Chase Utley continues to show why he’s the top second baseman in the Majors by a wide margin. But just in case you don’t have him, here are some paper tigers and some workable alternatives.

Don’t believe it

Mark DeRosa, CHC. DeRosa is position-eligible at second, and he’s not a bad hitter (for the position). He’s good for about 10-12 HR, but won’t steal any bases, and his counting stats are never very impressive. Considering he’s hit 3 HR already, I’m not seeing much upside here. Also, with Ryan Theriot on a hot streak, he won’t be hitting in the top half of this order any time soon.

Jeff Kent, LAD. Kent’s fantasy value is purely based on his 3 HR so far. I don’t think he can keep that up, and none of his other stats make him worth keeping on your team.

Pick them up

Dustin Pedroia, BOS. Pedroia won’t do anything for your HR totals, but he’s actually swiped three bases already, which is making him a respectable fantasy option. It also helps that he’s hitting .351/.398/.495 on one of the best offenses in baseball so far.

Hold off

Kelly Johnson, ATL. Sometimes the knee looks like an issue, sometimes it doesn’t. He’s got 3 HR and 3 SB, which is nice, but he’s not hitting for average and has missed some games. Keep an eye on him; if he gets healthy, he’ll be a very good option at 2B.

Ryan Theriot, CHC. If you have him already on your team, you should ride out his hot streak, but he’s not really a guy worth using your waiver priority on. He’s also eligible at SS, making him a good bench guy.

Akinori Iwamura, TAM. Joe Maddon continues to bat this guy leadoff despite his .209/.281/.221 line. If he starts hitting, he could be worth a pickup; dump him for now, because he’s not on anyone’s radar.