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10 Players To Stay The Hell Away From In Fantasy Football This Season

by Evan Sporer | 2:52 pm, August 22nd, 2012

NFL kickoff is only 14 days away, meaning you’ll soon be drafting your fantasy football team. Make no mistake: Who you pick to be on your pretend football team will be the most important set of decisions you make this year.

To help you choose wisely, we’ve decided to highlight some players you should avoid like the plague. Here are some guys we think will be fantasy football duds in 2012-13.

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1.1. Dez Bryant

He's easy enough to rationalize selecting. He's shown glimpses of brilliance. He has to eventually mature. He makes catches like this. But we've been waiting forever for this guy, and although he'll probably rattle off a few jaw-dropping highlight reel plays that will make you wish you had him, the reality is that he's not consistent enough and is too high of a risk to take as a top 15 wideout, which is where he's landing on many a mock draft. On top of that, Bryant was just diagnosed with tendinitis in one of his knees. The only medicine for that? Rest. Steer clear of Dez.

2.2. Peyton Manning

Okay, admittedly, much of my anti-Peyton evidence is well known. The guy had four neck surgeries, hasn't played in a year, and you fall into one of two camps when it comes to Mr. Manning: You either think he'll bounce back and be a productive QB1 worth a middle round pick, or you don't. I don't. I'm not putting much stock into his preseason interceptions, either, but I am putting stock into the fact that Denver's offense isn't nearly on the level that Indy's was during Peyton's heyday. Avoid him - he's too much of an unknown this season.

3.3. Justin Blackmon

Since the electrifying Oklahoma State wide receiver was drafted fifth overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars, he's done nothing to really solidify the hype around him. First there was his ugly DUI episode. Then, after staging a holdout, Blackmon was the last first-round pick to sign a contract, forcing him to sit out practices and miss a preseason game. Now, with Maurice Jones-Drew possibly on his way out of Jacksonville, there will be no one on the Jaguars' offense to draw defenders away from the wide receiver. Because he's a big-name rookie, someone in your draft will reach for him too early. Don't be that guy.

4.4. Robert Griffin III

Mobile quarterbacks with big arms are generally successful fantasy football players. With RGIII drawing comparisons to last year's rookie phenom Cam Newton, there's plenty to be excited about. So what's not to like? Well, keep in mind, Newton's record-breaking rookie campaign wasn't being predicted by anyone; what he did came as a relative surprise. RGIII is going to be thrust into a sub-par situation in Washington, where he's expected to pretty much resurrect the franchise. I'm not necessarily saying don't take RGIII altogether: What I am saying is, just like Blackmon, someone will reach for him prematurely. He'll be good, but unless you can get him in the very late rounds as a QB2, he's not worth the reach.

5.5. Percy Harvin

An electrifying threat at wide receiver and in the kick return game, Harvin has all the tools to be a phenomenal fantasy player. Well, most of the tools. Unless the Vikings veer from their offensive gameplan of "hand the ball to Adrian Peterson" (yes, we know AP is coming back from a knee injury, but he'll be back to his old self by Week 3) or Christian Ponder has a breakout season at quarterback, Harvin won't be used as well as he could be. He's a player with a similar skill set to the likes of DeSean Jackson, but without someone to throw him the ball, and a team that relies on the run, that skill set won't translate into fantasy success.

6.6. Ben Roethlisberger

My biggest surprise of the list. Big Ben seems to be a reliable, consistent fantasy option. But look at what's happening around him right now. For starters, new offensive coordinator Todd Haley has completely revamped the Steelers' offense. Pro Bowl running back Rashard Mendenhall is still recovering from a knee injury, and is expected to miss the beginning of the season. Hines Ward is retired. Mike Wallace in only now finally returning to practice. There's a lot happening in Pittsburgh, and with the AFC North always playing tough defense, there's plenty of things going against Roethlisberger right now.

7.7. Aaron Hernandez

Tom Brady is a top fantasy player every season. The guy just racks up yards, no matter who the targets are. Last year, it was Rob Gronkowski and (to a lesser extent) Hernandez who burst onto the scene as great fantasy sleepers. This year, Hernandez's draft stock has risen dramatically. So why am I down on him? Brady will throw for his 4,000+ yards, and the offense will be deadly. But a guy can only hit so many targets. With the addition of Brandon Lloyd, who has frequently been targeted during Pats training camp, someone is going to take a hit in the numbers. I don't see that being Wes Welker or Gronk. I think Lloyd fits into the offense the way Randy Moss did. Lloyd will be a vertical threat. Welker will continue to go over the middle, like he's done his entire NFL career. Which means Hernandez will be the odd man out in New England's new-look offense.

