It doesn't come as a surprise, but the Cincinnati Reds ruled out catcher Devin Mesoraco on Sunday for the team's start to the regular season. Mesoraco, who is working his way back from hip surgery in July.

Mesoraco, who played in a combined 39 games across 2015 and 2016, is slowly working his way back and just recently started seeing time in spring training. Cincinnati has put him at the backstop for a few innings each. But he currently sits at just 14 innings and hasn't been out there for a full, nine-inning game. So with Opening Day a week away, the Reds made the only decision they could.

It's very possible Mesoraco starts the season on the disabled list. This would allow Cincinnati to bring him along slowly until he could handle a full game. But even then, the Reds have made it clear his starts will be spread out with Tucker Barnhart getting a large chunk of games to ease along Mesoraco. 

Once Mesoraco starts playing consistently, then fantasy owners can start taking a serious look at him. When healthy, all the way back in 2014, Mesoraco hit 25 home runs, had 80 RBIs and a .270 batting average. Those are All Star numbers and at the time, it seemed like Mesoraco represented the future of the catcher position in fantasy if he continued to improve.

Barnhart is off the fantasy radar. He'll have the job for the short-term, but won't put up enough production over that time to be worth rostering. Then when Mesoraco comes back, he'll slowly lose more and more ABs. If you can add or draft Mesoraco late, do it as long as your league has a DL spot. Mesoraco offers some appealing fantasy upside at a position that needs it.