Warning Signals - RB / WR / TE

Every year, certain players are highly drafted in drafts by fantasy owners due to the belief that they will vastly outperform expectations throughout the season. Oftentimes, these players carry a significant amount of hype due to breakout potential, elite status, or lack of alternative options on their teams.

However, with every player that does meet the threshold for good performance, there seem to be several similar players that fail to live up to the lofty expectations placed on them by fantasy owners. Whether the players are drafted at the beginning, middle, or end of drafts, not living up to the draft capital spent on them is one of the weekly dilemmas for fantasy owners.

Because fantasy owners tend to hold on to players that they believe in for too long, it is important to recognize warning signals from players early on so that the players can be removed from lineups and the damage of their poor performances can be mitigated. Let's take a look at some players at each of the skill positions who have shown some worrying signs this week. Fantasy owners should proceed with caution with the following players.

Warning Signals - RB/WR/TE

Rashaad Penny (RB, SEA)

Despite being drafted as a first round pick, Rashaad Penny has largely disappointed as a Seahawks player in 2018. The rookie is firmly entrenched as the second fiddle to second-year pro Chris Carson despite being drafted to be the team's bell-cow back. Penny has failed to find any consistency on the ground and has only been able to generate 43 yards on the ground for the Seahawks this season.

Adding in 35 yards through the air, Penny has not eclipsed the 100 yard mark for his team through three weeks of the season. Averaging 2.2 yards per carry on the year, it is clear that Penny is not a player who has a high chance at immediately succeeding in the NFL. Given that Chris Carson has acted as the team's workhorse and Penny has been reduced to a change-of-pace role, it is safe to assume that his value is merely as a handcuff at this point. Penny should no longer be rostered except in deeper leagues despite his draft pedigree.

Kenyan Drake (RB, MIA)

Despite still being the team's starting running back, Kenyan Drake has seen his carries decrease each week since the start of the season. In fact, in the team's Week 3 victory over the Raiders, Drake only had five carries for three yards - to put that in perspective, backup Frank Gore had one more carry than Drake last week. Drake is a special talent whose workload should revert to double digits next week.

However, what is concerning is his lack of productivity up until this point in the season and the consistent touches given to Frank Gore as the team's backup. Drake should still be considered a solid depth player for fantasy owners. However, his days as an RB2 are surely over unless he is able to produce more big plays for the offense. With a tough game against the surprisingly disappointing Patriots next week, it may be time to consider benching Drake for other options unless none are available.

Corey Davis (WR, TEN)

It's never a good sign as a wide receiver when your reception numbers decrease week after week. Well, for the first few games of the season, that is exactly what has happened to Corey Davis, the former first round pick who spent most of his rookie year injured. Davis started the year with six receptions for 62 yards, before recording five receptions for 55 yards (and a fumble) in Week 2. In the Titans 9-6 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Davis was only able to record two receptions for 34 yards despite being the team's top receiver.

With the injuries at quarterback for the Titans (both Gabbert and Mariota are injured even though Mariota is able to play), the outlook for Davis is likely to continue to trend in the wrong direction. Even though he will probably have some solid opportunities for the rest of the season, Davis should not be started until he proves that he is able to have some big plays as well as get more consistent looks each week.

Amari Cooper (WR, OAK)

Yes, Amari Cooper went off against the Broncos with 116 yards on 10 catches. However, as with much of last year, Cooper is very much a boom-or-bust option each week. In his other two contests this season (Weeks 1 and 3), Cooper has a combined three catches for 26 yards.

Clearly, Cooper has the talent to be a top option in the NFL and for fantasy owners, but the nature of his stats over the past season and a half is cause for concern for the fantasy owners who have drafted him as a starting receiver. Unfortunately, at this point Cooper is a flex option with a very low floor at best. Therefore, the wide receiver should be dropped from lineups in matchups where he is anticipated to struggle this season.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins (TE, JAX)

With three receptions in each game this season, Austin Seferian-Jenkins is turning into a rather reliable option at the tight end position. However, his yards-per-game and reception numbers are not start-worthy for the majority of fantasy leagues. With his nine receptions, Seferian-Jenkins has only accumulated 66 yards and one touchdown through the first three weeks of the season.

With stud running back Leonard Fournette expected to return from injury next week, Seferian-Jenkins may be asked to block more as the team looks to emphasize their ground attack going forward. Additionally, with other receiving and red-zone options on the team (including Fournette, Donte Moncrief, and Keelan Cole), Seferian-Jenkins will likely have his role reduced going forward, minimizing his fantasy value for the rest of the season.

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