #496 to #413, suggesting renewed confidence in his ability to provide rotation stability. Ranked as the #92 starting pitcher in 2026 projections, Eflin's dynasty value lies in his floor as an innings-eater who can stabilize team ERA when healthy.
The biggest casualty was George Lombard Jr., who plummeted 178 spots from #251 to #429 despite being invited to Yankees spring training and retaining his status as the organization's top prospect. This dramatic fall suggests experts may be tempering expectations for his 2026 impact or questioning his long-term ceiling relative to other prospects.
Josue Briceno dropped 140 spots from #202 to #342, a surprising fall for the Tigers' #33-ranked prospect who was recently promoted to Double-A Erie. The catcher's decline may reflect concerns about his timeline to the majors or increased competition at the position.
Several veteran pitchers saw significant drops, with Gerrit Cole falling 53 spots from #165 to #218. At his age and with questions about long-term durability, Cole's dynasty value continues to erode despite his continued excellence in redraft formats.
The relief pitcher devaluation continued with Ryan Helsley dropping 45 spots from #250 to #295, reflecting the ongoing trend of dynasty managers moving away from closers in favor of position players and starting pitchers with longer shelf lives.
The redraft movement was dominated by the Shohei Ohtani situation, with his pitcher eligibility surging 60 spots from #155 to #95 while his DH ranking jumped 26 spots from #28 to #2. This suggests growing confidence in Ohtani's return to the mound in 2026, making him arguably the most valuable fantasy asset when combining both roles.
Relief pitchers Bryan Abreu and Griffin Jax saw modest but meaningful rises, with Abreu climbing 6 spots to #225 and Jax moving up 4 spots to #234, likely reflecting spring training performance or clearer role definitions.
Jordan Westburg led the fallers with an 11-spot drop from #190 to #201, potentially due to playing time concerns or spring training struggles. Isaac Paredes fell 9 spots from #168 to #177, mirroring his 34-spot dynasty decline and suggesting broader concerns about his 2026 outlook.
Several pitchers saw modest declines, including Josh Hader dropping 5 spots to #112 and Blake Snell falling 4 spots to #105, likely reflecting typical spring training volatility and injury concerns.
These rankings shifts highlight the importance of staying active on the waiver wire and trade market during spring training, as expert consensus can change rapidly based on new information. The dramatic rises of injured players like Luis Garcia remind us that dynasty formats reward patience and long-term thinking, while the falls of established prospects like George Lombard Jr. show that prospect valuations remain highly fluid. Dynasty managers should consider using FanRanked's trade calculator to capitalize on these ranking inefficiencies, particularly targeting players whose consensus rankings may lag behind recent developments.