NFL Fantasy Football 2011: 10 Tempting Players to Stay Away from

Whether it is their upside, a new chance of playing time or new clean bill of health, several players will unfairly be hyped. As a result, several gullible owners will fall for the hoopla. (That’s not to say I am not exempt from such trial-and-errors—far from it.)

However, with good draft prep, you could avoid these pitfalls if you A) Look at things objectively and B) Don’t rely on brand-name recognition.

So, here are ten players who on the surface look appealing, could burn you in the long run.

To read my last column on 10 risky picks worth taking this season, click here. Follow me on twitter @stacdemon.

1. Sam Bradford, QB, St. Louis

Make no mistake, Bradford is supremely talented. He has a high football IQ and a bright future ahead of him.

Don’t fall for the hype, at least not this year. Can Bradford make a monumental leap in his second year with Danny Amendola and Mike Sims-Walker as his primary receivers? Bradford will make strides but not to the extent where you should reach for him.

2. Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England

Sure, timeshares can work with running backs, but two tight ends fighting for catches in what is an already dynamite offense is maddening. Both Hernandez and Gronkowski are very talented, but guessing who will get the lion’s share of the targets can get frustrating real quick.

3. Darren McFadden, RB, Oakland

Although he had a fantastic season in 2010, do remember his injury past. That’s not the red flag that concerns me though.

Look for backup running back Michael Bush to make more of an impact this year, even if McFadden is healthy. Bush has looked great this preseason, and the Raiders won’t waste his talents on the bench.

4. Peyton Hillis, RB, Cleveland

I’m not even taking the Madden curse into consideration, but the bottom line is that Hillis is a solid but not elite running back option.

The workload Hillis took on last year (270 carries) will not come without at least some repercussions this year. Besides, opposing defenses will be more prepared to deal with Hillis and will dare Colt McCoy to beat them.

5. Dwayne Bowe, WR, Kansas City

Bowe was off-the-charts good last year. However, he can’t be that good again, especially in the so-so Chief’s offense. Bowe has been in the league for four years and has had some solid seasons, so expect numbers more in tune with what he put up from 2007-09 than what he put up last year.

6. Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans

Sure, you look at Colston and you see Drew Brees’ No. 1 go-to-guy in the pass-happy Saints’ offense and you say, "I’ll have some of that." But, this is one case of buyer beware considering all the nicks and bruises Colston has sustained in the last few years. Emerging tight end Jimmy Graham may also start to eat into Colston’s targets as well.

7. Ryan Grant, RB, Green Bay

I know, Grant is healthy again and he’ll be part of a loaded Packer’s offense. Not so fast!

The only reason the Packers relied on Grant so much when he was healthy was because they really never had another reliable running back on their squad. That’s not the case anymore.

James Starks has been turning heads in training camp and will, at the minimum, be in a timeshare with Grant. In fact, I eventually see Grant backing up Starks before too long.

8. Stevie Johnson, WR, Buffalo

The secret’s out on Johnson now. Yes, Johnson has a wealth of physical talent, but he is not in a position to sneak up on anyone anymore. Teams will key in on Johnson, considering the Bill’s offense is far from an intimidating bunch.

Johnson will have some breakout games, but he’s unlikely to put up consistent numbers. Also factor in the departure of Lee Evans and you could see why Johnson will be hard-placed to replicate his success of 2010.

9. Beanie Wells, RB, Arizona

Wells has been in the league for two years now and has hardly done anything to inspire fantasy owners.

While the departure of Tim Hightower to the Redskins and the injury to Ryan Williams seem that Wells is likely to shoulder more of a load, don’t be quick to dismiss the impact LaRod Stephens-Howling can have for the Cardinals. The Cardinals coaching staff have never been entirely enamored by Wells, which prompted the selection of Williams in the NFL Draft in the first place.

10. Reggie Wayne, WR, Indianapolis

By no means am I suggesting avoiding Wayne entirely. However, I think the days of Wayne being a sure-fire No. 1 fantasy wide receiver may be over.

Wayne is now 32 years old and will have to share more and more targets with the likes of Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon and Dallas Clark. Also, factor in Peyton Manning’s lingering injury issues, and there is a measure of risk in selecting Wayne.