Edwin Diaz was far and away MLB's save leader and the best fantasy baseball reliever last season, and the Mariners had the most one-run wins in the league (36). But now the 24-year-old is with the Mets, who won only 77 games last season, so a regression is all but certain, even though the Mets should have a bolstered bullpen after bringing back Jeurys Familia as a setup man. Here's the fact that epitomizes the fantasy reliever market: Craig Kimbrel is the seventh-ranked reliver on [Fantasy Pros](https://www.fantasypros.com/mlb/rankings/rp.php), and he still doesn't have a team less than 10 days out from the full opening day. So how should you approach things at the position for your fantasy drafts? Chris Mascaro and Tommy Stokke will take you through their strategies and give opinions on sleepers, overrated players, prospects and more. Average draft position (ADP) is from [Fantasy Pros](https://www.fantasypros.com/mlb/adp/of.php). __More fantasy baseball previews:__ [Catcher](https://www.betchicago.com/fantasy-baseball-catchers-draft-strategy-sleepers-prospects) | [1B](https://www.betchicago.com/fantasy-baseball-first-base-draft-strategy-sleepers-prospects) | [2B](https://www.betchicago.com/fantasy-baseball-second-base-draft-strategy-sleepers-prospects) | [3B](https://www.betchicago.com/fantasy-baseball-third-base-draft-strategy-sleepers-prospects) | [SS](https://www.betchicago.com/fantasy-baseball-shortstop-draft-strategy-sleepers-prospects) | [OF](https://www.betchicago.com/fantasy-baseball-outfielder-draft-strategy-sleepers-prospects) ## Draft strategy __TS:__ I don't want to take the first closer off the board. The safe options don't seem as safe as recent seasons. Craig Kimbrel doesn't have a job, Kenley Jansen wasn't automatic last year and has health concerns, and Aroldis Chapman saved as many games as Shane Greene. I don't want to punt the position, but I'll wait for someone else to decide when the run begins. __CM:__ If your league uses standard 5x5 scoring, three of the five pitching categories -- saves, ERA and WHIP -- actually favor relievers over starters, so I like to load up on the position as much as the roster configuration allows. A front-line guy is a must -- Blake Treinen of the A's, who's been excellent since he was traded back Oakland in 2017, is my preference -- and then make sure to handcuff whomever you take with his setup guy, just in case of injury/poor performance. ## Auction strategy __TS:__ Like the draft, I'm not setting the market here. Let someone bid for Edwin Diaz, someone else come in for Jansen or Chapman, and I'll go from there. Closers are volatile, so it's not as big of a hit if I grab a couple mid-tier options and fill in the rest with upside. __CM:__ You never want to overpay, but I'm willing to spend big on Treinen or Diaz and then fill in the rest with cheaper options. Don't discount taking a middle reliever like the Yankees' Adam Ottavino, who you know will have a good ERA and WHIP (and contribute at least a few strikeouts) to fill in when your closers have an off day. ## Player going too high __TS: Edwin Diaz, Mets (1 RP, 48 OVR):__ The first closer taken is always going too high. He saved 57 games last year with 15.2 K/9. Worst-case scenario is he strikes guys out. But let's go back and look at saves leaders in the recent past: Alex Colome with 47 saves in 2017, Jeurys Familia with 51 in 2016, Mark Melancon had 51 in 2015. Fernando Rodney was the saves leader in 2014 and Jim Johnson tied with Craig Kimbrel in 2013. It changes every year, so I'll wait. __CM: David Robertson, Phillies (17 RP, 155 OVR):__ The righty, who turns 34 next month, had a 3.32 ERA in the three seasons he was a full-time closer (2014 for the Yankees and 2015 and 2016 for the White Sox). He didn't round back into form until re-joining the Yankees in 2017 when going back to a setup role. If Robertson wins the closer job over Seranthony Dominguez, it'll help his fantasy value, obviously, but I'm not sure he's best suited for the spot. ## Player going too low __TS: Brad Hand, Indians (7 RP, 84 OVR):__ My guess is Hand ends up being the best fantasy closer this year. He'll get plenty of opportunities with the Indians and has no competition behind him. He strikes guys out (13.3 K/9 last season). He's being drafted after Kimbrel, who doesn't have a job. __CM: Hand:__ If you've been reading these previews, you know Tommy and I don't agree often, but Hand has been excellent for three straight seasons, he's now on a contending team and there's really nobody he has to worry about behind him that could take his job. ## Player I won’t draft __TS: Wade Davis, Rockies:__ I've said my part on Diaz already, so we'll go a different direction for this answer. Davis led the National League with 43 saves last season, but it's crazy he even had a chance to get there. He was hard to watch at times and his numbers have continued to decline since his breakout year in 2015. Coors Field, a bloated ERA and declining strikeouts numbers means I'll look somewhere else. __CM: Mychal Givens, Orioles:__ I'm not taking a guy on a team that might only win 50 or 55 games, sorry. His ERA was way up last year, he walks too many, strikes out too few and is having a bad spring. Sure, it's possible he gets traded to a contending team at the deadline, increasing his value, but I'd probably cut him before we even got to that points. Look elsewhere. ## Player I keep drafting __TS: Jose Alvarado, Rays:__ He's going 20th among relievers, but the list of options behind him in the Rays' pen is unimpressive. The team should be good again, theoretically meaning more save opportunities. He struck out 80 batters in 64 innings and posted a 2.27 FIP. A blind resume suggests he should be drafted ahead of Cody Allen, Ken Giles and Davis. __CM: Jordan Hicks, Cardinals:__ If he can hone his velocity, he could be one of the most dynamic closers in the National League. He's currently going 23rd among relievers, one spot behind Andrew Miller, who's likely going to be his setup guy. He has top-10 ability, so why not take a late flier on him? ## Non-closer to watch __TS: Trevor May, Twins:__ He might be the closer to begin the year, but it seems like Blake Parker is the more likely option. Parker shouldn't have that long of a leash, and May is next in line. Even if May isn't the closer, he'll provide strikeouts and solid ratios as he awaits save opportunities. __CM: Josh Hader, Brewers:__ I get it: He's too valuable to use as a full-time closer. But he did get 12 saves and six wins last season, and his WHIP (0.81) is too good to ignore. He could be this season's Andrew Miller from 2016 with the Yankees and Indians (10-1, 1.45 ERA and 12 saves). ## Bold prediction __TS:__ Trevor Rosenthal leads the Nationals in saves. __CM:__ Mark Melancon ends up taking over as Giants closer and is one of the most coveted relievers on the market at the trade deadline.