Ranking Dodgers Slugger Freddie Freeman Among 2026 Fantasy Baseball First Basemen
Freddie Freeman’s 2025 season reminded fantasy managers that even elite veterans can take winding paths to production. Entering 2026 at age 36, Freeman’s draft value hinges on whether his steady four-category floor still outweighs signs of midseason volatility.
1B8 – Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers (NFBC ADP – 74)
Freeman opened up last season with a rib issue that cost him the Dodgers' first two games in Japan. Los Angeles placed him on the injured list for 10 days in early April with an ankle injury.
Despite his early issues, his bat delivered over the first two months (.374/33/9/38 over 174 at-bats). Freeman offered minimal value over his next 186 at-bats (.226/19/2/18/2), with regression in his strikeout rate (27.1%). He revived his season over the final third of the year (.291/29/13/34/4 over 196 at-bats) while controlling the strike zone better.
His exit velocity (90.9) beat his career average, while grading well with his launch angle (14.3), barrel rate (10.4%), and hard-hit rate (45.7%). He had his highest HR/FB rate (15.1%) since leaving Atlanta. Freeman finished with a nine-year high strikeout rate (20.4%), but a regression in his walk rate (9.6%). Both stats remain favorable.
The top of the Dodgers’ lineup is loaded with talent, giving their first basemen a chance at a career high in RBI chances. His RBI rate (17.3%) has beaten the league average by a wide margin over the past eight seasons.
Freddie Freeman 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook
Fantasy Outlook: Over the past two years, Freeman ranked 33rd (2.55) and 37th (3.12) in FPGscore for hitters. He’ll start this season at age 36 while needing 569 hits to reach 3,000. When at his best, Freeman earns his edge with elite plate appearances that lead to an excellent four-category floor. His midseason slump is a red flag, but his resume and opportunity support another winning year (.290/100/25/110/10).
More Fantasy Baseball First Basemen Analysis
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With 20+ years of experience in the high-stakes fantasy market, I aim to research and compete at the highest level in baseball and football each season. I've contributed as a writer/analyst for Sports Draft Daily, ScoutPro, Scout Fantasy, Fulltime Fantasy, FFToolbox, and Sports Illustrated Fantasy. I'm honored to be in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame. My drafting philosophy is risk-averse yet open to betting on potential game-changers. I approach player selection with a neutral perspective, acknowledging that fantasy sports are inherently unpredictable due to injuries, performance dips, and managerial decisions. My work focuses on these main areas: - Season-long fantasy baseball and football - BestBall Baseball and Football Events - Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog - Long Shot Player Prop Parlays for NFL I participate in various leagues and contests, including NFBC, NFFC, RTSports, FFPC, DraftKings, Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, and FFWC, with the goal of leveraging my extensive experience and research for success in each game format. A fantasy follower can expect in-depth profiles of NFL and MLB players, along with season-long and weekly projections for each fantasy football season. In addition, I have many strategy articles to help develop fantasy players' learning curves.
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