Cubs: Your guide to all things fantasy baseball for the 2021 season

While the official season might still be three weeks away, some of you in fantasy baseball world have already begun the arduous yet fruitful task of strategizing for your upcoming draft by poring over internet articles on various teams, checking out the prospect lists, and setting up unofficial draft needs and wants. Heck, maybe you’ve already had to cut some players or make some tough decisions to trim the fat from your squad in anticipation of the draft..

So, here on the precipice of Draft Night, you’ve come to the right place for news and an update on what the 2021 version of the Cubs might offer you and your fantasy squad. Just don’t bet your house on anything here, because, well – you know- baseball.

I’ll attempt to give you a rundown of all the different Cubs players (and their positions) who could help (or hurt) your fantasy squad and what you should be both looking for and steering clear of. And, while it is a shame that ace Yu Darvish is no longer with the North Siders, there are plenty of other options both amongst the pitching staff and position players. Or, you could do what the Cubs could not and hang on to Darvish since he’ll probably have a monster year for what should be a very successful Padres team.

Since we’re discussing pitching, let’s jump right into possible options for your rotation and bullpen.

Chicago Cubs: Kyle Hendricks is darn-near a lock to have success

The now undisputed ace of this Cubs staff, Kyle Hendricks, continues to be one of the most criminally underrated pitchers in baseball, all thanks to the fact that he can’t break the 90 MPH threshold with a fastball. However, pitching is about getting outs and wins, both things that Hendricks has done extremely well since he broke into the bigs.

The wins part is certainly music to fantasy owners’ ears, but Hendricks has never been a big strikeout guy throughout his career, as he relies on keeping hitters off-balance and inducing weak contact most of the time. He does have his strikeout binges, however, when his changeup is particularly effective, but he’ll never be a double digits per game kind of guy.

After Hendricks, your other options are all relative unknowns either because of changes of scenery, injury risk, or because they haven’t pitched a full season at the big league level. Jake Arrieta, while certainly not unknown to Cubs or baseball fans in general, has had some injury issues and mediocre seasons he’s looking to bounce back from. While coming back to Chicago may reinvigorate the former Cy Young winner and be cause for optimism amongst Cub fans, it’s doubtful he’ll be more than a middling option for fantasy owners at this point in his career.

Chicago Cubs: This guy could be a sleeper in dynasty leagues

Zach Davies is also well known to baseball fans, but like Hendricks, isn’t a big strikeout guy and has had only one year where he’s won more than 11 games or pitched over 163 innings.

Alec Mills, he of no-hitter fame, is also a soft tosser who relies on weak contact when he’s on, and he’s never thrown more than he did in the abbreviated 2020 season. Your other options include guys who aren’t even locks to be in the rotation such as Shelby Miller, Trevor Williams or Adbert Alzolay. Alzolay, though, offers some serious hope and optimism from anyone in a dynasty league who can roster him as a minor leaguer, in hopes he can have a breakout season.

Also, if you’re looking for prospects in your dynasty league, Brailyn Marquez is someone to keep an eye on throughout the season. While his MLB debut was inauspicious this past fall, everyone agrees the guy has tons of talent and could be back toward the end of this season or next year. So if you’re a dynasty league type of league, this is a guy to keep in mind.

In the bullpen, you’ve got Craig Kimbrel as the ninth-inning guy for the time being. While that didn’t work out so hot for the Cubs or Kimbrel in 2020, it did provide a sleeper in Jeremy Jeffress that many fantasy owners took advantage of. This year, it’s possible Rowan Wick could get a chance at closing should Kimbrel falter, but the right-hander is dealing with an ongoing oblique issue that could prevent him from being available on Opening Day.

Chicago Cubs: Lots of familiar faces

If a talented group of established big league stars underachieved more than the Cubs infield, I don’t really know them. Between nagging injuries, a lack of video availability, and the circumstances dictated by the league’s COVID protocols, it’s clear the Chicago infielders were ‘off’ last season.

More from Chicago Cubs News

• Cubs: Adrian Sampson is forcing his way into the conversation
• Projecting the Chicago Cubs bullpen to open the 2023 season
• Cubs fans are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel
• Justin Steele has evolved into a frontline starter for the Cubs
• The future of first base is murky right now for the Cubs

However, in fantasy land, that just means you may be able to swing a deal and swindle someone out of a really good player by buying low. Anthony Rizzo has one of the most consistent track records amongst MLB stars and looks to be back on track judging by the bombs he’s hitting in spring training so far.

Kris Bryant also appears to be healthy and back to normal, and would be a huge fantasy get for his walks and power game. Javier Baez, while he’s never going to be a huge OBP guy, could come through with speed and power in many leagues. Unfortunately, most leagues aren’t going to reward you for his defensive wizardry, but I guess as Cubs fans you’ll have to live with that in the real league.

Willson Contreras is the one member of the infield group (who some may not even consider there as a catcher) who didn’t struggle mightily all year, and offers a ton of upside as a premier-hitting catcher who plays a ton. It’s hard to find offensive catchers in the first place, and getting one who hits well, draws some walks, hits for power, and plays a ton is pretty tough to do. Contreras, when healthy, checks all those boxes.

That leaves second base as the last infield spot, and while it’s not completely set in stone, my money would be on Nico Hoerner, who is just lighting up the ball so far this spring and looks primed to run with that starting second base gig. He could be a late round sleeper in many leagues as he’s not gonna even be on many people’s radars as a bonafide starter.