When Adam Wainwright went down with a season-ending injury this spring, the elite starting pitching ranks took a hit, as did the hopes of any fantasy owner who prefers to load up on starting pitching early.

We have only three pitchers ranked in the top 26 overall — Roy Halladay, Felix Hernandez and Tim Lincecum. Boston’s Jon Lester is No. 27 in our overall top 100, and Detroit’s Justin Verlander is two spots back.

The position is deep, however — we have 21 starting pitchers in our top 100, and Oakland’s Trevor Cahill narrowly missed making it 22.

We’ll address when to draft your first starting pitcher in a column that will appear in Friday’s print editions and online. Until then, our eighth position breakdown of 2011:

Rank, player: IP-W-L-ERA-K
1. Roy Halladay, Phi: 250.2-21-10-2.44-219
2. Felix Hernandez, Sea: 249.2-13-12-2.27-232
3. Tim Lincecum, SF: 212.1-16-10-3.43-231
4. Jon Lester, Bos: 208-19-9-3.25-225
5. Justin Verlander, Det: 224.1-18-9-3.37-219
6. Cliff Lee, Phi: 212.1-12-9-3.18-185
7. CC Sabathia, NYY: 237.2-21-7-3.18-197
8. Ubaldo Jimenez, Col: 221.2-19-8-2.88-214
9. David Price, TB: 208.2-19-6-2.72-188
10. Josh Johnson, Fla: 183.2-11-6-2.30-186
11. Jered Weaver, LAA: 224.1-13-12-3.01-233
12. Roy Oswalt, Phi: 211.2-13-13-2.76-193
13. Mat Latos, SD: 184.2-14-10-2.92-189
14. Cole Hamels, Phi: 208.2-12-11-3.06-211
15. Clayton Kershaw, LAD: 204.1-13-10-2.91-212
16. Chris Carpenter, StL: 235-16-9-3.22-179
17. Clay Buchholz, Bos: 173.2-17-7-2.33-120
18. Francisco Liriano, Min: 191.2-14-10-3.62-201
19. Matt Cain, SF: 223.1-13-11-3.14-177
20. Yovani Gallardo, Mil: 185-14-7-3.84-200
21. Tommy Hanson, Atl: 202.2-10-11-3.33-173
22. Dan Haren, LAA: 235-12-12-3.91-216
23. Trevor Cahill, Oak: 196.2-18-8-2.97-118
24. Phil Hughes, NYY: 176.1-18-8-4.19-146
25. Max Scherzer, Det: 195.2-12-11-3.50-184
26. Chad Billingsley, LAD: 191.2-12-11-3.57-171
27. Josh Beckett, Bos: 127.2-6-6-5.78-116
28. Tim Hudson, Atl: 228.2-17-9-2.83-139
29. Zack Greinke, Mil: 220-10-14-4.17-181
30. C.J. Wilson, Tex: 204-15-8-3.35-170
31. Colby Lewis, Tex: 201-12-13-3.72-196
32. Gio Gonzalez, Oak: 200.2-15-9-3.23-171
33. Madison Bumgarner, SF: 111-7-6-3.00-86
34. Brett Anderson, Oak: 112.1-7-6-2.80-75
35. Jonathan Sanchez, SF: 193.1-13-9-3.07-205
36. Matt Garza, ChC: 204.2-15-10-3.91-150
37. Ricky Nolasco, Fla: 157.2-14-9-4.51-147
38. Ryan Dempster, ChC: 215.1-15-12-3.85-208
39. John Danks, CWS: 213-15-11-3.72-162
40. Brett Myers, Hou: 223.2-14-8-3.14-180
41. Jaime Garcia, StL: 163.1-13-8-2.70-132
42. Daniel Hudson, Ari: 95.1-8-2-2.45-84
43. Ricky Romero, Tor: 210-14-9-3.73-174
44. Ervin Santana, LAA: 222.2-17-10-3.92-169
45. Wandy Rodriguez, Hou: 195-11-12-3.60-178
46. Shaun Marcum, Mil: 195.1-13-8-3.64-165
47. John Lackey, Bos: 215-14-11-4.40-156
48. Ian Kennedy, Ari: 194 9-10 3.80 168
49. James Shields, TB: 203.1 13-15 5.18 187
50. Ted Lilly, LAD: 193.2-10-12-3.62-166
51. Edwin Jackson, CWS: 209.1-10-12-4.47-181
52. Travis Wood, Cin: 102.2-5-4-3.51-86
53. Hiroki Kuroda, LAD: 196.1-11-13-3.39-159
54. Edinson Volzquez, Cin: 62.2-4-3-4.31-67
55. Jeff Niemann, TB: 174.1-12-8-4.39-131
56. Bronson Arroyo, Cin: 215.2-17-10-3.88-121
57. Carlos Zambrano, ChC: 129.2-11-6-3.33-117
58. Jair Jurrjens, Atl: 116.1-7-6-4.64-86
59. Brett Cecil, Tor: 172.2-15-7-4.22-117
60. Jorge De La Rosa, Col: 121.2-8-7-4.22-113
61. Gavin Floyd, CWS: 187.1-10-13-4.08-151
62. Brandon Morrow, Tor: 146.1-10-7-4.49-178
63. Jhoulys Chacin, Col: 137.1 9-11-3.28-138
64. Fausto Carmona, Cle: 210.1-13-14-3.77-124
65. Carl Pavano, Min: 221-17-11-3.75-117
66. Jeremy Hellickson, TB: 36.1-4-0-3.47-33
67. Jake Peavy, CWS: 107-7-6-4.63-93
68. Johnny Cueto, Cin: 185.2-12-7-3.64-138
69. Derek Lowe, Atl: 193.2-16-12-4.00-136
70. Clayton Richard, SD: 201.2-14-9-3.75-153
71. Mike Pelfrey, NYM: 204-15-9-3.66-113
72. Wade Davis, TB: 168-12-10-4.07-113
73. J.A. Happ, Hou: 87.1-6-4-3.40-70
74. Anibal Sanchez, Fla: 195-13-12-3.55-157
75. Brian Matusz, Bal: 175.2-10-12-4.30-143
76. Scott Baker, Min: 170.1-12-9-4.49-148
77. Dallas Braden, Oak: 192.2-11-14-3.50-113
78. Mark Buehrle, CWS: 210.1-13-13-4.28-99
79. Brandon Webb, Tex: DID NOT PITCH
80. Jonathan Niese, NYM: 173.2-9-10-4.20-148

