Ryan Braun(OF-MIL)

Injury – Ryan Braun underwent back surgery in October 2015.

2015 Season – Braun missed 22 games in 2015 with various injuries but still hit .285 with 25 home runs, 84 RBI, 87 runs scored and 24 stolen bases. 

Reason For Optimism  

  • Braun is coming off his best season since getting suspended for PED use. 
  • He will likely be moving back to left field where he played from 2008-2013 and had some of his most productive seasons.
  • At 32 years old, Braun is still in the prime of his career and can still generate solid power and speed making him a worthy fantasy player to build a team around.

Reason For Concern

  • Braun will not be 100 percent during spring training and the Brewers will likely be cautious with him recovering from offseason back surgery.
  • He has been unable to stay healthy since 2012 and questions still remain about his ability to perform at a high level without PED’s.
  • Milwaukee is in a major rebuilding phase and Braun remains the only established hitter in their lineup which could mean he gets pitched around.

2016 OUTLOOK – Braun was once a consensus top 10 fantasy draft pick due to his elite production across all five Roto categories.  His PED suspension certainly sent his career in a downward spiral, but he rebounded in 2015 to put up respectable numbers once again.  The days of him hitting 30 home runs appear to be over, especially coming off of back surgery which could limit his power. At 32, he could also see his stolen base totals tail off as well since the Brewers will want to protect him from any further injuries.  If he can make it through spring training without any setbacks, Braun will be ready for Opening Day and can be plugged into fantasy rosters as an OF2.  However, expectations should be tempered because he will likely see regular time off in order to keep him as healthy as possible.  The Brewers are rebuilding and likely have no aspirations of competing in the NL Central this season.  Braun is on an island in Milwaukee’s lineup and could have difficulty avoiding being pitched around.  He carries inherent risk with him, but Braun is still one of a handful of players with legitimate 20/20 potential and enough upside to take as a second outfielder.     

If you are wondering the best way to evaluate players such as Braun so that you can be prepared for your draft, then be sure to check out the 2016 Fantasy Alarm Draft Guide. 

Michael A. Stein, Esq. is the Chief Justice of Fantasy Judgment, the industry's premier dispute resolution service, and co-host of the Fantasy Alarm Podcast.  You can contact him at michael.stein@fantasyjudgment.com or on Facebook and Twitter (@FantasyJudgment).