8.8. Michael Vick

Michael Vick could be the top fantasy football player this year. He could be, if he could also figure out how to stay on the field. Sure Vick's latest rib injury isn't expected to keep him out of any regular season games, but we know this isn't the last time he'll be dinged up. In his three seasons in Philadelphia, Vick has sat out 11 games. Not good.

9.9. Ryan Mathews

For a third-year pro with a history of having trouble staying healthy, Mathews is certainly coming off the board quickly in drafts. The Chargers running back scampered for over 1,000 yards in 14 games last season, but he could be out until Week 3 with a broken collarbone. Again, Mathews could be a productive fantasy player this year, but not a guy I would spend a first round (or early second round) pick on.

10.10. Vincent Jackson

Vincent Jackson might think Josh Freeman is a top five quarterback in the NFL, but Jackson is the only one who probably holds that opinion. Without Philip Rivers, Jackson's production is destined to slip in his first season with Tampa. The Buccaneers' offense was never anything to write home about anyway, and with LeGarrette Blount and Doug Martin looking like a formidable running tandem in the backfield, there's no reason to expect huge pass attempt totals for Freeman. The Bucs were 16th overall in passing yards per game last season, but bringing Jackson to Tampa won't simply make Freeman a more effective quarterback. Avoid V-Jax.

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Anonymous

In regards to Roethlisberger, I don’t disagree with you entirely, but your arguement isn’t very strong either. Ward was a shell of himself last year, and basically a non-factor in most games. Redman, Dwyer and Rainey are capable backs, with various skillsets that should compliment each other nicely to start the year. And Ben’s favorite receiver has been Antonio Brown so far this year. That kid has enough skill to make up for Wallace, who isn’t a great all-around receiver anyway.
http://www.facebook.com/lorenzohoboken Lorenzo Hoboken

LaMichael James is on Tampa?
I think your mixing up your rookie running backs here.

The guy your looking for is Doug Martin
Evan Sporer

I guess my point was more there are a lot of different things going on in Pittsburgh, combined with the difficulty of the AFC North, that could make things tough of Ben.
http://www.facebook.com/lorenzohoboken Lorenzo Hoboken

The only reason Brown gets so open, is because Wallace is constantly doubled in coverage.

Not to mention Wallace is far superior to brown, espcailly when it comes to scoring in the red zone. Brown = 2TDs vs Wallace = 8TDs

Wallace will rejoin the team help Brown get open shortly
Anonymous

Brown is an excellent, and explosive, route runner. Yes, he is helped by Wallace, I cannot deny that. But in terms of all-around play, Brown is head and shoulders above Wallace. He runs better routes, is more elusive with the ball in his hands (as a result, he’s just plain better after catch), and on top of that, he returns punts and kicks (though that doesn’t really factor into Ben’s play at all).
Using last year’s numbers, as you did too, only three of Wallace’s TD’s came inside the redzone. One of Brown’s two came in the redzone. So, in terms of shear numbers, yeah Wallace can be considered better, but in terms of production inside the redzone, it’s debatable. Neither are great redzone targets.
Anonymous

Their offensive line is still god-awful, though. I’m not convinced he starts 16 games this year, no matter how tough he’s been historically.
Anonymous

Yeah, that is true. It’s a young group. Third year center, second year
RT, rookie RG. Starks is the most veteran lineman, and I thought was
somewhat under-rated, but he’s coming off of another serious injury.
Similar story for Colon, and he’s changed positions. It’s a work in
progress, to put it mildly.
Guest

Wow Im shocked there is no Miami hatred in this video. I thought that a pre-requisite in making pessimistic Bleacher Report videos
james

Dez Bryant….”We’ve been waiting forever for this guy”….forever is 2 seasons?
Dave

Nothing to solidify the hype? He just got drafted!!!
http://www.facebook.com/nate.zappala Nate Zappala

My grandma knows more about football!!! RG3, Payton, and Vick all had 20 plus the 1st week!
ha ha

man does this article look dumb in retrospect. only hit the target on 3 players