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2026 Fantasy Baseball Player Profile

Chandler Simpson brought his electrifying, throwback skill set to the major leagues in 2025, proving that his 80-grade speed and elite contact ability could translate against top-tier pitching. Making his debut after torching Triple-A Durham for a .333 average, Simpson appeared in 109 games for the Rays and immediately became one of the league's most disruptive baserunners. He swiped 44 bags while batting .295, showcasing supreme bat-to-ball skills with a minuscule 9.8% strikeout rate. However, his "slap-hitter" profile was as extreme as advertised; he finished with zero home runs and a .051 ISO, resulting in a below-average 88 wRC+ despite the high batting average. While his 4.5% walk rate kept him from fully seizing the leadoff role, his ability to create chaos on the basepaths made him a unique weapon in Tampa Bay’s lineup.

Entering 2026, Simpson projects as a high-volume stolen base specialist who can anchor a fantasy team’s speed category single-handedly. Projections peg him for another 40+ steal campaign with a batting average hovering around .290, though his lack of power (projected for 1 home run) and modest run-production potential limit his ceiling to specific roster builds. He is expected to split time in the outfield and serve as a bottom-of-the-order spark plug, making him an ideal target for managers in rotisserie leagues who need to make up ground in steals without sacrificing batting average. Just be prepared to find power and RBI production elsewhere.