If you have never played in a dynasty baseball league before, the most important thing is grabbing young guys that fly below the radar that have great upside, whether that means pitchers or hitters. Try to stay away from injury-prone guys that are 28 or older, such as Rickie Weeks or Justin Morneau, unless you can get them cheap. As they discussed on the dreaded 06010 podcast, you cannot win your draft in the first round, but you can lose it. That statement is even truer when it comes to dynasty leagues, where you’ll own the players as long as they play, granted you don’t trade them away.

When it comes to draft value in a dynasty league, the value on older players will take a hit, as opposed to redraft leagues, where you just have to pay attention to one year. I can’t stress how important age is in lifetime leagues, so players like Joey Bautista, who is arguably the top pick in redraft leagues, should fall towards the end of the first round, and younger players who are early second round value, or late first round guys in redrafts, could jump up to being one of the top picks of a dynasty league, such as Justin Upton or Clayton Kershaw, whose best days are still ahead for these young studs. 

And now is the time you’ve all been waiting for. I implied that this was a game show, so let’s play our take on the Price is Right! This will cover guys that should come at good value, and guys that will be costly.

Guys to target:

Jemile Weeks – He may as well be called JeWheels Weeks. Kid can flat out fly. He’s just 25, and while he does have a few injury issues, it’s nothing like his brother’s issue to stay healthy. He’s not as strong as Rickie, but faster, meaning most of his value will come from stolen bases. Target him in the fifth or sixth round if you’re looking for a goldmine in terms of value.

Eric Hosmer – Does this really shock anybody? Hosmer has an unbelievable running ability for a first baseman, combined with the power to hit 30 homeruns. He’s one of the best first base prospects to come out in a very, very long time. Now some can argue he is the top pick in dynasty drafts this year, and while he is worth a first round pick, he’s more of a guy you need to take at the turn, rather than at the beginning.

Michael Cuddyer – While this may go against the whole age rant I went on, Cuddyer may come cheap because of that exact reason. Moving to Colorado will definitely help him, with the altitude playing into effect, rather than the pitchers park in Minnesota. With the flexibility, between first base and outfield, Cuddyer is very serviceable. You may be able to get him in the early-mid rounds, which is decent value for a guy that has .285/25/15/85/110 upside, and don’t forget that he can play second base, something that the Rockies desperately need.

Guys you need to avoid at all costs:

Michael Morse – It is very hard to believe that he’ll repeat the type of performance he had last year. While it’s very possible that he’ll hit 25 homeruns, the Batting Average is flukey, and he Ks too much. He’s also 29 years old, even though he hasn’t started many games in “The Show” prior to last year. Though reports say that he feels he can do more, it seems as if it will put added pressure on him, which isn’t a good thing for where he’ll have to be taken.

Corey Hart – With the breaking news that Ryan Braun’s suspension has been overruled, it seems as if the love we had for Hart before this news has gone away. With Fielder gone, and Braun retaking the need for power in Milwaukee, Hart’s value will go down. I was very high on him before the ruling on Braun was overturned, as I felt he’d have to carry the load of the team, and that he’d succeed in doing such, but now his runs and RBIs are likely to go down with the departure of the franchise first baseman.

Joe Mauer – As a Twins fan, it seriously hurts to say this, but Mauer may never return to his normal form again. The injury he had last year in the beginning of the season was too much to bare, and while reports saying he feels “night and day” compared to last year, it’s not something I’d believe too much of. While Mauer may still bat around the .300 clip, he might not have the same power he once did, and with also being on a bad team, the Runs and RBI totals will go down without Cuddyer, Young and Thome there. Stay. Away.

Written by @WideReceiving, exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com. 

Remember to check out our 2012 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide, with Ranks, Auction Values, Expert Mock Draft and tons of articles. Click here to learn more or purchase.