Every fantasy season, I participate in a wide variety of leagues—from redraft and keeper formats to salary cap and draft-and-hold competitions. While I manage to secure many of my preferred targets, there is always a group of players I find myself regretting not being able to roster. Here is a breakdown of my 2026 “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out) list.

The Expensive Elite

Top-tier stars like Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, and Bobby Witt Jr. require significant draft capital that I generally didn't possess early on. In salary cap leagues, I tend to avoid building rosters around a single high-priced asset. Despite my omission, I remain a believer in their potential, having even selected Witt for AL MVP.

Pitching Strategy and Avoiding Premium Costs

Similarly, I bypassed high-priced arms like Paul Skenes and Garrett Crochet in favor of balancing my roster with players in the A-/B+ tier, such as Logan Webb and Hunter Brown. While I acknowledge the immense value and “must-watch” status of Skenes and Crochet, I opted to prioritize offensive investment in the early rounds.

Rising Stars and Notable Omissions

Other players proved difficult to secure due to market demand or specific roster constraints:

  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: Despite his track record, I felt his ADP in the mid-teens was a bit too rich for my strategy, though I will certainly miss having him on my teams.
  • Yoshinobu Yamamoto: His price point edged out the aces I had targeted, but his playoff dominance suggests he could be an exception to the Dodgers’ cautious pitcher management.
  • Brent Rooker & Jacob Wilson: Both Athletics were high on my list, but aggressive bidding from league mates made them impossible to land.
  • Roman Anthony: His elite plate discipline and potential for a breakout season made him a target in salary cap leagues, but he was highly coveted by other owners.

Injury Risks and Managed Expectations

Some players were left off my rosters intentionally due to health concerns or risk management:

«I had deGrom on my most important roster last year and found it almost stressful to watch him, even as he stayed hale for 30 starts. This year, I decided to hold onto the fandom but not stake my fantasy success on his season.» — Regarding Jacob deGrom

Similarly, Corey Seager remains an elite talent, but the combination of frequent injury risks and a less-than-ideal home ballpark made him a difficult asset to commit to.

Rounding Out the List

My interest in other players like William Contreras (consistency), Maikel García (utility and growth), and Nolan McLean (potential ace) was high, but price ceilings often forced me to pivot elsewhere. Finally, promising young arms such as Cade Smith, Cam Schlittler, Chase Burns, and Bubba Chandler represent the “shiny new toys” that I unfortunately couldn't add to my collection this year.