Longtime Fantasy Football Studs to Avoid in 2013

Like all fantasy sports, fantasy football has it's fair share of stud players.

You know, those guys who always go out on game days and produce consistent points for their owners.

Landing these valuable assets usually results in your squad making a run at hoisting that diamond encrusted, gold-soaked elusive fantasy football championship trophy.

But like everything else in life, things change. And one time glorified fantasy studs can become major let downs.

Whether you blame it on a new offensive system, a young player waiting break-out or father time lurking in the shadows, the names that found there way onto this list are guys who are currently being overvalued that won't produce nearly as much as they have in the past.

So, with all of that being said, it's time to start the slideshow below and find out what longtime fantasy studs you should avoid in 2013.

*All stats courtesy of ESPN unless noted otherwise.

*All Average Draft Positions courtesy of My Fantasy League.com unless noted otherwise.

Reggie Wayne

Here's something we all can agree on. Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne has had a fantastic NFL career to date.

Last year Wayne ended up becoming one of the most pleasant draft day surprises thanks Andrew Luck, Bruce Arians' high-flying aerial attack and his own elite skill set.

But heading into this season, with Arians taking the reigns in Arizona and new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton in town, it's time to pencil in Wayne's name on the dreaded "avoid list."

The reason why?

Last season under Arians' tenure, Wayne racked up a ridiculous 106 receptions on a career-high 194 targets. Now with Hamilton calling the plays, the Colts will undergo a dramatic shift in philosophy on offense.

Talking about the new offensive system, according to ESPN, Hamilton said:

"

"It will be a variation of it. Short passing game, high completion rate. But I enjoy watching our guys coming off the ball and trying to knock the opponent back. I'm a big believer in the power-running game, I believe that opens it up for your passing game. I want to be flexible schematically in that we find ways to get the ball into playmakers' hands."

"

That means that while Wayne get his fair share of targets thrown his way, it won't be anywhere near the 194 he saw last season.

While he still will provide you with value as low-end second or third receiving option, with all of the change around him, drafting Wayne as a clear-cut fantasy stud this year wouldn't be in your best interest.

Rob Gronkowski

Arguably the best tight end in fantasy football when healthy, New England Patriots big-man Rob Gronkowski is one stud that's worth avoiding on draft day.

Even with ESPN's Adam Schefter recently reporting on the TV show NFL Insiders (via Rotoworld) that there is a "positive buzz" surrounding Gronk, the fact remains he is still recovering from back surgery and will miss all of training camp and the pre-season.

Currently with an ADP of 32.35, the shocking thing is Gronkowski is still being taken as the second tight end off the boards in fantasy drafts.

So here's some sound advice, people: Let your friend take Gronk early and suffer through the constant barrage of injury updates.

You'll continue to draft smart and build depth all while selecting a quality tight end later on that will help you win ball games.

Steven Jackson

One of the most consistent and durable running backs to come along in years, Steven Jackson was a hard name to put on this list.

While Jackson could very well turn some heads and produce a big season for the Atlanta Falcons based on his renewed energy playing for a contender, at 30 years old, he is going up against the unbeaten heavyweight slugger we call father time.

Going by the "running backs turning 30" theory, Yahoo! Sports expert Michael Salfino wrote a sensational piece evaluating Jackson's chances of producing at a high-level this season.

For a guy comes into this season with the 11th-most carries for a running back turning 30 years old, the only sure thing you can say about S-Jax is that he has had a ton of mileage on his tires.

For fantasy addicts who still love Jackson, a light of hope comes by way of his durability and media reports like NFL.com stating Jackson will be used "all over the line" this season with the Falcons.

But for those people out there looking for an elite running back to help lead their squads this year, although he will produce at times, history says the word stud is something we won't be calling Jackson ever again.

Greg Jennings

Putting last year's injury ridden season aside, Greg Jennings numbers over the years have earned him the right to be called a fantasy stud.

Thanks to his injuries, Jennings only managed to play eight games, hauling in 36 catches for 366 yards receiving.

Needless to say Jennings was a major let down for guys who went out and drafted him.

Now with his health back in check, the newly minted Minnesota Vikings starting wide receiver is looking to regain his All-Pro form.

But odds are that won't happen, even though he's back to full-strength.

With Christian Ponder slated to be his starting quarterback, it's hard to imagine Jennings seeing nearly as many quality balls thrown his way as did during his time with Aaron Rodgers.

Ponder's play aside, having that run-first mentality thanks to the beast they call Adrian Peterson sitting in their backfield, the Vikings offense is structured to revolve around the ground game.

Although last year's 31st-ranked passing attack should improve courtesy of a brand new crop of weapons—that include of a healthy Jerome Simpson and the electric Cordarrelle Patterson—even though he's the clear-cut No. 1 receiving option, Jennings is still a very risky pick.

Now more of a flex-play or third string option, currently being selected as the 28th overall receiver in drafts, a better decision could be selecting younger guys like Tavon Austin, Alshon Jeffrey and Mike Williams on draft day.

Frank Gore

Fitting the model of consistency, San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore is the definition of a fantasy stud.

Last season Gore helped lead a dynamic 49ers rushing attack, producing 1,214 yards rushing and eight touchdowns—basically just another classic Frank Gore-type season.

Talking about consistency, if you were to do a history report on Gore it would look like this.

From 2006 to 2012, the former University of Miami Hurricane has only produced one season in-which he didn't run for 1,000 yards and score at least five touchdowns.

A polished, extremely skilled RB, according to ESPN's consistency rankings, Gore graded out as one of the most consistent scoring players last season at his position.

Reading all of this you might ask "then why should I avoid Gore this season?"

For starters, Gore turned 30 in May and history hasn't always treated running backs the right way when they reach that number of age—see the previous Steven Jackson slide.

Not thinking about his age, when talking to TheReporter.com, Gore said, "I'm not ready to pass the baton yet."

While that's a great mindset to have for one of the most prolific football players to ever play in San Francisco, the fact still remains running backs breakdown over time.

With the infectious read-option serving as a crucial element to the 49ers success and younger guys like Kendall Hunter and LaMichael James yearning for touches, the 49ers may look to ease Gore's workload this season in hopes of keeping him fresh for another deep playoff run.

Regardless of how you look at the situation, relying on the talented Gore as a fantasy stud this season isn't a bet worth hedging early on in your draft.