2011 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: 2B

Chase Utley has been the king of the second base position for years in fantasy baseball, but he's now in danger of being usurped. Threatening Utley's crown is 28-year-old Robinson Cano, who hit .319 with 29 HRs in 2010 as well as triple-digit figures in runs and RBI. Both play in great lineups and in great hitting home ballparks, but Cano's age, health and great postseason numbers last October (.343, four HRs in 35 at-bats) have him getting the edge in most drafts, and that's fair, but ...

Utley has been a five-category star in fantasy leagues for years, and even at 32 he still has plenty left in the tank. A return to a .280-plus average and 25-plus HRs is likely, and even though he'll only contribute 10-15 SBs, his overall line at a shallow fantasy position makes him a great value pick should he slip to the second round. I had the last pick in a 15-team draft at the Fantasy Baseball Cafe and came within one pick of landing him, which would have made me ecstatic.

1. Robinson Cano, NYY
2. Chase Utley, PHI
3. Dustin Pedroia, BOS
4. Dan Uggla, ATL
5. Ian Kinsler, TEX
6. Brandon Phillips, CIN
7. Rickie Weeks, MIL
8. Kelly Johnson, ARI
9. Martin Prado, ATL
10. Brian Roberts, BAL
11. Ben Zobrist, TB
12. Howie Kendrick, LAA
13. Aaron Hill, TOR
14. Neil Walker, PIT
15. Gordon Beckham, CWS
16. Tsuyoshi Nishioka, MIN
17. Chone Figgins, SEA
18. Omar Infante, FLA
19. Mike Aviles, KAN
20. Jed Lowrie, BOS
21. Orlando Hudson, SD
22. Sean Rodriguez, TB
23. Alexi Casilla, MIN
24. Juan Uribe, LAD
25. Danny Espinosa, WAS
26. Freddy Sanchez, SF
27. Reid Brignac, TB
28. Dustin Ackley, SEA
29. Eric Young Jr., COL
30. Jose Lopez, COL

• Chances are Dustin Pedroia is going to go a little bit higher than you'd imagine, but by season's end you may be kicking yourself for passing on him. With 12 homers in the first half of 2010, Pedroia was entertaining the possibility of becoming a 20/20 player with a quality batting average. Now 27 and in the middle of a lineup that now includes Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, he could have his first 20-HR season, and if his average climbs back toward .300, he'll be a great value in fantasy leagues.

• Considering he just turned in a breakout 2010 campaign, Kelly Johnson should be getting more love in fantasy drafts. He rebounded against righties to bring his average back up to the .280 range while also finding a way to pack power onto his swing. As a result, he had an Utley-lite season: .284, 26 HRs, 13 SBs. If you're unwilling to go big at the position, Johnson should be your target in the middle rounds of 2011 drafts.

• Subconsciously, we may be ready to write Brian Roberts off at 33 years old, but he could have another year or two of fantasy value left in him. Missing nearly all of the first half of last season with a back injury, Roberts came back strong in the second half, hitting .287 with four HRs and 10 SBs. The Orioles lineup is undoubtedly better in 2011, with Vladimir Guerrero, Derrek Lee and Mark Reynolds entering the mix, and the offensive boost could carry over to Roberts' numbers. A 10/25 season with a .280 average is still in play here.

• Digging deeper into the position, Neil Walker, Gordon Beckham and Tsuyoshi Nishioka all offer upside in the later rounds of the draft. Walker hit .296 with 12 HRs in 426 bats with the big-league club, and he has an outside shot at posting a 20/10 season this year. Beckham was a hot commodity in 2010 drafts, but after falling flat last year he has excellent value as a post-hype sleeper after hitting .316 with seven HRs in 187 second-half at-bats. Nishioka comes to America with a batting title in tow, making him worthy of a late-round gamble.

• Keep an eye on the Rockies second baseman battle in spring training. Jose Lopez looks like the favorite for playing time, and his power bat may translate well moving from Seattle and Safeco to Colorado and Coors. However, he'll have to hold off speedster Eric Young Jr., who had 17 SBs in 172 big-league at-bats last season. Owners looking for cheap power should cast their lot with Lopez, while those looking to find some speed upside should gamble on Young winning the job.