This week at Harper Wallbanger, I'm sorting through the Big Board for 12-team 5x5 leagues to find the must-draft and must-avoid players at each position. Next up is Shortstops!

STATE OF THE POSITION

The Shortstop renaissance is here! After a first-tier full of can't-go-wrong players such as Machado, Correa, Story, and Villar, there is a dropoff to a still-exciting middle tier that includes Russell and Diaz. Unfortunately, I've found that drafters are valuing most of the high-end options fairly accurately this year, so I'm leaving shortstop as a position where I'll wait and see what draft position I have before formulating a plan. If a guy falls to me, so be it, otherwise there are great options in the mid-to-late rounds. There is a ton more power at this position than there was just a couple of years ago, and while that is exciting, keep in mind that if you take an all-pop, no-speed shortstop, you're going to have to fill in those steals elsewhere, possibly by taking a more SB-focused approach in the outfield than you're used to. All that said, let us get to the picks, where I have an underappreciated A's player (classic), a potential breakout speedster, and a "one of these things is not like the others" bust-candidate from the top tier.