Fantasy Football 2009: Red-Flag Players

Every year, you head into the fantasy football draft with a list of players to avoid. Whether it’s because of injuries, issues with consistency or the personnel surrounding that player, you mark him as a red flag; somebody to avoid drafting or make sure that you proceed with caution..

Let’s take a look at some of the potential red flag players for 2009 and how that will shape your preseason draft lists and cheat sheets.

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2009 POTENTIAL RED FLAGS

Tom Brady (New England Patriots) - Does the ACL surgery hinder his play in 2009?

After suffering a torn ACL in the first game of the season in 2008, it was believed New England Patriots quarterback Tom Bradywould be fine for 2009. Except the surgery didn’t go quite as planned and he has since had three more operations on the knee.

It’s been reported that one more could not only jeopardize the beginning of the 2009 season but the entire thing altogether. Injuries to the ACL are tough for quarterbacks to return from. Just look at the Cincinnati Bengals’ Carson Palmer following the 2006 season.

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Carson Palmer (Cincinnati Bengals) - can he bounce back from arm trouble?

When Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer suffered torn elbow ligaments on his throwing arm it was believed he would be placed on IR to have Tommy John surgery and begin to rehab.

That would’ve been fine except Palmer didn’t go on the IR and remained with the team in the hopes of being able to play later in the season.

He didn’t.

Reports out of Cincinnati suggest Palmer may forego surgery altogether and attempt to play the 2009 season. If that happens then you can’t regard Palmer as a top five or even top 10 quarterback anymore.

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Brett Favre (New York Jets) - Should he return to NFL or retire?

New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre finished the season with as many touchdowns (22) as he did interceptions. He also finished the season with a mysterious right shoulder injury that severely limited his ability to throw longer than 15 yards.

Should he return for 2009 it would be Favre’s 19th season in the league. He would need to prove he was healthy before we could consider him a top fantasy football quarterback such as in years past.

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LaDainian Tomlinson (San Diego Chargers) - Is he still a first rounder in 2009?

A litany of injuries has slowed down the once unstoppable San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson. He finished the 2008 season with his lowest rushing total of his career.

A healthy Tomlinson is still a first-round pick but with so much wear on the tires it’s impossible to consider him the top pick any more. Tomlinson still scored a lot of fantasy points in 2008 but be wary of drafting him too high in 2009.

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Fantasy Football 2009 Red Flag Players