Ten Fantasy Football Players to Avoid in 2012 (6-10)

Every fantasy season there are hundreds of articles about players to target late in drafts, or so-called sleepers to keep an eye on, but there are hardly any articles describing players not to draft for the upcoming fantasy season.  It is just as important to know whom to avoid, as it is to know whom to pick.  Below are my top-ten fantasy football players to avoid for the 2012 season:

10. QB Vince Young, BUF – Oddly enough, Vince Young coming to Buffalo earned just as much attention as the team bringing in two-time Pro Bowl defensive end, Mario Williams.  For some reason people actually think that Young will win the starting job, but head coach Chan Gailey has specifically said that he would was brought in to complete for the backup spot.  Stay way from Young, unless you really want to fill your roster with backup quarterbacks.

9. WR Sidney Rice, SEA– Rice continues to disappoint since his one Pro Bowl worthy season, when he caught 1,312 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns in 2009 with the Minnesota Vikings.  The Seattle Seahawks undeservingly gave Rice a monster deal to start the 2011 season, despite the fact that he was never completely healthy.  Rice is the latest of poor acquisitions by the Seahawks, in what has quickly become one of the worst front offices in the league.  Rice should not be an every day starter in any format, as his injury problems and career inconsistencies will limit him to fantasy bench duty again in 2012.

8. WR Anquan Boldin, BAL – When the Ravens signed receiver, Anquan Boldin, many thought he would walk in and become the team’s number one receiving option.  However, Boldin has been overshadowed by the dynamic receiving ability of running back, Ray Rice.  Boldin has only caught 10 touchdowns in his first two years in Baltimore and the 31-year old receiver has gotten fewer and fewer looks as his career has wore on.  Boldin is better off being drafted as a bench receiver, but many owners will draft him as a starter because of name recognition alone.  Make sure not to be one of those owners.

7. TE Brandon Pettigrew, DET – Pettigrew was one of the biggest benefactors of quarterback Matthew Stafford’s inhuman fantasy season.  He was targeted a jaw-dropping 126 times for a tight end, ironically only 32 times less then superstar receiver, Calvin “Megatron” Johnson.  Pettigrew was also second on the team with 83 receptions and 777 receiving yards, both of which were well above his career-highs.  There is no way that the “Teacher’s Pet” can repeat those type of insane numbers, so his fantasy value can only go down from here.

6. RB LeGarrette Blount, TB – Tampa Bay’s offensive struggles last year were quite apparent to anyone who follows football.  The team averaged a measly 17.9 points per game, 27^th in the league, and had problems punching the ball into the end-zone all year long.  After a respectable rookie campaign with over 1,000 yards and 6 touchdowns, Blount failed to improve on those numbers in his sophomore season.  He averaged a measly 4.2 yards per carry and again was bothered by injures.  The team showed their lack of faith in the problematic back, as they drafted former Boise State star, Doug Martin, in the first round.  Martin is a strong downhill runner, and his superior pass blocking ability will help him earn the starting spot over Blount.