What is it exactly that is pushing the newest member of the St. Louis Cardinals so far down draft boards?

Given his depressed draft stock, you'd think Dexter Fowler was showing evidence of sharp skills depreciation. But he's actually fresh off of one of his best offensive seasons as a pro, posting four-year highs in both line-drive rate and hard-contact rate along with a career-high 14.3 percent walk rate.

Perhaps last year’s hamstring strain has drafters eager to anticipate Fowler’s speed decline, but then again it’s not as if Fowler needed gaudy steals production (he swiped 13 bags in 2016, compared to 20 the year previous) to be a quality fantasy asset last season.

No, what you draft Fowler for is top-of-the-order volume, strong plate discipline and contact skills, and potentially difference-making totals in the runs scored column. Projected to set the table atop a strong Cardinals offense, Fowler is a good bet for 600-plus plate appearances and close to 90 runs, with 25 or so combined steals and homers as gravy.

If splashier mid-round picks like Andrew Benintendi and Jose Peraza keep squeezing him further down draft boards -- he’s already outside of the overall top 150, per the FantasyPros aggregate -- Fowler will make for a bargain back-end outfield asset, especially in roto formats.