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About Nick Mariano - RotoBaller
Senior MLB/NFL Fantasy Analyst & Editor here at RotoBaller, I've been lucky enough to work here since 2015. Spent two seasons writing for MLB.com as well.
FantasyPros ranked me as 2018's most accurate fantasy baseball draft dude, and I'm a three-time top-12 ranker in their fantasy football weekly accuracy competition as well. I rank the things good, or something.
NY born and raised, but now you can find me in Boston with my awesome Star Baker of a wife. Addicted to apples, peanut butter, learning about cognitive biases, and baseball cards. Lots of baseball cards...
Feel free to reach out on Twitter or ride with me on Peloton: @NMariano53
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Nick Mariano - RotoBaller has written 1887 articles so far, you can find them below.
The Baller Ranks: Weekly Top 70 Relief Pitcher Rankings
Welcome to the first version of my 2021 Relief Pitcher Baller Ranks, where we take a weekly peek at my top 70 SPs moving forward. This is geared towards traditional 5x5 roto leagues, with the understanding that RPs are as volatile as it gets. Since this is the first version of the year, it won't... Read More
The Baller Ranks: Weekly Top 101 Starting Pitcher Rankings
Welcome to the first iteration of my 2021 Starting Pitcher Baller Ranks, where we take a weekly peek at my top 101 SPs moving forward. Since this is the first version of the year, it won't be "full" because much of the punch hinges on movement from the prior week and a reliable set of... Read More
Nick Mariano's Waiver Picks - Get 'Em While They're Hot (Premium Content)
All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. Baseball is in full swing and with it, our silly little game and the chaotic overreaction season that comes with early April. I love it, and most of you will find glorious waiver-wire gems coming from dropped players as fantasy teams give up too... Read More
Nick Mariano's Waiver Picks - Get 'Em While They're Hot (Premium Content)
All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. Can you believe that baseball is back? There is a time for grievances over the NL not keeping the DH and we're still not out of the COVID-19 woods with the Mets-National series postponed, but we are (mostly) back. Let us be grateful and... Read More
Finding Over/Undervalued Outfielders Using Expected Draft Values
Welcome to the FSWA-nominated Expected Draft Values series, where we look at historical data to identify both overvalued and undervalued players of all types. Whether you're targeting power, speed, power+speed, batting average+power, and so on, we've got you covered. We're onto the outfield now as we make our way through our 2021 draft prep. Today,... Read More
Nick Mariano's Top 140 Saves+Holds Rankings
To any reader who thinks they don't have a voice here at RotoBaller, let it be known that this article came from a simple Reddit comment about how those seeking Saves+Holds reliever ranks were often overlooked. Poof, and here we are. Allow me, Nick Mariano, 2018's most accurate draft expert (top-three for RPs in '18... Read More
Nick Mariano's H2H Points Leagues Targets (Premium Content)
All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. Fantasy baseball drafts (and their articles) usually cater to the biggest stars or the deepest sleepers, but there are very few articles that simply discuss the mid-round targets that deserve a boost in points league formats (even if points veterans will laugh at some... Read More
Nick Mariano's H2H Points Leagues Early-Round Avoids (Premium Content)
All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. Fantasy baseball drafts (and their articles) are almost all about finding the next superstar and unearthing talent late, but we can't forget that surrendering value by over-drafting can be just as crucial. There's insight out there for most anything, but coverage of points leagues... Read More
Ryan Mountcastle (1B/OF, BAL) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 130 CURRENT ADP: ~146 overall ANALYSIS: The frontrunner for 2021 AL Rookie of the Year may be a poor fielder but a full season at Camden Yards should yield profits. The 2020 small sample brought us a .333/.386/.492 slash with five homers over 140 PAs, but much of that was... Read More
C.J. Cron (1B, COL) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 235 CURRENT ADP: ~294 overall ANALYSIS: Cron will enter his age-31 season having only logged more than 500 PAs once in his seven-year career. But he’s at the perfect price point where you shrug at the low floor while recognizing his stellar power potential. I realize power bats don’t mean... Read More
Eugenio Suarez (3B, CIN) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 58 CURRENT ADP: ~73 overall ANALYSIS: Suárez had offseason shoulder surgery in January 2020 and said he was 100% by June. The .268 ISO and 15 home runs in 57 games backed that up, but fantasy owners got burned by a .202 average. Stare long and hard at the .214... Read More
Finding Over/Undervalued Third Basemen Using Expected Draft Values
Last year we introduced our Expected Draft Values and explained how they would help us identify both over and undervalued players of all types. Power, speed, power+speed, batting average+power, and so on, with pitchers as well. Today, we'll look at four third basemen and our site projections for them. Stay tuned over the next couple... Read More
Finding Over/Undervalued Second Basemen Using Expected Draft Values
Welcome to the FSWA-nominated Expected Draft Values series, where we look at historical data to identify both over and undervalued players of all types. Whether you're targeting power, speed, power+speed, batting average+power, and so on, we've got you covered. We now head to second base as we make our way around the diamond for 2021.... Read More
Finding Over/Undervalued Shortstops Using Expected Draft Values
Welcome to the FSWA-nominated Expected Draft Values series, where we look at historical data to identify both overvalued and undervalued players of all types. Whether you're targeting power, speed, power+speed, batting average+power, and so on, we've got you covered. We'll start at first base and make our way around the diamond to begin the 2021... Read More
