X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

2013 Fantasy Football Advice - Draft Day Duds

What Appears In This Article? hide

Fantasy football season is upon us, fellow RotoBallers!

Admittedly, I’m still in fantasy baseball mode since all three of my teams are performing well, but as my email becomes stockpiled with fantasy football league invites, I’m getting more excited by the minute for virtual pigskin drafts.  By now, you've probably scoured the internet for the latest fantasy football cheat sheet or rankings update, which we’re in the process of working on here at RotoBaller.  In the meantime, I urge you to enjoy my mini-series of 2013 fantasy football Draft Studs and Draft Duds.

 

Up First, The Draft Duds

Arian FosterArian Foster (RB, HOU) - A calf strain suffered in OTAs, a sore back in training camp, declining YPC over the past three seasons and enormous tread on the tires-- even at a prime age (26) for running backs-- are making me hesitant to draft Foster in the top five overall.  It seems NFFC participants are having that same hesitation as early drafts had Foster going third or fourth overall, while more recent drafts are seeing him slip a few spots between the five-to-seven range.  Last year, Ben Tate was supposed to cut into Foster’s workload, but it didn't really turn out that way.  This season, I could see that changing a bit, with 8-10 carries going to Tate per game, just to preserve Foster’s health.  Foster should still get all the goal-line work, but don’t be surprised if his yards-rushed total slips to the 1,200 range.

Aaron Rodgers (QB, GB) - It’s hard to believe that the Draft Duds column is headlined by two of the more historically reliable options in fantasy football, but in Rodgers's case, he’s listed because injuries continue to pile up in Packers camp.  LT Bryan Bulaga is out for the year with a torn ACL, which doesn't bode well for Rodgers, who was sacked a league-high 51 times last season.  To make matters worse, WR Jordy Nelson recently underwent knee surgery which will sideline him 4-6 weeks.  Nelson is expected to be back for Week 1, but he had hamstring and ankle problems last year that forced him to miss time.  That’s two key offensive pieces that are directly tied to Rodgers’s success.  Not to mention, Green Bay could focus more on their running game with Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin now in the fold.  I’d be comfortable drafting Rodgers in the late second or third round, but drafting him any higher would make him a Draft Dud, in my opinion.

Andre Johnson (WR, HOU) - Last season, Johnson started 16 games for the first time since 2009, and he posted a career-best 1,598 receiving yards behind 112 catches (his second-highest total).  What’s not to like about those statistics?  Out of all those catches, only four found paydirt, as Johnson continued to lack the touchdown production that you expect from an elite receiver.  In fact, the 10-year NFL veteran is averaging only 5.6 touchdowns per season over his career, and has never posted more than nine in a single season.  Lack of touchdowns aside, opponents are suggesting that the 32-year-old has lost a step.  With explosive rookie DeAndre Hopkins offering Houston a legit #2 option in the passing game, Johnson will lose some targets on a team that already has a run-first mentality.  And remember he’s still an injury risk.  I’m just not buying Johnson as a Top-10 receiver anymore.

Antonio Gates (TE, SD) - I've heard many call for a bounce-back year for the 33-year-old Gates after last season’s 49 receptions were the second-lowest per-season total of his career.  What’s encouraging about Gates is that despite the low reception total, he still managed to score at least seven times for the ninth straight season.  What’s discouraging about Gates is his injury history.  He hasn’t played a full season since 2009, and he’s only getting older.  While Gates is a personal favorite of mine, dating back to my time attending Kent State University during the year Gates was a key piece in the school’s Elite 8 NCAA Basketball Tournament run, I’m skeptical of him finishing the year as a Top-5 tight end, and I’m fully aware of how weak the position is this year.

Bears Defense/Special Teams (D/ST, CHI) - The loss of Defensive Coordinator Rod Marinelli, as well as linebackers Brian Urlacher and Nick Roach will hurt this defense.  Additionally, Chicago has to contend with perennial offensive juggernauts Green Bay and Detroit in the NFC North, as well as a strong slate of non-divisional opponents in 2013 (Indianapolis, Houston, Seattle and San Francisco).  I could see the Bears easily falling out of the Top-5 defenses in fantasy football this season.

 

Who are your Draft Duds?  I welcome your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below, or via Twitter @RyanRufe.

