The dying designated hitter position gets a brief addition this year in some formats, as Adam Lind won’t qualify at any position in leagues that require 20 games played. We’ll rank Lind here, but you’ll be able to move him to first base by the end of April.

The same aging trio of Vladimir Guerrero, David Ortiz and Hideki Matsui are still around and providing sneaky value, as they often slip in drafts because they get forgotten about.

With so few true DHs, we can’t really rank them against each other like we have in the other fantasy baseball tiered position rankings. So what we’ll do is compare them to the deepest position of all – first base – which is where many of the best options to fill the utility spot will be found.  Ages are as of Opening Day.

2011 Fantasy Baseball Designated Hitter Rankings and Projections

Overview

Adam Lind would slip into the bottom of the third tier at first base, just behind Paul Konerko, who ranks No. 13. Lind had one of the most disappointing fantasy seasons last year, falling 68 points in average, 12 homers, 36 runs and 42 RBIs short of his 2009 numbers. Lind bounced back from a miserable slump in May and June to hit .272 with 14 homers and 36 RBIs in 73 games the rest of the way, so you have to figure he’s back and even provides a solid buy-low opportunity.

Vladimir Guerrero proved there’s plenty left in the tank of this first ballot Hall of Famer with 29 homers and 115 RBIs last season. But Vlad’s terrible showing in the postseason (.220 with zero homers and 16 Ks in 59 ABs) left a bad taste in fantasy owners’ minds, so he should also come at a discount. Guerrero fits into the bottom of the third tier, right behind Lind. At age 36 and leaving his personal playground of Rangers Ballpark (where he hit .315 with 16 HRs last season), there is reason for concern, but Vlad landed in one of his other favorite places to hit in Camden Yards (career .333 average, 9 HRs and 30 RBIs in 32 games). With the Orioles’ much-improved lineup, Guerrero should approach yet another .300-30-100 type season.

David Ortiz is making a habit of starting so slow that he gets cut in some leagues and Red Sox fans start to hyperventilate, then rebounding to put up around 30 homers and 100 RBIs. Last April, Ortiz hit .143 with one homer, but caught fire in May with 10 HRs and a .363 average. In 2009, Ortiz was hitting below .200 with one homer through May before going nuts in June. So if you draft Ortiz, be patient – even consider putting him on the bench to start the season. Ortiz slots in just below Guerrero, but at the top of the fourth tier, just above Lance Berkman.

Hideki Matsui struggled through some dry spells last season, but managed at least three homers in every month to finish with a respectable .274-21-84 line that was hampered by only 55 runs. Moving from pitcher-friendly Angel Stadium to spacious Oakland Coliseum shouldn’t change much, so expect Matsui to continue to be a viable low-end option to slot in your utility spot. Matsui would slide into the middle of the fifth tier at first base, just below No. 28 Freddie Freeman. Matsui may not have much of a ceiling, but he would be a safer bet than Freeman if you like your veteran hitters.

Jim Thome had an amazing second half last year, hitting .315 with 15 homers and 1.158 OPS. Combined with his 589 career homers, Thome will likely be overvalued on reputation alone. Even with all those homers, Thome only had 30 RBIs and 28 runs after the break because he sits every third game. Unless the Twins decide that Thome can handle everyday ABs, which seems unlikely at age 40, Thome should not be a starter in mixed leagues. In a daily league, Thome has more value than Cust, but the Twins’ designated hitter is less desirable in leagues with weekly lineup changes. So Thome slots in right below Garret Jones, who ranks 31^st at first base.

Travis Hafner is a shadow of his former self, but keep an eye on him in case his bum shoulder is finally recovered enough to allow him to return anywhere near his peak form.