With just over three weeks to go until Opening Day 2018, fans are already prepping for this year’s MLB fantasy draft. While most people usually think of football when it comes to fantasy sports, baseball is a close second with millions of players from coast to coast -- and what makes fantasy baseball even more attractive to fans is you can play every day!

First Base belongs to Freddie

When it comes to baseball fantasy drafts, you always want to find a great hitter. Where better to find one than at first base? The field is high once again this season when it comes to slugging first baseman, and right at the top of my list is Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman.

Freeman is a must draft if you can get him. In fact, he may be better than many experts' choice at the No. 1 slot in Paul Goldschmidt. Sure, Goldschmidt is a flat-out beast, but Freeman is as well. Despite missing nearly 50 games last season, Freeman still blasted 27 home runs, collected 135 hits, hit .307 and had an OBP of .408. Those numbers should be even better in 2018.

Freeman first debuted for the Braves in 2010 at the tender age of 20. He quickly became one of the players to keep an eye on the following season when he hit 21 home runs, drove in 76 and finished second overall in the Rookie of the Year award voting -- right behind his teammate at the time, closer Craig Kimbrel.

DH, Catchers in play

When selecting first basemen, you have to take many things into consideration with interleague play at the top of the list. Now players that don’t normally play first base on a regular basis can help or hurt you along the way.

Detroit’s Victor Martinez, San Francisco’s Buster Posey, and Seattle’s Nelson Cruz are a perfect example of guys who may play 10-20 games at first base a season due to interleague play.

Depending on how the rules are where you play, this could affect your draft a bit.

While Posey and Martinez have had experience at first base, Call to the Pen claims Cruz could join them soon as he has reportedly been working on his infield game.

While players like Freeman, Goldschmidt, and Rizzo are always going to be on everyone's must-have list, it is the second round and beyond players that always matter down the line.

Here is a look at my top draft selections for first basemen heading into the 2018 campaign.

Top Value: Freddie Freeman, Paul Goldschmidt, Joey Votto, Anthony Rizzo.

Close second: Edwin Encarnacion, Miguel Cabrera, Eric Hosmer, Wil Myers, Matt Carpenter.

Sleepers to watch: Rhys Hoskins, Justin Smoak, Ryan Zimmerman, Eric Thames, Justin Bour, Marwin Gonzalez, Joey Gallo, Josh Bell, Joe Mauer.
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