2016 Fantasy Baseball: Top 15 First Basemen

15. Joe Mauer - Minnesota Twins

Projected 2016 Stats: .274 batting average, 8 HRs, and 59 RBI. Mauer's main draw used to be as a great singles hitter, but he's not even that anymore. He's the shell of what he once was, but will still likely club around 30 doubles. In an improving Minnesota lineup, that could give him higher upside, but he's still only a backup option on fantasy rosters.

14. Carlos Santana - Cleveland Indians

Projected 2016 Stats: .226 batting average, 22 HRs, and 91 RBI. Santana has high upside, although he will hurt in the beginning of the season without Michael Brantley in the lineup. Nonetheless, he will be a guy that hits for a lot of power and very little average. If you already have some sluggers that hit for average, he's worth the risk in the draft.

13. Adam Lind - Seattle Mariners

Projected 2016 Stats: .265 batting average, 17 HRs, and 71 RBI. Hitting in a better lineup in Seattle than he did in Milwaukee last year, Lind could be a sleeper. However, his numbers have been inconsistent over the course of his career, so he shouldn't be taken early on. Look for him to be a value pick in the middle rounds of the draft.

12. Brandon Belt - San Francisco Giants

Projected 2016 Stats: .284 batting average, 21 HRs, and 79 RBI. Belt has never quite turned into the superstar the Giants thought he would be, but he's still well above average at the plate. As long as everyone stays healthy, he will be hitting in a very good lineup, which will give him more chances to generate runs. That could equal a breakout season for the 27-year-old.

11. Albert Pujols - Los Angeles Angels

Projected 2016 Stats: .251 batting average, 26 HRs, and 94 RBI. Pujols is one of the best hitters of the generation, but he's entering the downturn of his career. That sounds strange after he hit 40 home runs a season ago, but he can't keep up that production as he gets closer to 40. He will still put up really nice numbers, but the average will stay in lower levels similar to the last three years.

10. Prince Fielder - Texas Rangers

Projected 2016 Stats: .291 batting average, 18 HRs, and 82 RBI. Fielder had a great bounce back year in 2015, but don't look for him to be at quite the level he was a year ago. As long as he's healthy, he will still be very productive, though. If other hitters in the Texas lineup step up around him, his numbers could actually get better in 2016.

9. Adrian Gonzalez - Los Angeles Dodgers

Projected 2016 Stats: .264 batting average, 21 HRs, and 73 RBI. A-Gon continues to produce in the Dodgers lineup, but with so many doubts about the offense this year, don't count on him being elite anymore. His ceiling is relatively high, but 2016 certainly looks like it could be a down year for Gonzalez.

8. Eric Hosmer - Kansas City Royals

Projected 2016 Stats: .288 batting average, 22 HRs, and 101 RBI. It seems like we've been saying this for a while, but this could finally be the year Hosmer breaks out. He's built on each of his last two campaigns and he finally has the swagger a superstar needs. He won't quite become a superstar in 2016, but he will establish himself as one of the best first basemen in the game.

7. Edwin Encarnacion - Toronto Blue Jays

Projected 2016 Stats: .268 batting average, 33 HRs, and 103 RBI. Hitting in a great Blue Jay lineup, there's no way Encarnacion doesn't put up huge numbers again this year. The power is still there and isn't going anywhere and he will be hitting with runners on base consistently. He certainly is a top first base option early on in drafts.

6. Joey Votto - Cincinnati Reds

Projected 2016 Stats: .291 batting average, 22 HRs, and 79 RBI. Votto burst back onto the scene a year ago, hitting .314 and reaching base at an incredible .459 clip. In a really weak Cincinnati lineup, his numbers are bound to go down in 2016, though. Pitchers don't have to attack him since he doesn't have Todd Frazier to back him up anymore. While he is still a top first base option, don't imagine him to duplicate his 2015 numbers.

5. Chris Davis - Baltimore Orioles

Projected 2016 Stats: .248 batting average, 41 HRs, and 104 RBI. Davis set the world on fire last season and that earned him a monster contract this offseason, but he won't live up to the big money he got. His average has been consistently low and that could plunge further this year. He's still a good bet to get you 35-plus home runs and 100-plus RBI, which can't be said for most at the position.

4. Miguel Cabrera - Detroit Tigers

Projected 2016 Stats: .324 batting average, 29 HRs, and 108 RBI. Cabrera is one of the best hitters of his generation and if he stays healthy, he will once again be a top fantasy option. Especially in a strong Detroit lineup, he's going to have plenty of chances to drive in runs. If we've learned anything over the years, it's that he won't waste those opportunities.

3. Jose Abreu - Chicago White Sox

Projected 2016 Stats: .298 batting average, 37 HRs, and 114 RBI. Abreu has been great in his first two years in the league and 2016 could be his best yet. The addition of Todd Frazier majorly helps him in this lineup and he's going to be a better hitter for it. In deep leagues, it would not be a reach at all to go after Abreu in the first round.

2. Anthony Rizzo - Chicago Cubs

Projected 2016 Stats: .288 batting average, 33 HRs, and 120 RBI. Rizzo is entering his prime just in time for the Cubs to be loading their lineup with stars. This season has all the makings of a breakout year for the slugger who got MVP consideration last year. The lefty is a potential steal in the second round of drafts as he could easily become the best hitter in your fantasy lineup.

1. Paul Goldschmidt - Arizona Diamondbacks

Projected 2016 Stats: .319 batting average, 41 RBI, and 131 RBI. Goldschmidt is a bona fide superstar and this is finally the year he gets his MVP award. With A.J. Pollock coming into his own ahead of him, Goldschmidt will only get better. Keep your eyes on the desert, because Goldschmidt is one of the best players available in fantasy this season.