Studs | Super Solid | Safe | Gambles | Busts
Sleepers | Super Sleepers | Over the Hill
Contract Year | Third Year Receivers
In fantasy football, sometimes you have to weigh in factors other than talent when selecting a player. Health issues or off-field distractions can make certain players big gambles. The size of the gamble, of course, depends on how early a player is selected.
So the question you need answered is, which of these players is worth taking a risk on and how soon should you pull the trigger?
Quarterbacks
Carson Palmer, Cincinnati
Attempting to bounce back from ligament and tendon damage in his throwing arm that cost him much of the 2008 season, Palmer is certainly a risk. Perhaps more of a concern than the injury, though, is his offensive line, which failed to keep him on his feet last year. Regardless, his potential to re-emerge as an elite fantasy quarterback makes him well worth taking a chance on, especially if you have another decent option to fall back on at the position.
Matt Hasselbeck, Seattle
Hasselbeck is another guy with injury concerns, but if the problems he had with his back and knee in 2008 are over he could be a good fantasy option, especially with the addition of a good red-zone target in T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
Matt Cassell, QB Kansas City
Blessed with a good offensive line and a talented assortment of receivers in New England, Cassell's numbers while with the Patriots may cause him to be drafted fairly high. But can he produce similar numbers with the rebuilding Chiefs? I don't think so.
Marc Bulger, QB St. Louis
Lack of protection from the offensive line has led to injury and poor play from Bulger over the last couple seasons. Of equal concern is he simply appears to have lost confidence. I'd probably steer clear of the guy unless I get a chance to take a flier on him late in the draft.
Running Backs
LaDainian Tomlinson, RB San Diego
Tomlinson's days as an elite fantasy back may be behind him, but he's still very capable of posting solid fantasy numbers. You're probably not going to want to use a top-five pick on the guy anymore, but he's still a solid starter.
Brian Westbrook, RB Philadelphia
About to hit the age of 30, following a season that saw a drop in production, there are concerns that Westbrook may begin to decline soon. I think he'll continue to post very good fantasy numbers this year if he stays healthy, and I wouldn't hesitate to use a second-round pick on him if he's available.
Clinton Portis, RB Washington
Portis has had a lot of touches the last two seasons, and even though he is only 27 years old, I'm concerned he may wear down this year if he has to carry such a heavy load again.
Wide Receivers
Devin Hester, WR Chicago
With the acquisition of quarterback Jay Cutler, Hester could perhaps be the biggest boom-or-bust player in all of fantasy football this year. He has the quickness and acceleration to get open, but can he build a consistent connection with his new QB?
Michael Crabtree, WR San Francisco
I never like to count on a rookie to produce solid numbers at the receiver position, and Crabtree is no exception, especially considering the quarterback situation in San Francisco.
Terrell Owens, WR Dallas
I don't know that a young developing quarterback and Terrell Owens are a good mixture, and I could see things going south early if T.O. perceives Trent Edwards isn't looking his way enough.
Brandon Marshall, WR Denver
Marshall is going from Jay Cutler throwing the ball his way to Kyle Orton, who struggles to get the ball down-field accurately.
Braylon Edwards, WR Cleveland
Edwards was a drive-killer in 2008, dropping the ball on a regular basis. Combine that with the fact that he is apparently on the trading block and you have a less-than-ideal situation to say the least.
Tight Ends
Jeremy Shockey, TE New Orleans
Seven years in the league and Shockey has yet to play a full season. If you draft him as your starter and he goes down again (and he will) then you should be openly mocked by your fellow fantasy owners.
Kellen Winslow, TE Tampa Bay
Health, as always, is an issue with Winslow. Most likely he will be drafted far too high in most leagues.
Cheat Sheets: Overall | QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF | DL | LB | DB
