Justin Verlander (SP, DET) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target as SP5

ANALYSIS: Once-Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander finished 2014 with a gruesome 4.54 ERA, a 1.40 WHIP and a 6.95 K/9 rate, all either worst or second-worst in his nine year career. He also averaged his lowest fastball velocity ever – 93.1 mph. Despite somehow managing to eclipse 200 IP and rack up 15 wins, it might have been his worst season.

So why do I think he’s draft-able? I think he pitched hurt.

This time last winter, Justin Verlander was still recovering from a brutal abdominal surgery that was supposed to fix the velocity decrease we saw in 2013.

There have not been any medical procedures this winter that we can call Verlander’s saving grace, but there is a lot optimism coming from Detroit. It has been reported that not only is Verlander feeling “the best he’s felt physically” in three years, but General Manager Dave Dombroski said he expects “big things” from JV this season.

CBS has Verlander ranked at 78 among starting pitchers, ESPN at 68, Yahoo as high as 48. Our RotoBaller staff has him averaged at 71.1. Keep Verlander in the back of your mind come draft day. If he starts to fall, you might want to consider grabbing him.