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By Zach Freeman
Fantasy Sports 101 Baseball

Shortstop is a headline position with the ongoing debate of Jose Reyes vs. Hanley Ramirez ruffling feathers everywhere. Add Jimmy Rollins to the mix as a late first rounder, and you've got the best upper tier of any position in fantasy.

After the big three, you won't find a ton of difference between the remaining shortstops on the list. There is a compromise to make with every one of them, but the parity and differences in opinion should make targeting and drafting your favorites an easier task.

1. Jose Reyes, New York Mets
Reyes missed only two games last season, which, according to Reyes, caused his September slump. His 78 stolen bases (99 attempts) led the majors, and with Mets manager Willie Randolph promising more off days, look for a more rested Reyes to put up better power numbers and steal 70-80 bases.

2. Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins
Ramirez improved is batting average 40 points last season (.332) and his .386 on-base percentage showed that he was comfortable seeing pitches and working counts. With the departure of Miguel Cabrera, teams will focus more on Ramirez, but he is simply too good. Look for the same power numbers from Ramirez, but fewer runs scored and RBI.

3. Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies
Last year’s National League MVP was the first player in Major League History to have 200 hits, 15 triples, 25 home runs and 25 steals in a single season. Rollins’ ability to hit well from both sides of the plate (.281 vs. RHP, .314 vs. LHP) makes him one of the most dangerous hitters in the game. He plays half his games in tiny Citizens Bank Park and has Chase Utley and Ryan Howard hitting behind him, all of which will add up to another big-time season for J-Roll.

4. Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies
Tulowitzki, who finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting last season, set a league record for home runs by a rookie shortstop in 2007. Tulowitzki is only 23, but look for his numbers to be similar in his second season. Coors Field is a launching pad, and the Rockies' lineup is among the best in the National League. Tulowitzki will have all the help he needs to back up the preseason hype.

5. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
Jeter played most of 2007 with a nagging knee injury and still hit .322 with a .388 on-base percentage. With better health, his speed numbers should improve, but at 33, he will have a hard time eclipsing 25 steals. On the Yankees' All-Star team, Jeter is a lock for 100-plus runs and some of the better RBI production among shortstops.

6. Carlos Guillen, Detroit Tigers
Guillen will play first base this season for Detroit, but will keep his valuable shortstop eligibility. He dealt with hamstring and knee injuries last year, and the move to first base will do wonders to keep him fresh and healthy. There will not likely be a change to his power numbers should stay, but you can expect his batting average to top the .300 mark once again.

7. Michael Young, Texas Rangers
Young failed to reach double-digit home runs last season, but his 201 hits and .315 average can’t be overlooked. He's ranked among the most reliable shortstops in fantasy - 2007 was his fifth straight 200-hit season - since becoming a full-time starter in Texas, but shouldn't be counted on for gaudy power numbers. What he does, however, is hit for that high average (.310 or better in four straight seasons) and account for much of the Rangers' run production.

8. Rafael Furcal, Los Angeles Dodgers
Furcal, like Jeter and Guillen, was plagued by injury all season in 2007. A bum ankle limited him offensively and on the basepaths, but he is only 30 years old and is healthy entering spring training. Look for a nice rebound season by Furcal, with feature improvements in steals and batting average. The addition of Andruw Jones puts a big bat in the middle of the Dodgers' lineup, which can only help his run production.

9. Edgar Renteria, Detroit Tigers
Renteria was limited by a sprained right ankle for the second half of the 2007 season, his second season in Atlanta. He changes leagues and finds himself smack in the middle of the game's most explosive offense. Fully healthy and hitting in front of Miguel Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez and Gary Sheffield, look for a similar type season with better numbers in the power categories.

10. Miguel Tejada, Houston Astros
Tejada’s streak of 1,152 consecutive games played was snapped last June when he broke his left wrist. He was sent from Baltimore to Houston on Dec. 12, then ws named in the Mitchell Report one day later. Lingering questions about steroid use and an investigation into perjury charges could put a cloud over Tejada and hamper his early production. Still, he should salvage the season by escaping from Baltimore and moving to a right-handed hitters heaven in Houston, where the left field fence is 315 feet from home plate.

11. Orlando Cabrera, Chicago White Sox
Cabrera hit .301 with eight home runs, 86 RBI and 20 stolen bases last year for the Angels, then was traded to the White Sox for pitcher Jon Garland in the offseason. While he'll never be considered a world beater in the power categories - he hasn't cracked double-digit home runs since 2003 - his run production, RBI and stolen bases should be above average and on par with last year’s totals.

12. Jhonny Peralta, Cleveland Indians
The 25-year old Peralta enjoyed another productive season in 2007. He has had similar numbers for the past three seasons and there is no reason they should change now. His batting average improved from 2006 and with productive power hitters around him, his average should continue to climb back towards his 2005 average of .292.

13. J.J. Hardy, Milwaukee Brewers
Hardy got off to an impressive start last season hitting 18 home runs and driving in 54 runs before the All-Star Break. His lack of consistency at the plate caused his numbers to drop in the second half of the year, but he still finished with a respectable .277 average. His 26 home runs won’t be matched again, but his RBI production and runs scored should be similar.

14. Khalil Greene, San Diego Padres
Greene played 32 more games in 2007 (153) than he had in 2005 and 2006. His good health led to an increase in home runs and runs batted in. Greene strikes out a lot, he had 120 last season, but if he stays healthy again, look for his power numbers to stay the same.

15. Stephen Drew, Arizona Diamondbacks
Drew had a disappointing season last year. He got off to a bad start, hitting .242 before the All-Star Break, and never got on track the rest of the year. He’s only 25 years old and this will only be his second full season in the majors. Look for his power numbers to improve and as he gets more comfortable at the plate, look for his batting average to improve from last year’s dreadful .238.