As the 2026 Major League Baseball season unfolds its opening week, fantasy baseball enthusiasts and analysts are already buzzing about potential breakout stories that could reshape rosters and award races. In a recent analysis on ESPN.com, veteran fantasy expert Eric Karabell highlights several players whose early performances suggest they might exceed expectations, urging managers not to overlook these developments. From power hitters reclaiming their throne to dual-threat stars eyeing pitching accolades, the first few games have provided tantalizing glimpses of what could be a season full of surprises.
Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez has wasted no time reminding the baseball world of his elite status after a disappointing 2025 campaign marred by injuries. In the season's second game against the Los Angeles Angels, Alvarez launched a home run, followed by long balls in each of the first two games of the subsequent series versus the Boston Red Sox. According to Karabell, "Alvarez has three multihit games out of six chances, with more walks than strikeouts. Welcome back, Alvarez! He's a monster fantasy hitter in both points and roto/category formats."
Alvarez's resurgence comes after averaging 34 home runs and 96 RBIs from 2021 through 2024, a stretch during which only six players surpassed his home run total, and New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge was the sole hitter with a higher batting average than Alvarez's .296 mark. Karabell notes that despite concerns over Alvarez's durability—he averaged just 135 games over those four prime years and missed 114 games last season due to a hand fracture and ankle sprain—the slugger was drafted at a discount in this year's auction drafts. "His lost 2025 season due to a hand fracture and an ankle sprain should be quickly forgotten," Karabell writes, adding that some view Alvarez as "brittle," akin to Angels outfielder Mike Trout or Twins outfielder Byron Buxton.
Yet, Karabell remains optimistic, viewing 2025 as an aberration and encouraging fantasy managers to target Alvarez if league-mates remain skeptical. The Astros designated hitter, who is eligible as an outfielder on platforms like ESPN, has shown the plate discipline and power that made him a top-10 fantasy asset in previous years. With the season barely underway on April 2, 2026, Alvarez's hot start could signal a return to form, potentially leading Houston's lineup as they defend their American League West title.
Shifting to the National League, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is making waves not just with his bat but potentially with his arm, positioning himself as a legitimate contender for the NL Cy Young Award. In a standout performance on Tuesday against the Cleveland Guardians, Ohtani delivered six innings of one-hit, shutout baseball, contributing to his career ERA of 2.96, a 1.07 WHIP, and an impressive 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings. Karabell, who has historically tempered expectations due to Ohtani's limited pitching volume, admits, "While we all must agree Ohtani is awesome and the most special player on a baseball diamond, I must admit I haven't always been so positive about his pitching."
Ohtani has topped 23 starts in just one of his nine MLB seasons, but word from the Dodgers camp suggests the two-way phenom views himself as a pitcher first. After securing Rookie of the Year honors and three MVP awards, Ohtani is reportedly chasing a Cy Young to complete his collection. "Could this be the year?" Karabell poses, expressing skepticism about the Dodgers' willingness to push their MVP leadoff hitter given their deep pitching staff and playoff focus. Last year, post-Tommy John surgery, Ohtani logged only 47 innings over 14 starts, though his rate stats were elite.
Looking back, Ohtani's 2022 season with the Angels saw him make 28 starts and throw 166 innings, posting a 2.33 ERA and 1.01 WHIP with 219 strikeouts, good for a fourth-place finish in the AL Cy Young voting behind Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander. This year, with Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes as the early frontrunner, Karabell speculates Ohtani could make a serious run, perhaps returning to 166 innings. "On a rate basis, he sure looks like a top-10 pitcher," Karabell observes, noting that depending on league scoring, this could be Ohtani's most valuable fantasy season yet.
In Arizona, Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo is emerging as a key fantasy asset once more, potentially outshining even the hyped Corbin Carroll. Perdomo, who hit .290 with 20 home runs, 100 RBIs, 27 stolen bases, and superior plate discipline over 161 games in 2025, homered off Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the season opener. Karabell counters the spring narrative that Perdomo's breakout was a fluke, stating, "Perdomo was never supposed to be a great fantasy option and then last season he hit .290 with 20 home runs, 100 RBIs, 27 stolen bases and more walks than strikeouts over 161 games."
Despite Carroll's impressive 2025 stats—31 home runs, 32 steals, and 107 runs scored—Perdomo outscored him by 70 points in ESPN fantasy leagues, largely due to volume and discipline. Batting third behind Carroll, Perdomo benefits from prime lineup positioning. "Why can't this occur again?" Karabell asks, dismissing analysts who doubted a repeat. While both players are fully rostered, Perdomo went five rounds later than Carroll in drafts, suggesting he remains somewhat underrated. Karabell predicts both could finish in the top 20 among hitters, with Perdomo possibly replicating his fifth-place finish in ESPN points from last year.
The Arizona duo's synergy could propel the Diamondbacks deeper into the NL West race, especially after their 2024 World Series appearance. Perdomo's power surge in the opener serves as a reminder of his legitimacy, blending speed, discipline, and unexpected pop in a package that defies preseason projections.
Over in Pittsburgh, Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz is showing signs of rebounding from a dismal 2025, where he hit just .200 amid strikeout woes and defensive struggles. Cruz, known for his raw power, smashed a 444-foot home run off Cincinnati Reds left-hander Brandon Williamson on Tuesday, followed by a 407-foot three-run shot against lefty Andrew Abbott. This is particularly notable given Cruz's career-long struggles against southpaws; he managed only one homer off lefties last season while batting .178 lifetime against them this decade, the 23rd-worst mark among qualified hitters.
Karabell points out the specificity of his projection: "Don't be surprised ... if Pirates OF Oneil Cruz hits .259 this season," matching his 2024 average. That year, Cruz hit .224 against lefties with six of his 21 home runs coming from that side, a marked improvement over 2025's .102/.224/.176 slash line and .400 OPS. "A handful of plate appearances against a few Reds lefties this week changes little, yet we can be optimistic," Karabell writes, though he acknowledges Cruz's 30% strikeout rate over the past two seasons and his transition to center field, where he's already botched several plays, including ones that hurt ace Paul Skenes in the opener.
Despite fading Cruz in his own leagues—citing the former shortstop's failure to reach 30 homers or 75 runs in a season—Karabell sees trade value in these early homers off lefties. The Pirates, rebuilding around young talent like Skenes, hope Cruz can harness his tools to contribute more consistently at PNC Park.
These early developments underscore the unpredictable nature of MLB's opening week, where small samples can ignite larger narratives. As fantasy managers adjust rosters and real teams jockey for position, players like Alvarez, Ohtani, Perdomo, and Cruz embody the excitement of a new season. With the Dodgers, Astros, Diamondbacks, and Pirates all off to intriguing starts, analysts like Karabell remind us that believing in these surprises could pay dividends by October. The coming weeks will reveal whether these hot streaks endure or fade, but for now, the crystal ball gleams brightly.