Five Players to Avoid in Fantasy Football in 2016

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Last week we looked at four sleepers who could help you land a championship in 2016, this week, five players to avoid early in your fantasy football draft.

Last year, it was C.J. Anderson and Marshawn Lynch in the first round who probably left you pulling our your hair, but who could have guessed that injuries and ineffectiveness would lead to that?

No, the one’s that should have been avoided in 2015 were players like Justin Forsett, Andre Johnson, Jimmy Graham and Jeremy Hill, those were the players who really hurt teams with their average draft positions (ADP).

For 2016, here are five players I am avoiding at their current ADP.

Devonta Freeman (ADP: RB9)

It’s not that I do not think Freeman will be a bad running back in 2016, it is that I do not see him replicating his touchdown rate in 2016. He put up 14 touchdowns in 2015, with Tevin Coleman healthy, that rate is going to drop. It was Freeman’s touchdown performance that made him special in 2015, that is unlikely to happen again in 2016.

If you get Freeman in the third round or later, that’s going to be a nice pick up, but Fantasy Football Calculator puts him at pick 2.06 in standard leagues right now and that is just a little to high for me.

Ben Roethlisberger (ADP: QB6)

Roethlisberger is going to start the season with Antonio Brown and DeAngelo Williams on offense as his best go to weapons. Waiting on Le’Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant, plus newly added Ladarius Green on the physically unable to perform list, it may be a tough road early for Big Ben who is getting picked on average at 6.07 in standard leagues per Fantasy Football Calculator.

Arizona Cardinals Wide Receivers (ADP: Varies)

Michael Floyd is WR26, Larry Fitzgerald at WR30 and John Brown at WR31, yet there is no idea how they are going to get the ball distributed this season. Last year, it was Fitzgerald and Brown in the early part of the season, then Floyd and Fitzgerald later in the season. This year, it looks like it is primed to be Floyd and Fitzgerald early, but if John Brown is able to overcome his concussion issues, he may be Bruce Arians favorite toy outside.

The unknown of the Arizona Cardinals wide receiver hierarchy means taking a chance every week with who is going to be the high man.

Jeremy Langford (ADP: RB20)

Langford did an admirable job in place of Matt Forte at times in 2015, but I do not see a lead back in Langford. I think Ka’Deem Carey will get carries as Langford looked better as a receiving option out of the backfield.

Kirk Cousins (ADP: QB14)

While waiting for Cousins in 2015 may have paid huge dividends, I can’t buy in to the idea that Cousins is a better fantasy quarterback option than players like Matthew Stafford, Andy Dalton and Marcus Mariota heading into 2016, going at 10.06 in standard drafts. Let someone else take the chance that Cousins repeats his performance before you pay too much.