Start rebuilding your fantasy team for next season

If your keeper league team is out of contention as we enter the season’s final weeks, it’s obviously time to think about next season. And there is plenty you can do now to give yourself a leg up for 2017. The combination of July trades, August promotions and September roster expansion creates new playing-time opportunities to consider while your fellow owners are on vacation, getting back to school or focused on that other sport.

The following is a template to help you navigate the end of 2016 with the objective of optimizing your roster for April.

• Make an honest roster assessment. Identify your team’s strengths, weaknesses, keepers, trade bait and castoffs — with a timetable for your return to contention. An honest self-assessment might also be in order. Your current status might say something about the competitiveness of your league and/or your efforts in keeping up.

• Consider general Major League Baseball and fantasy trends. Starting pitching injuries and an overall home run spike are two of the big MLB stories of 2016. Both tell you something about what is valuable and what is available — plus, they serve as a reminder that pitchers remain riskier than hitters. A look at the current pitching leaderboard reveals unexpected names such as Kyle Hendricks, Michael Fulmer, Drew Pomeranz, Aaron Sanchez, J.A. Happ and Tanner Roark. The lesson: Good pitching can be found during the season.

Also, be sure to consider how any upcoming changes in your league rules or owner composition will alter the 2017 landscape.

• Scour your league’s free agent list scrapheap. Players who have been injured for all or most of the current season are often discarded and forgotten, regardless of past performance or the nature of their injuries. Players such as Andre Ethier (broken leg) and Yan Gomes (knee and shoulder injuries) who have either missed all of the season or have struggled with injuries are often available — and could have good years left after getting the offseason to heal.

Likewise, first-half disappointments who show life in new roles might still be unnoticed in your league. Following a promising spring in new surroundings, Juan Nicasio was a disappointment as a starting pitcher, recording a 5.40 ERA that led to his release in most fantasy leagues. But now with a bullpen role, Nicasio has produced a 50/8 strikeout-to-walk ratio (K/BB) and a 253 ERA in 32 innings since July 1. His velocity is rising, both his swinging-strike and ground-ball rates have spiked. It’s a profile that suddenly has “future closer” among his possible outcomes.

• Check current playing time projections and depth charts. Look for post-hype and pop-up names who are suddenly playing and producing.

For example, Nick Franklin, a top middle-infield prospect from several years ago who faded from sight after struggling to make contact at the MLB level. Since July, Franklin, 25, has hit better than .300, raked against right-handed pitching, has played all over the diamond and displayed the power/speed combo scouts saw long ago. The 82-at-bat sample is small, but he’s increasing his playing time on a Tampa Bay Rays team looking for offense.

• Consider your fellow owners’ “disappointments” and start a dialogue. At least a few owners are tired of waiting for Byron Buxton to justify their faith — despite the fact that he is 22 and supremely talented. Jorge Soler is another player who could have an exciting MLB career in front of him. Take advantage of promising buy-low situations if you see weak hands.

• Review the 2017 free agent lists and trade deadline moves for opportunity. Absent a huge discount, the Seattle Mariners seem unlikely to re-sign 33-year-old Adam Lind (.231 batting average), which leaves an open spot at first base and DH. Enter trade-deadline acquisition Dan Vogelbach, a prospect who had been blocked in the Chicago Cubs organization. He’s not a premier, well-rounded talent, but Vogelbach has posted professional-hitter numbers (.295, 90 walks, 21 homers) at Class AAA this season. Now, he has an opportunity in a league in which his defense doesn’t matter quite as much.

• Check out the 2016 draft class and midseason prospect rankings. Most scouting resources have posted updates (BaseballHQ.com’s midseason Top 50 was released in mid-July), and many things have changed since the preseason. In particular, consider previously unseen/high-upside players and those with immediate opportunities.

Among the conspicuous new names found on all midseason lists has been 19-year-old Chicago Cubs outfielder Eloy Jimenez. The Class A Midwest League’s MVP, Jimenez is a couple of years away from his MLB debut, but his talent makes him immediately rosterable, regardless of your league’s depth.

• Look for strong minor league finishers and injury rebounders. Those with obvious paths to the majors are especially attractive. New York Mets first-base prospect Dominic Smith was downgraded on most midseason reports for a lackluster performance and poor conditioning. But if Smith’s post-All-Star break performance — a .943 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, with 20 walks and 21 strikeouts through 154 at-bats — is any indication, he has taken the criticism to heart. Given Lucas Duda’s injury woes and 2018 free agency, 21-year old Smith could make his MLB debut sometime late next season.

Atlanta Braves reliever Shae Simmons looked like Craig Kimbrel’s heir apparent in his 2014 MLB debut, when he compiled a 2.91 ERA and 23 strikeouts in his first 212/3 innings. But Tommy John surgery intervened, and Simmons is just rounding into shape again (1.96 ERA, 23 strikeouts in 181/3 innings at three minor league levels) in a rebuilding organization. A 1.80 ERA with 172 strikeouts and 41 saves over 1201/3 career minor league innings suggest that Simmons can be a force if healthy.

• Monitor the September auditions. Most clubs not in the playoff hunt will hold early 2017 tryouts over the final five weeks. The results can often factor into a March edge and ultimately opening-day consideration, particularly on rebuilding teams. Owning players with perceived opportunity can often be as important as those with upside, particularly as you attempt to address your weaknesses in trade talks.

In short, finish strong over the season’s final weeks. If you check out early, you’ll cede a huge opportunity to owners who do otherwise — something you will likely end up regretting in March.