Alejandro Kirk (C, TOR) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 280 CURRENT ADP: ~310 overall ANALYSIS: This may be more of a sleeper for NFBC formats or other two-catcher leagues. While I recognize that the Jays still have Danny Jansen present, but most catching jobs in the MLB are split. In a one-catcher league, you may opt for a player with locked... Read More
Dansby Swanson (SS, ATL) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 80 CURRENT ADP: ~103 overall ANALYSIS: Swanson remains an oft-overlooked late bloomer thanks to such a top-heavy shortstop class. We're not crowning him as a Tier One or Two kind of guy, but he's capable of delivering power, speed, and counting stats alongside an average that won't burn. The 27-year-old... Read More
Scott Kingery (2B/OF, PHI) - Fantasy Baseball Draft Values
BALLER MOVE: Draft target ~pick 265 CURRENT ADP: ~310 overall ANALYSIS: Kingery is one of the hitters receiving a clean pass for 2020. He got hit hard by COVID-19 in June and then admitted to both shoulder and back injuries that potentially stemmed from missing time in the summer. He would eventually miss the first half... Read More
Finding Over/Undervalued First Basemen Using Expected Draft Values
Welcome to the FSWA-nominated Expected Draft Values series, where we look at historical data to identify both overvalued and undervalued players of all types. Whether you're targeting power, speed, power+speed, batting average+power, and so on, we've got you covered. We'll start at first base and make our way around the diamond to begin the 2021... Read More
Nick Mariano's 2021 Late-Round Fliers List (Premium Content)
All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. Howdy, RotoBallers! I hope you're ready to take chances, make mistakes, and get messy. We’re here to dig a little deeper into the draft room and look for players that would be wise to take a flier on in the late rounds. 2021 might... Read More
Nick Mariano's 2021 Early-Round Overvalued List (Premium Content)
All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. Fantasy baseball drafts (and their articles) are almost all about finding the next superstar and unearthing talent late, but we can't forget that surrendering value by over-drafting can be just as crucial. In order to evaluate overvalued players here, we're going to utilize Average... Read More
Nick Mariano's 2021 Draft Sleepers List (Premium Content)
All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. Sleeper has started to lose its meaning in fantasy sports, becoming an SEO must for articles despite no real consensus on what it means. So let's get my definition out of the way first. Sleepers are not necessarily meant to be names that no one... Read More
Nick Mariano's Auction Draft Strategies and Tips (Premium Content)
All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. We applaud you and your league for playing in the more entertaining format that is auction-based fantasy baseball. This is not a 101-level "how-to" guide, you'll need to know how to click "Bid" and whatnot. But I want to help you go from the... Read More
Waiver Wire Express - Week 17 Lightning Round
While some fantasy seasons are over, we here recognize many are still battling in Week 17. Let's take a moment to applaud that we have had a full NFL season thus far, with some admitted turbulence along the way. Week 17 is always messy with backups getting additional play so keep your eyes on the... Read More
Nick Mariano's Early 2021 Fantasy Baseball First Base Rankings
Once again, I'll start by saying the 2021 baseball season is not guaranteed to be a normal one. But for now, let's just close our eyes and dream of a world unencumbered by COVID-19 and talk about our silly little game as if a 162-game season will come next spring. Join me for my position-by-position... Read More
FAB Bidding - Week 16 Waiver Wire Targets
Week 15 brought many surprises and several superstar performances. Cheers to those of you entering your finals and all those progressing through the playoffs! With our famous waiver wire pickups list and our weekly waiver wire columns by position, this column focuses on suggested waiver wire bidding percentages for fantasy football owners in leagues using a... Read More
Waiver Wire Express - Week 16 Lightning Round
To those who are still reading these, I say congratulations! You must be deep into the playoffs or battling for roto supremacy. I know these weeks are draining but we must finish strong. We've battled through COVID-19, injuries, duds, all sorts of landmines to get here. Let's get that gold with the waiver wire lightning round... Read More
FAB Bidding - Week 15 Waiver Wire Targets
Week 14 ended on a dramatic note with Lamar Jackson's WWE-style return to action that surely tilted many fantasy matchups. To those of you still in the hunt for glory, we salute you. With our famous waiver wire pickups list and our weekly waiver wire columns by position, this column focuses on suggested waiver wire bidding... Read More
Waiver Wire Express - Week 15 Lightning Round
We're through most of Week 14 and that means some of you have playoffs approaching and others are knee-deep in the first round. We've pushed through COVID-19 weirdness, key injuries, and incredible performances to this far and we're not stopping now. Let's keep on storming through the playoffs with the waiver wire lightning round heading into... Read More
FAB Bidding - Week 14 Waiver Wire Targets
Week 13 is nearly in the books pending another Tuesday game, but most of us are onto Week 14 and that means fantasy football playoff season is here. With our famous waiver wire pickups list and our weekly waiver wire columns by position, this column focuses on suggested waiver wire bidding percentages for fantasy football owners... Read More
Waiver Wire Express - Week 14 Lightning Round
Week 13 went off without many key injuries or COVID-19 ripples, but there were many low-scoring performances and upsets across the league. We're approaching the stretch run and there's no holding back now. Let's hit those playoff weeks hot with the waiver wire lightning round heading into Week 14. This column is published early every week... Read More
