2014 Fantasy Football: 10 Star Players You Should Avoid

Manziel is an explosive, talented athlete with a legitimate chance at being a star in the NFL. That being said, he still was drafted by Cleveland. With holes all around him, especially at wide receiver with the looming suspension of Josh Gordon, Manziel is going to need everyone around him to step up if he is to have any shot at finishing as a top 15 Fantasy QB.

Whether or not Johnson remains with the Texans remains to be seen, but new starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has had consistency issues throughout his career. Johnson is the type of player an NFL team wants at its disposal, but not the type of player you want on your Fantasy team unless he's a WR3 or later.

Matt Forte is considered by many to be a top Fantasy back and an asset if you spend your first pick on a wide receiver, but I believe that this is the year of Jay Cutler. After a string of disappointment, he’s finally going to have the tools necessary to succeed, which means Forte will not get the number of carries necessary to be an elite Fantasy running back.

Smith is an extremely talented receiver, but Joe Flacco isn’t the type of big-play quarterback that Smith excels under. He’ll have an okay season, but don’t waste a pick on a hit and miss receiver when better talent should be available.

One of the most popular “sleeper” picks in Fantasy Football, Ball is a player that I wouldn’t be too sure about just yet. His production from last season speaks for itself, but remember, he got the majority of his yards when the Broncos were already winning by a few touchdowns. Until Ball proves that he can handle being the go-to guy in a high-powered passing offense playing some of the better teams defensively in the NFL, stay away.

The Cowboys face some of the toughest defenses in the NFL in 2014, and Romo will suffer as a result. If you’re in a 14 team league and wait until late for a QB1, Romo is a good choice. However, with a young offensive line and last season’s injury, avoid him if at all possible.

Leaving Peyton Manning for any quarterback will kill a player’s numbers; leaving Manning for a second year QB on a team expected to struggle will decimate them. Geno Smith’s mobility will give Decker big-play possibility down the field, but there is no way he'll repeat last season’s numbers.

I took a lot of flak from crazed 49ers fans for saying that Kaepernick wasn’t an elite quarterback when the media hyped him up before the season, and once again, I’m saying the same thing. Kaepernick is still a young quarterback on a good team. He’ll get better every year he’s in the league, but he’s not a legit QB1 option in Fantasy just yet.

Jackson is a talented wide receiver on a team with a quarterback situation that you really cannot make a solid judgment on just yet. That being said, Jackson is either going to be a player that is seen as a steal at the end of the Fantasy Football season or a bust. Sometimes it’s better to avoid boom-or-bust players, especially one likely to be drafted as early as the third round.

This has to be the most surprising pick of the lot, because most Fantasy rankings have Lacy in the top seven or so. However, his inclusion in this list comes down to one fact: Aaron Rodgers should be healthy. Lacy will have a good season, but, with an elite quarterback like Rodgers and the talented receivers that the Packers possess, he’s not going to have as many opportunities to carry the ball.