===============

By popular demand, RotoBaller.com has now launched the fantasy football chatroom! Get involved with some real-time NFL talk, ask your fantasy football questions, read other discussions, or feel free to chime in and reply back with your own 2 cents. Remember you can ask the RotoBaller staff any questions, and we’ll reply back to you as quickly as possible.  Make a call to the RotoBaller chatroom and get some live advice.

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Dejounte Murray13 mins ago

Available Versus Boston
Xavier Tillman14 mins ago

Sr. Cleared For Thursday Night
Al Horford22 mins ago

Won't Face The Hawks
Jrue Holiday27 mins ago

Available On Thursday
Tarik Skubal42 mins ago

Tosses Six Scoreless Innings On Opening Day
Corbin Burnes1 hour ago

Pitches A Gem On Opening Day
Royce Lewis1 hour ago

Exits With Quad Injury
Max Scherzer3 hours ago

Throws Bullpen Session
Clayton Kershaw3 hours ago

"Ahead Of Things" Timetable-Wise
Walker Buehler3 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule
Corey Seager3 hours ago

Active On Opening Day
Oneil Cruz3 hours ago

Batting Sixth On Opening Day
Alex Caruso3 hours ago

Ayo Dosunmu Probable Friday
Darius Garland4 hours ago

Probable Against 76ers
Donovan Mitchell4 hours ago

Upgraded To Questionable
Duncan Robinson5 hours ago

Heat Rule Out Duncan Robinson Friday
Bryan Reynolds5 hours ago

In Opening Day Lineup
Jimmy Butler5 hours ago

Probable Against Portland
Onyeka Okongwu6 hours ago

Remains Out Thursday
Dejounte Murray6 hours ago

Questionable With Back Soreness
Jordan Romano7 hours ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Gerrit Cole7 hours ago

Yankees Put Gerrit Cole On 60-Day Injured List
Elly De La Cruz7 hours ago

Batting In Six-Hole On Opening Day
Anthony Rendon7 hours ago

Hitting Leadoff On Opening Day
Wander Franco8 hours ago

Placed On Administrative Leave
Aaron Ekblad8 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov8 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto8 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin8 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard8 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins8 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist8 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear9 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
Keita Bates-Diop9 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season
Dyson Daniels9 hours ago

Remains Out On Thursday But Nearing Return
LaMelo Ball9 hours ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of 2023-24
Jose Alvarado9 hours ago

Questionable To Face Milwaukee
Jaden Springer9 hours ago

Considered Questionable
Xavier Tillman9 hours ago

Sr. Questionable Thursday
Gabe Vincent9 hours ago

Expected To Return To Action On Sunday
Al Horford21 hours ago

Back On The Injury Report
Derrick White21 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
TJ Friedl22 hours ago

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Aaron Gordon22 hours ago

Cleared To Face Phoenix
Jackson Chourio22 hours ago

Will Start In Right Field Friday
Eduardo Rodriguez23 hours ago

Starts Throwing Program
Garrett Mitchell24 hours ago

Will Miss 6-8 Weeks
Chad Green24 hours ago

To Lead Closer Committee In Toronto?
Erik Swanson24 hours ago

Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson Officially Heading To Injured List
Kevin Gausman24 hours ago

To Make Season Debut Sunday Or Monday
Mark Hubbard1 day ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson1 day ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Akshay Bhatia1 day ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen1 day ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers1 day ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers1 day ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers1 day ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers1 day ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
Jayden Daniels1 day ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
Tank Bigsby1 day ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Josh Reynolds1 day ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Doug Ghim1 day ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA1 day ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry1 day ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox1 day ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak1 day ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan1 day ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg1 day ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn1 day ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby1 day ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin1 day ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord1 day ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala1 day ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler1 day ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder1 day ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen1 day ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama1 day ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin1 day ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson2 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown2 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff2 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins2 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT2 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn2 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield2 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR2 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras2 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen2 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb2 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift2 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson2 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell2 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans2 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott2 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley2 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs2 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad2 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson2 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Pittsburgh Steelers3 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson3 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas3 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas3 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan3 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson3 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla3 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo3 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron3 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs3 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher3 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley4 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo4 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal4 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott4 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa4 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala4 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron4 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF