As another year of fantasy football commences, so do the players that never live up to their expectations. Here are some of the players I’ll be avoiding in this year’s draft:
Kenny Golladay, WR (Lions)
My first memory of Kenny Golladay was thinking he was the second coming of Calvin Johson. And so far, he has lived up to that expectation. Last year, he racked up about 1200 yards, along with 11 touchdowns, allowing him to finish as a top 10 wide receiver in PPR leagues. So what’s the problem? In this year’s draft, the Lions selected De’Andre Swift, a promising running back from Georgia University. Containing both Swift and Kerryon Johnson, I expect the lions to experiment with this dual back set, which could take receptions and yardage from Golladay. Furthermore, Matthew Stafford only played eight games last season due to fractures in his upper thoracic spine. At age 32, it is hard to know if Stafford will be able to bounce back from the injury and accurately throw the pigskin to his receivers. While Kenny Golladay has years ahead of him, I don’t like how the season is shaping out to be. ADP - 3.01
Melvin Gordon, RB (Broncos)
After disputes with the Chargers over his contract, Melvin Gordon decided to return to the Chargers in Week 5 of the 2019 season. Splitting snaps with Austin Ekeler resulted in a disappointing campaign, as he only averaged 51 yards a game, scored eight touchdowns, and earned a No. 23 finish amongst running backs in PPR leagues. At the season’s end, Gordon made the decision to leave Los Angeles. He chose to stay in the AFC West, signing a 2 year, $16 million contract with the Broncos. But in Denver, he faces a similar situation regarding the backfield; he’s going to have to share carries with Phillip Lindsay, just as he did with Austin Ekeler. What’s more interesting is that Phillip Lindsay shared snaps with Royce Freeman last season, creating an interesting dilemma for Denver. The possibility of Gordon sharing snaps with two other backs strays me away from him, along with my expectation that Denver will throw the ball more. ADP - 3.06
Aaron Rodgers, QB (Packers)
Packers fans throughout the world, such as myself, were immensely disappointed with the offseason decisions made by the front office. Wide receivers were thought to be the number one priority in Green Bay, as Davante Adams had to carry the load for the receiving core. However, the front office had other plans. Additions such as AJ Dillon and Jordan Love in the draft built upon every position except the one that needed the most help. A Devin Funchess signing, while insufficient in itself, has proved to be pointless, as he opted out of the 2020 season. On top of that, Matt Lafleur is looking for the team to become more run dependent. Last season, the Packers ran the ball 444 times, the most for the team since 2013. With the addition of AJ Dillon, I expect this number to increase even more, causing Rodgers to slowly fade out as a critical component for the offense. Quite frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if Jordan Love replaces Rodgers midseason, as the Packers are likely looking towards the future, causing Aaron Rodgers, age 36, to be left in the past. All signs are pointing towards an unsuccessful 2020 fantasy football campaign for Rodgers.
ADP - 7.02
- Ryan M. Lima