Remember those Choose Your Own Adventure novels? Doesn’t building a fantasy roster feel like you’re reading one of them?

Every decision you make affects your journey, and no matter what adventure you choose, something always pops up to try and throw you off course — injuries, cold streaks, age catching up with veterans, prospects not living up to the hype.

Your adventure begins with the draft, and every decision matters.

One of the most polarizing and exciting names available is Elly De La Cruz. In 98 games last season, the Reds shortstop hit 13 home runs, drove in 44 runs and scored 67.

He also stole 35 bases, which was ninth-best in the majors (and he had more than 200 fewer plate appearances than everyone above him, outside of Esteury Ruiz).

Those numbers, in addition to an improving Reds lineup, leave fantasy managers with a big decision to make in drafts (assuming you’re not in a dynasty league where he’s already rostered or in a keeper league where round values are given to players) because his stock is soaring.

Your voyage begins here. Choose your adventure:

1. Draft De La Cruz at his current 29.58 average draft position, according to Fantasy Alarm, based on 98 big league games.

2. Pass on De La Cruz’s tantalizing skills and build a balanced roster with more established players.

3. Go into the haunted house and try to contact the spirit of Old Man Rutherford.

Knowing De La Cruz’s potential, your first instinct may be to jump at adventure No. 1. That’s fair, but let’s look at what the 2023 season really told us about the 22-year-old to help you make your decision.

In his first 30 games, De La Cruz hit .325 with four homers, 16 RBIs, 28 runs, 16 stolen bases and a .887 OPS. In that stretch, he led the majors in stolen bases and was tied for the league lead in runs scored.

He had the 11th-highest average and 18th-best OPS. He also had the third-highest strikeout rate, the seventh-worst walk percentage, the fifth-lowest hard-hit rate and the highest ground ball rate.

After the All-Star break, fantasy managers were forced into a whole new adventure (not all bad, but definitely not all great). De La Cruz hit .191 with nine homers, 28 RBIs, 39 runs, 19 stolen bases and .627 OPS in the second half.

He also struck out 105 times in 292 plate appearances (36 percent). He had the second-worst strikeout rate, the third-lowest batting average, the fifth-lowest OBP, the sixth-lowest OPS and the 13th-highest ground ball rate after the break.

Though it’s hard to ignore the exciting numbers (stolen bases, runs scored and homers), it’s impossible to ignore De La Cruz’s other numbers. You know, like the .235 batting average or the 33.7 percent strikeout rate or the 53.9 percent groundball rate. Sure, he had the third-highest maximum exit velocity, but his launch angle and barrel rate weren’t ranked anywhere near the top.

How about his .184 batting average versus southpaws or his .199 average at home? Did you know he hit .238 in July and .198 in August? Yeah, he stole 12 bases in the final month of the season, but he also hit .202 with just five extra-base hits in that span, too.

Can he make enough adjustments to turn any of those numbers around? If not, you’re looking at a long season.

This is why selecting De La Cruz as a top-30 player is a massive gamble. Don’t get me wrong, his ceiling is enormous — he has all the tools to be the league-winner fantasy managers dream of having on their team. On the other hand, he also has the tools (mainly a shovel) to bury your team because his floor feels like a potential bottomless pit.

That’s a scary adventure to choose, especially when there are other, more established options. You might think this is Roto Rage opting for the “safer” adventure, because Roto Rage is adverse to taking risks. That is wildly incorrect. This is Roto Rage choosing the “smarter” adventure because immense talent based on a small sample size isn’t enough to win a fantasy title.

Choose your adventure wisely, my friends.

Draft preview special

Part 2 of 5

Roto Rage Jarad Wilk ranks middle infielders. Next week: corner infielders.

1. Mookie Betts, LAD

2. Marcus Semien, Tex

3. Ozzie Albies, Atl

4. Matt McLain, Cin

5. Jose Altuve, Hou

6. Jazz Chisholm, Mia

7. Nico Hoerner, ChC

8. Gleyber Torres, NYY

9. Spencer Steer, Cin

10. Andres Gimenez, Cle

11. Nolan Gorman, StL

12. Zack Gelof, Oak

13. Thairo Estrada, SF

14. Ketel Marte, Ari

15. Edouard Julien, Min

16. Bryson Stott, Phi

17. Ha-Seong Kim, SD

18. Jordan Westburg, Bal

19. Christopher Morel, ChC

20. Jonathan India, Cin

21. Tommy Edman, StL

22. Jorge Polanco, Sea

23. Luis Arraez, Mia

24. Whit Merrifield, Phi

25. Amed Rosario, TB

26. Ryan McMahon, Col

27. Justin Turner, Tor

28. Brice Turang, Mil

29. Brandon Drury, LAA

30. Jeff McNeil, NYM

31. Luis Rengifo, LAA

32. Jake Cronenworth, SD

33. Jared Triolo, Pit

34. Isaac Paredes, TB

35. Brandon Lowe, TB

36. Michael Massey, KC

37. Miguel Vargas, LAD

38. Josh Rojas, Sea

39. Geraldo Perdomo, Ari

40. Brendan Rodgers, Col

41. Jon Berti, Mia

42. Elvis Andrus, FA

43. Willi Castro, Min

44. Luis Garcia, Was

45. Kike Hernandez, LAD

46. Adam Frazier, KC

47. Jordan Diaz, Oak

48. Davis Schneider, Tor

49. Mauricio Dubon, Hou

50. Zach McKinstry, Det

51. Luis Urias, Sea

52. Ramon Urias, Bal

53. Kolten Wong, Bal

54. Gavin Lux, LAD

55. Nicky Lopez, CWS

1. Bobby Witt Jr., KC

2. Trea Turner, Phi

3. Mookie Betts, LAD

4. Corey Seager, Tex

5. Francisco Lindor, NYM

6. Bo Bichette, Tor

7. Gunnar Henderson, Bal

8. Elly De La Cruz, Cin

9. Anthony Volpe, NYY

10. Matt McLain, Cin

11. Nico Hoerner, ChC

12. Dansby Swanson, ChC

13. Oneil Cruz, Pit

14. Xander Bogaerts, SD

15. Willy Adames, Mil

16. CJ Abrams, Was

17. Ha-Seong Kim, SD

18. Tommy Edman, StL

19. Vaughn Grissom, Bos

20. Ezequiel Tovar, Col

21. Thairo Estrada, SF

22. Amed Rosario, TB

23. Jeremy Pena, Hou

24. Maikel Garcia, KC

25. Carlos Correa, Min

26. Trevor Story, Bos

27. Jordan Lawlar, Ari

28. J.P. Crawford, Sea

29. Luis Rengifo, LAA

30. Javier Baez, Det

31. Brice Turang, Mil

32. Tim Anderson, Mia

33. Chris Taylor, LAD

34. Geraldo Perdomo, Ari

35. Masyn Winn, StL

36. Jon Berti, Mia

37. Marco Luciano, SF

38. Brayan Rocchio, Cle

39. Zach Neto, LAA

40. Kike Hernandez, LAD

41. Brandon Crawford, StL

42. Elvis Andrus, FA

43. Orlando Arcia, Atl

44. Zach McKinstry, Det

45. Nicky Lopez, CWS

46. Jorge Mateo, Bal

47. Ezequiel Duran, Tex

48. Kyle Farmer, Min

49. Joey Wendle, NYM

50. Miguel Rojas, LAD

51. Taylor Walls, TB

52. Santiago Espinal, Tor

53. Garrett Hampson, KC

54. Paul DeJong, CWS

55. Edmundo Sosa, Phi

E.T. Phone Bohm