It’s never a bad idea to assess some players based on poor starts. Let's take a look at some of the most dropped players in fantasy.

Players getting cut because of injuries and / or DL stints are not included here. Each player's ownership % drop in ESPN standard leagues is shown in parentheses.

Colby Rasmus, OF, Toronto (-7.3%)

Rasmus has always had the talent, but he needs to be more consistent. He is 2 for 18 to start the season, although he did hit a triple Monday night in the Blue Jays home opener. He also made a spectacular diving catch, so he’s playing with confidence. I really believe Rasmus is a good player and he will be productive, as long as you don’t have unreasonable expectations of him. I wouldn’t want to own him in anything other than a deep league or keeper league; he’s not good enough to be a starting outfielder on your fantasy squad.

Francisco Liriano, SP, Minnesota (-14.6%)

After a fantastic spring, Liriano optimists were crushed when he imploded on Saturday. He gave up five earned runs, eight hits, two walks and a home run in only five innings pitched. This is very concerning, but you should play the wait and see game with Liriano for now. There’s probably too many owners panicking about this guy right now.

Mike Minor, SP, Atlanta (-6.0%)

Minor is a player who many expected would have a big year, but his season got off to a rough start against the New York Mets. In five innings, Minor allowed six earned runs, four walks and six strikeouts. The four walks in five innings are very concerning; clearly he’s still struggling with his command. Just like Liriano, see how he does in his next start (at home vs MIL). If he’s as ineffective as he was against the Mets, he might not get a chance to breakout; the Braves have the pitching depth to replace Minor.

Lorenzo Cain, OF, Kansas City (-18.7%)

Another player that generated a lot of hype in the offseason is Lorenzo Cain, but he hasn’t lived up to it yet. The departure of Melky Cabrera opened up a spot for Cain in the Royals lineup, and the organization is behind him and they want him to succeed, so I wouldn’t give up on him just yet. Cain also had to face Jered Weaver and Dan Haren in two of those games. He’s just 1 for 14 to start the season, but you should give him some time to adjust to major league pitching. He's a talented player and should provide value going forward.

Chris Perez, RP, Cleveland (-9.6%)

Is there any player other that had a worse start to the season than Perez? Perez walked two and gave up three earned runs in his first appearance. He didn’t even last an inning; he was credited with 0.2 innings pitched.  After that blown save, Perez threw two scoreless innings and recorded one save in the last two games against the Blue Jays. His command was all over the place in the first game, but he was much more focused and in control the next few times out. Perez does have to worry a little bit about fellow reliever Vinnie Pestano, but Pestano doesn’t have the closer experience like Perez does. Perez doesn't offer much in terms of Ks, ERA and WHIP, so it doesn’t surprise me that people are dropping him, but he’s worth hanging on to as long as the job is his.

Mat Gamel, 3B, Milwaukee (-5.1%)

After Prince Fielder put the Milwaukee Brewers out of their misery and signed with the Detroit Tigers, Mat Gamel became the starting first baseman. People were comparing him to Alex Gordon of the Royals and praising him as a good late round target in fantasy leagues. It’s a little puzzling that so many fantasy owners are dropping him, because he’s hit .286 this season. He also has one stolen base, three runs scored and an RBI. Ideally, we’d like to see more power from him, but its still very early. Also, be sure to check your league's settings; Gamel should be gaining 1B eligibility very soon.

Kurt Suzuki, C, Oakland (-5.8%)

People can’t expect too much from Suzuki; he’s a solid catcher but that’s all he’ll ever be. There's nothing wrong with his performance thus far (.250 AVG, 1 R, 3 RBI), but ESPN's standard league is 10-team, so it's no surprise to see an replacement-level catcher like Suzuki being dropped. Last year he finished with 13 home runs, 71 RBI, a .242 batting average and 3 stolen bases. As I said, as long as you don’t have huge expectations for him, he’ll be just fine.

Greg Holland, RP, Kansas City (-4.9%)

Holland’s value took a hit when the Royals named Jonathan Broxton their closer. Holland is a pretty safe drop at this point, unless you're desperate for saves; if Broxton really struggles in the closer's role, Holland will be first in line for a shot. He could be good for some holds, but the real value he potentially had was as a closer. Holland has great stuff, but will remain as a setup man for now.

Geovany Soto, C, Chicago Cubs (-7.5%)

Soto hasn’t been very productive early on, sporting a .222 batting average and three runs scored. Still has zero RBI and the same goes for home runs. Where Soto’s value lies is that he’s a catcher that can hit for power and you can get him very late in drafts. However, its not a surprise to see him being dropped because there are plenty of other options out there as far as catchers go. Soto, like Suzuki, is solid as long as you don’t have unreasonable expectations for him.

Aroldis Chapman, RP, Cincinnati (-7.7%)

After Ryan Madson had Tommy John surgery, Chapman owners were excited about a potential opportunity to close for the Reds. However, they were quickly disappointed after Dusty Baker named Sean Marshall the clubs new closer. Now Chapman is merely a setup man, which really doesn’t do much for his value in fantasy leagues. This guy is a safe drop in all leagues except for keeper and dynasty formats.

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