While cheat sheets and rankings are great, I often find it more valuable to come up with my own rankings based off of a research and place players by position in tiers. I am a big believer that balance is what wins, especially in fantasy baseball. I have already taken a look at my 1B TIERS, 2B TIERS, 3B TIERS, SS TIERS , and CATCHER TIERS. Now, it's time to turn our attention to the outfield where the crop of talent is deep.

TIER 1 - Grady Sizemore (CLE), Ryan Braun (MIL), Josh Hamilton (TEX)

TIER 2 - Carl Crawford (TB), Carlos Beltran (NYM), *B.J. Upton (TB), Carlos Lee (HOU), Matt Holliday (OAK), Alfonso Sorianao (CHC), Manny Ramirez (LA)

TIER 3 - Ichiro Suzuki (TB), Nick Markakis (BAL), Alex Rios (TOR), Jacoby Ellsbury (BOS), Jason Bay (BOS), Carlos Quentin (CHW)

TIER 4 - Vladmir Guerrero (ANA), Bobby Abreu (ANA), Curtis Granderson (DET), Matt Kemp (LA), Nate McLouth (PIT), Magglio Ordonez (CHW), Adam Dunn (WAS)

TIER 5 - Hunter Pence (HOU), Shane Victorino (PHI), Corey Hart (MIL), Ryan Ludwick (STL), Vernon Wells (TOR), Johnny Damon (NYY), Jay Bruce (CIN), Justin Upton (ARI)

TIER 6 - Torri Hunter (ANA), Raul Ibanez (PHI), Jermaine Dye (CHW), Chris Young (ARI), Brad Hawpe (COL), Rick Ankiel (STL), Lastings Milledge (WAS), Andre Either (LA), Adam Jones (BAL), Cameron Maybin (FLA), Carlos Gomez (MIN), Coco Crisp (KC), Milton Bradley (CHC)

TIER 7 - Willy Taveras (CIN), Xavier Nady (NYY), Jayson Werth (PHI), Shin-Soo Choo (CLE), Jeff Franceour (ATL), Michael Bourne (HOU), J.D. Drew (BOS), Delmon Young (MIN), Elijah Dukes (WAS), Juan Rivera (ANA), Denard Span (MIN), Michael Cuddyer (MIN), Hideki Matsui (NYY), Pat Burrell (TB), Eric Byrnes (ARI), Jeremy Hermida (FLA), Mike Cameron (MIL)

TIER 8 - Kosuke Fukudome (CHC), Nelson Cruz (TEX), Franklin Gutierrez (SEA), David DeJesus (KC), Jose Gullien (KC), Aaron Rowand (SF), Nick Swisher (NYY), Ken Griffey Jr (SEA), Chris Dickerson (CIN), Ryan Church (NYM), Jason Kubel (MIN), Garrett Anderson (ATL), Jack Cust (OAK), Josh Willingham (WAS), Chase Headley (SD), Cody Ross (FLA), Fred Lewis (SF),
Ryan Spilborghs (COL), Brian Giles (SD), Adam Lind (TOR)

Drafting Strategy: It's important to know your format when looking at outfielders. In most 5x5 roto formats this is a position where you need to have a good balance. A mix of sluggers and speedsters is easy to do when building an outfield. It is a deep position, but don't get caught waiting to long to grab a couple of studs. If you can grab three outfielders from my top four tiers you will be in good shape. However, if you fail to land at least one from top two tiers you will likely regret it later.

Final Take: The deeper in the tiers you get, the more I go with players with upside. Younger players are more likely to produce than some declining vet to suddenly have a resurgence, especially now that the "steroids era" is supposedly over.

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