Fantasy Football Fade Outs: Falling Stars

"It's better to burn out then fade away...."

Neil Young wrote that song about rock stars fading away, but the quote applies to the gridiron as well.

"And once you're gone, you can't comeback."

Ain't that the sorry sad truth.

In the NFL, the life of skill position players is often nasty, brutish, and short. Every year some stars slowly fade away, others suddenly get pulled off the stage. Either exit is a big adjustment for the player, of course, but also for the fantasy football fanatic.

This list does not include one-hit wonders like Cleveland Brown QB Derrick Anderson nor unproductive rookies or second year players. Let's not call them busts, but toast to these players as their fine careers careen off into the twilight. Youth, especially in football, is terribly fleeting.

Indianapolis Colt WR Marvin Harrison is eventually heading to the Hall of Fame, but will leave Indianapolis much sooner. Harrison has lost more than a step but will likely linger a few more years as a possession receiver for another team. Look for him to land in his hometown Philadelphia with his college teammate Donovan McNabb, but don't look for him to be a fantasy football difference maker anymore.

Arizona Cardinal RB Edgerrin James has been bitten by a spider. A Richmond Spider rookie running back named Tim Hightower that is. James productive days are done and now he sits on the bench in the desert sun.

Jacksonville Jaguar RB Fred Taylor won't make the Pro Football Hall of Fame but for a long time he was live option in fantasy football land. The Jaguars are one of the league's major disappointments and Taylor looks shot.

Houston Texan Ahman Green was good in Green Bay. Not anymore. His time in Texas will be his last in the league.

Washington Redskin RB Shaun Alexander was the league MVP just a few years ago. Now he has a last desperate last stab at glory as Clinton Portis nurses an injured knee. What's left in the tank? 

New York Jet QB Brett Favre is ending his career far from Green Bay, but as the season grinds on, it looks like his career is near an end.

Detroit Lion RB Rudi Johnson used to be one of those fantasy football draft day sleeper steals. The kind of guy who surprised with weekly production that out-performed many bigger names. His days in dreadful Detroit likely are his last in a helmet.

New Orleans Saint RB Deuce McAllister had some monster years for Saint faithful but now New Orleans has faded him out of the offense. Age and injuries have taken their toll.

San Francisco 49er WR Issac Bruce was the deep threat star of the greatest show on turf a few years ago. Now he winds down his career as a possession receiver by the San Francisco Bay.

Saint Louis Ram WR Torry Holt, Bruce's old partner in frightening defenses deep, seems permanently slowed by bad knees and won't be back in Ram land next year, which could be a blessing.

Oakland Raider WR Javon Walker last robbery of Al Davis's bank would have made Jesse James green with envy.

Cleveland Brown RB Jamal Lewis is on a team lacking a coherent offensive strategy, which only adds to wear on his tires.

The Chicago Bear Defense carried them to the Super Bowl two years ago and was a genuine Fantasy Football scoring threat. Now it seems time has passed them by. Losing Defensive Coordinator Ron Rivera cost them their aggressiveness.

The Bears defense is a sad shadow of what it once was. LB Brian Urlacher and SS Mike Brown are aging. Injury has robbed DT Tommie Harris of his burst and Devon Hester is no longer breaking the big, game-changing returns.  

Beware buying next year. Old Stars starting the slippery slide down.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson

RB Brian Westbrook

QB Matt Hasselbeck

WR Terrell Owens

WR Roy Williams

WR Randy Moss

QB Donovan McNabb

RB Willis McGahee