Fantasy Premier League 2013 Week 3: Struggling Starts to Avoid This Week

With many clubs employing a strict squad rotation policy, it can be difficult to work out who to keep in your fantasy side each week. It's usually a little clearer when looking at who to avoid, which has been the case so far in the 2013 season.

Below are three players who have yet to make their mark on the fantasy world. It doesn't mean they won't, but there can be no time for hesitation or sentimentality when planning fantasy dominance.

Romelu Lukaku

Lukaku was consigned to the bench for the first two games of the season. There is every reason to suggest that this was Mourinho allowing Lukaku the luxury of fewer minutes before unleashing him upon Manchester United.

Chelsea have a blank Week 3, but Lukaku should be avoided for Week 4. He's doing no good on the bench, so fantasy owners shouldn't really risk another week of no contribution by starting him again. He'll make his mark later in the season, but the rotation has already been the cause of lost points.

Even if he plays and annihilates United, he'll probably be rested for the next game. Mourinho's going to be the scourge of fantasy owners the world over. Don't hold onto the balloon as it rises— let go before it's too late.

Papiss Cisse

Those looking for a return to form after a dry spell in the 2012-13 season will have been crushed by Papiss Cisse's continued mediocrity. Based on the first two games, it would be fair to blanket the entire Newcastle side with the same label, but Cisse has been a spectator in both fixtures.

The beatdown they received at the hands of Manchester City set the expectations low for the first home fixture, but that just further frustrated the Toon faithful.

Cisse continues to wander offside and contribute nothing to the linking play, while his shots on goal range from hopeful to non-existent.

A lot of it isn't even his fault, which actually makes it worse.

Newcastle are once gain resorting to hopeful long balls as the midfield struggles to create anything, and Cisse's game just isn't suited to the lone striker/target man role. He needs creative midfielders and telling crosses to thrive, and at the moment he has neither.

If Yohan Cabaye leaves St. James' Park, only Hatem Ben Arfa is likely to offer moments of midfield magic. Inevitably, Cisse will continue to suffer.

Adel Taarabt

Taarabt showed last year that he wasn't going to put anything above himself, and this has continued following his offseason move to Fulham.

He might still be in the Premier League, but his performances have been significantly less than Premier League standard.

At one point during the Cottagers' loss to Arsenal, he appeared to just give up and sit down when he gave away possession. Needless to say, the response from Twitter was not favourable:

He has talent, but not as much as he thinks he has. A lack of consistency and effort have dogged him since arriving in the league. It's actually quite surprising that he's still here.

There can't be many fantasy owners starting him after his displays last year. Those foolish enough to have kept faith with him should choose this week to rid themselves of this burden once and for all.