2026 Dynasty Shortstops: Top Targets, Sleepers & Fades

Targets

JJ Wetherholt, SS, Cardinals 

While Konnor Griffin would have been an easy choice, telling you to target Konnor Griffin likely does you little good. If the Griffin owner in your league is looking to trade him, find another league. So, my pivot is to Wetherholt. While he’s likely to be heavily valued in dynasty leagues, his 2026 impact might be a little underrated at present. The 2024 seventh-overall draft pick will likely play the majority of his games this season in the majors. His plus hit tool brings immediate impact in multiple categories, and with enough MLB time and some luck, 20 home runs isn’t out of the picture. Wetherholt looks like a fantasy star for years to come, so buy now before your league catches up in March. [Geoff]

Jacob Wilson, SS, Athletics

Heading into 2025, RoboScout was skeptical about whether there would ever be double-digit power in Wilson’s bat. While I have much less hesitation than my league mates in rostering players like Luis Arraez and Steven Kwan, it is a reality that the perceived value of these profiles makes it difficult to trade them away. The argument nearly became moot, however, as Wilson was busy breaking out in the first half of 2025 with a .329 batting average (not too surprising) and nine home runs (surprising). He tailed off with only four home runs in the second half, but I think that was due to the undiagnosed forearm fracture he was playing through. In other words, I think projections are baking in his second half of 2025 as being “true talent” while I believe he was unfairly being impacted by an injury. So, instead of Wilson being valued as a .280 hitter with 12-15 home runs, I think his median is actually closer to .300 with 16-20 home runs. [Dylan]

Sleepers

Ezequiel Tovar, SS, Rockies

As we mentioned in his rankings blurb, it was just a couple seasons ago as a 22-year-old when Tovar hit 26 home runs with a .269 batting average while having 99th percentile range at shortstop. Throw in the fact that he plays at Coors Field, and you should get a .280 average with 20-plus home runs for the next five years or so. In batting average leagues, that’s excellent. But after a 2025 season plagued by hip and oblique injuries, in redraft leagues for 2026, fantasy managers are drafting him as if he has the possibility of being demoted in a worst-case scenario with .270 and 20 home runs as an equally likely upper-percentile outcome. In OBP leagues, Tovar is not as great of an asset, but I think he is definitely being overfaded for next year. I’m betting that Tovar will be ranked higher in 2026 than he is now. [Dylan]

Colt Emerson, SS, Mariners 

I understand that Emerson is not a sleeper in a majority of leagues, but I believe his potential 2026 impact is being undersold. He made a tweak to his swing in the first half of last season and the results that followed were impressive. So much so that he climbed to Triple-A on the wave of his second-half accomplishments. Emerson has a plus hit tool, which provides a high floor for batting average and on-base percentage. With his swing improvements in the second half, he also started to finally tap into his 25-plus home run power more consistently. Buy now and laugh all the way to the bank in nine months. [Geoff]

Fades

Trea Turner, SS, Phillies 

One of the all-time great fantasy shortstops, Turner is coming off one of the best years of his career in 2025, as he hit .304/.355/.457 with 15 home runs and 36 stolen bases. Over the last two seasons, he has really outperformed his expected numbers across the board. Outside of that, there’s not a ton of negative in Turner’s profile, but entering his age-33 season, it’s likely his speed and overall production will begin a downward trend in 2026 that won’t reverse in the coming years. While Turner remains a viable fantasy star, the window to move on is wide open for daring managers willing to cash in now. [Geoff]

Mookie Betts, SS, Dodgers

Fades are not so much “avoids” as they are an identification of an opportunity to maybe get a reasonable value if you were to trade them. Fades are also a caveat that, if you were given the opportunity to acquire them, you might be better off passing despite the appearance of reasonable value. In Betts’ case, it is more of a resignation that the 30 home runs of 2022 and 2023 are likely a relic of the past. You pretty much know what you’re gonna get here: a shortstop who will hit 20 home runs, steal 12 bases, hit above .265 and get 75-120 runs by hitting in the Dodgers’ lineup. But because of the name value (and the team name value), managers would have to pay a premium for those stats. Betts will reach 300 career home runs in 2026—and likely 200 stolen bases, too—adding to what is a Hall of Fame career. But he is now a late third-round pick in redraft, and that likely will continue sinking slowly. [Dylan]