With some fans already diving into fantasy football before the always important third preseason game, here’s a list of guys that you might want to second guess drafting if you haven’t already:
Courtesy: Sports Illustrated
1. Joe Flacco (Quarterback: Baltimore Ravens)
Look, I understand that Joe was given one of the highest-paying contracts in NFL history back in March, but the former Delaware Blue Hen has to be looking around him and asking, “Thanks for the money, but where’s my help?” If you haven’t had a chance to watch Baltimore’s first two preseason games, saying that they are thin at the wide receiver and tight end positions might be a generous statement. Since the departure of Anquan Boldin to the San Francisco 49ers via trade, the Ravens have propelled third-year receiver Torrey Smith to the No. 1 spot, glorified return specialist Jacoby Jones to the No. 2 and the rest of the depth chart consists of Brandon Stokley, Tandon Doss, Deonte Thompson, Laquan Williams, Marlon Brown and Aaron Mellette. Scared right? And that’s just the wideouts. Visanthe Shiancoe, Dallas Clark, Matt Furstenburg, Billy Bajema and an injured Ed Dickson are the tight end options at this stage of the preseason. Convinced Flacco is the guy to go with as a starting quarterback in a deep league? If you didn’t already know this, shame on you for even remotely thinking that Flacco will break through just because of the money. How many two-yard dump off passes can Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce catch in 2013? Because that’s the extent of his aerial attack thus far other than Torrey Smith’s 77-yard scamper against the Atlanta Falcons Thursday. No weapons, means no way I’m buying Joe Flacco as a starting fantasy quarterback in a 10, 12 or 14-team league.
Courtesy: SB Nation
2. Chris Ivory (Running Back: New York Jets)
Looking back at the 2012 New York Jets, there weren’t a lot of discussions that didn’t start with the phrase, ” Remember that time Sanchez fumbled the ball after running into that guy’s butt?” Yes, Chris Ivory was a solid running back as he shared borrowed time with a plethora of guys in New Orleans — Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles. Ivory is more of a north-south runner and seems to be getting his first big break in New York as a starter. However, despite the fact that they have center Nick Mangold and left tackle D’Brickashaw Feguson up front, don’t be too high on the powerful runner. While Ivory is talented, he is one of the few weapons at the disposal on the New York Jets offense. Did I mention their quarterback situation? You have to figure opposing defensive coordinators will be keying on either wide receiver Santonio Holmes or the 25-year-old runner, putting more guys in the box to stuff the run. Also, Ivory has caught just three passes in three years in the NFL, so if you want to dual-threat running back, stay away.
Courtesy: Pro Football Focus
3. Emmanuel Sanders (Wide Receiver: Pittsburgh Steelers)
Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers losing established wide receiver Mike Wallace to free agency, the wide receiving corps looks to have tons of speed and playmaking ability with guys like Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders. However, don’t jump the gun on Sanders for a flex option as he should be largely relegated to bench duties for your fantasy team. Sanders is a frustrating guy to have because you know the Steelers want to give him the ball — career-high 74 targets last season — but most of those aren’t on scoring plays. The SMU product has just five career touchdowns in his first three professional seasons and that number is likely to go up with the departure of the aforementioned Wallace. His hands are what scare me and should cause you to refrain from taking him too early in your draft. The 26-year-old lost two fumbles last season and while he has the ability to stretch the field, a lot of those streaks and fly patterns are to no avail. Sanders is a gamble. If you want to take a shot in the dark at your flex position, go ahead. He might not even be the best option for a PPR league — has caught 56.6% of targets in his NFL career.
