I'll be looking at the second basemen in this week's overview column. For projections and rankings of every second baseman (and every other position), check out the Rotoworld online draft guide.

Second base Overview

Underrated

Robinson Cano (Yankees) - It's about as profitable hitting seventh for the Yankees as third or fourth in a typical lineup. Cano is a threat to contend for the batting title since he makes so much contact, and he developed into a 25-homer guy at age 26. Perhaps this will be the year he stops getting himself out with men on base and drives in 100 runs. The opportunities will certainly be there, and he'll have no one to blame but himself if he doesn't easily top last year's total of 85 RBI.

Howie Kendrick (Angels) - Kendrick is awfully risky, given his injury history and the Angels' decision to turn him into a platoon player in the second half of last season. However, he stayed completely healthy during 2009 and excelled in his limited role down the stretch, hitting .368/.391/.558 in 165 at-bats during the second half. Expectations are that he'll be given a chance to win back his starting job this spring, and a breakthrough at age 26 is a definite possibility. Kendrick is a career .302 hitter, and he really stepped up in the power department as last year went on. Only a few second basemen have more upside, so he'd be well worth trying in the middle rounds of mixed-league drafts.

Kelly Johnson (Diamondbacks) - Johnson's rough year was really just a disappointing half; he never got a chance to win back his job from Martin Prado as last season went on, but he did produce in scant chances after the All-Star break (.261/.358/.493 in 69 at-bats). Now he's going from a rather tough park for left-handed hitters to one of baseball's best in Arizona, and it's likely that he'll get to bat high in the order. He has 15-20 homer power, and since his strikeout rate has dropped every year he's been in the bigs, it seems likely that his average will bounce back.

Overrated

Chase Utley (Phillies) - I hate to put him here, but Utley is 31 now and second basemen tend to age very poorly compared to players at other positions. Perhaps due to hip and foot problems, he clearly wore down as last year went along (790 OPS after the break), though he put together a spectacular World Series anyway. His average has dipped from .332 to .292 to .282 since 2007, and no one should be counting on him to steal 23 bases again. Plus, he'll be batting behind Jimmy Rollins and Placido Polanco, neither of whom is particularly likely to get on base 35 percent of the time. I have Utley as the top second baseman anyway, but I don't think he's worthy of a first-round pick in mixed leagues.

Ben Zobrist (Rays) - It's going to be very expensive to find out if Zobrist can do it again. He deserved mid-ballot MVP consideration for hitting .297/.405/.543 in 501 at-bats last season, but he's no longer a secret and I don't see him making enough contact to hit for that kind of average again. Since he should be good for 20-25 homers and 15-20 steals, he ranks as a top-10 second baseman. I just don't think he'll provide the same value as alternatives like Cano and Brandon Phillips.

Orlando Hudson (Twins) - The Twins were smart to ante up $5 million to bring in Hudson, but the 32-year-old tends to be an overrated fantasy commodity. He's hasn't eclipsed 10 homers since 2006 and he's never stolen more than 10 bases. He's played in 150 games just once in his career. If he can stay healthy, he might top his previous career high in runs (87 in 2006) as the Twins' No. 2 hitter. He won't excel elsewhere, though.

Sleepers

Scott Sizemore (Tigers) - Sizemore is the far better bet of the two rookies currently slated to bat at the top of Detroit's lineup. While there's little reason to think Austin Jackson is ready to hit in the majors, Sizemore has a much more mature approach, one that led to a .308/.389/.500 line between Double- and Triple-A last season. He had 17 homers and 21 steals in 25 attempts, so the potential is there for him to contribute in all five categories. Of course, it would help if the Tigers went out and got a leadoff man.

Jeff Baker (Cubs) - The Cubs may yet find a bargain second baseman prior to Opening Day, but as things stand now, Baker and Mike Fontenot are set to battle it out for the job. Ideally, the left-handed-hitting Fontenot, the superior defender of the two, would bounce back from a rough 2009 and claim the larger half of the platoon. Baker, though, ended last year as the preferred choice, and he has the greater fantasy upside of the two. He could hit 20 homers and drive in 70 runs if he finds his way to 500 at-bats.

Omar Infante (Braves) - Infante is one of the game's better utilityman, and he could stand to pick up a lot of playing time this year while functioning as a backup to two injury-prone corner infielders -- Chipper Jones and Troy Glaus -- as well as second baseman Martin Prado. If Chipper or Prado goes down, Infante would immediately take over as a regular. When Glaus gets hurt, Infante will battle Eric Hinske for playing time, with Prado shifting over to first on occasion. He may prove to be a nice find at $1 in NL-only leagues.