Preseason top 100 players (21): Halladay (10), Hernandez (12), Lincecum (14), Lester (27), Verlander (29), Lee (31), Sabathia (33), Jimenez (45), Price (46), J. Johnson (50), Weaver (58), Oswalt (62), Latos (65), Hamels (70), Kershaw (72), Carpenter (73), Buchholz (80), Liriano (81), Cain (87), Gallardo (92), Hanson (93).

Short hops
Greinke will begin the season on the disabled list because of a rib injury that could wipe out all of April for the 2009 American League Cy Young Award winner. ... The Phillies’ Fantastic Four all make our top 14, and don’t be surprised if Hamels has a huge season, especially if he’s consistently matched up against the opposition’s No. 4 starter. ... A name to remember: The Rays’ Hellickson, an elite prospect who was 4-0 with a 3.47 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings as a rookie last season. He takes Matt Garza’s place in Tampa Bay’s rotation. The latter is now the Cubs’ No. 2 starter and could be a bargain as a Nos. 3 or 4 starter in a 12-team mixed league.

NOTE: Statistics are from the 2010 season. ... Players are listed only at the positions at which they are expected to spend the most time in 2011.

THIS WEEK: Outfielders, Wednesday; starting pitchers, today; coming soon: relief pitchers and overall top 100.

LAST WEEK: Shortstops, March 17; third baseman, March 19; designated hitters, March 20.

TWO WEEKS AGO: Catchers, March 7; first baseman, March 8; second baseman, March 9.