Cam Newton and Risky Stars That Will Sink Your Fantasy Football Teams

Nothing can sink a fantasy football draft (or team) faster than an early-round pick failing to meet expectations, whether that's due to injury, a disappointing performance from a statistical standpoint or just plain old bad luck.

With some players, there's really no seeing this sort of thing coming. While that can be one of the most frustrating aspects of fantasy football, the simple fact is that there's really nothing that can be done about it.

However, with other players—such as the ones included on this list—the warning signs are there. For those fantasy stars, the phrase "caveat emptor" absolutely applies.

Let the buyer beware.

Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers

No player was a bigger surprise in fantasy football last year than Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.

Newton's 4,000 passing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns as a rookie undoubtedly propelled many fantasy teams into the playoffs and in many cases on to a championship.

However, fantasy owners spending a first or early second-round draft pick on Newton this year in the hopes of a repeat of his fifth-place fantasy finish are setting themselves up for a letdown.

The odds of Newton backing up last year's NFL record-setting rushing totals just aren't very good, especially since the arrival of fullback Mike Tolbert in Charlotte will all but certainly rob Newton of several goal-line opportunities.

Not making those plunges may be good for Newton's longevity, and it's a wise move by Panthers management, but it will also make it all the more difficult for Newton to back up last year's gaudy fantasy production.

Darren McFadden, RB, Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden is an immensely talented runner. In each of the past two seasons, McFadden has ranked among the top 10 players at his position in fantasy points per game.

However, Darren McFadden is also a very brittle running back. The fifth-year pro has yet to make it through a 16-game slate in his NFL career, including missing nine games last season with a foot injury.

That top-10 fantasy draft pick you spent on Darren McFadden does you precious little good if he's not on the field, and if his NFL career to this point has been any indication, that's going to happen again at some point in the year.

A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

After a fantastic rookie season that saw Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green reel in 65 catches for over 1,000 yards and seven scores, the former Georgia standout has rocketed up draft boards this summer.

In fact, Green is now the third wide receiver off fantasy draft boards according to MyFantasyLeague.com, with an average draft position well inside the second round.

That lofty investment may be wishful thinking on the part of Green's fantasy owners.

As well as the second-year pro played last season, Green only ranked 14th at his position in fantasy leagues that award a point for receptions, and his ranking in points per game was even worse than that.

That means that for Green to justify his draft slot, he's going to have to experience a significant uptick in stats. While Green may indeed improve somewhat in his sophomore campaign, it's unlikely that it will be to the degree necessary given the Bengals' ball-control offense.

Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots

It would appear that New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has become my "dead horse" poster boy for 2012, because I've been beating the drum that's he's an incredibly risky draft pick for some time now.

It certainly has nothing to do with Gronkowski the football player. The third-year tight end racked up over 1,300 receiving yards and an NFL-record 17 touchdowns in 2011, dragging hapless defensive backs behind him all the while.

With that said, Gronkowski's average draft position has now climbed into the first round of fantasy drafts. By using the first pick in your draft to take a tight end in the hopes that he repeats a record-breaking season, you're setting yourself up for a fall.