J.P. Crawford has been one of the most durable players in the majors of late and has played at least 145 games in four of the last five seasons while handling arguably one of the most taxing positions on the diamond: shortstop. However, his elite glove isn’t accompanied by an elite bat. Instead, Crawford has been quite inconsistent offensively in recent years.
He hit .265 with a .722 OPS across 654 plate appearances in 2025. While that was a bounce-back effort compared to 2024 (.202 average and .625 OPS in 105 games and 451 PAs), it wasn’t as good as his career-best season of 2023, when he hit .266 with a career-high .818 OPS across 145 games and 638 PAs.
The real value of Crawford could be somewhat of an average of those three seasons, but is that useful from a fantasy perspective?
Evaluating J.P. Crawford’s Strengths, Weaknesses and 2026 Fantasy Projection
Crawford is a complicated case to analyze in terms of fantasy production because, unlike most players, there isn’t an area where he excels, but he also doesn’t have a glaring weakness in his game. Thus, this is one of those cases in which the sum of all parts has greater value than individual stats.
Indeed, Crawford doesn’t hit for a lot of power (12 homers and a .105 ISO in 2025), but it’s worth noting he has launched double-digit homers in two of his last three seasons.
He might not hit for a high average, but he’s had an on-base percentage of at least .335 in four of the last five seasons, including .352 in 2025 thanks to an 11.3% walk rate. And while his average is relatively low, he’s not a player who strikes out often; he’s had a strikeout rate below 20% in four of his last five seasons.
How can we translate those numbers to fantasy? Crawford is a reliable veteran who, even though he might not have a high ceiling, comes with a very high floor. He should hover around a .250 average and slightly over a .700 OPS, and hit double-digit homers while playing an elite defensive position at a high level.
Crawford is nowhere near being considered an elite option in fantasy, especially since shortstop is one of the most stacked positions in terms of elite talent available. However, if you’re looking for a secondary option at the position after drafting another premium option in the early rounds, Crawford could be a solid choice based on the high floor he delivers. He’s a player worth targeting in the mid-to-late rounds, which is reflected in his ADP in the 300 range.
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