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It's not just about finding the Fantasy Football players that will serve as dynamic pillars for your team. Of course you want the best players that fit your team's needs and will be available in the appropriate round of your draft.
But it's just as important — if not more so — to avoid players that are going to be major disappointments or busts. These kind of players are major personnel mistakes and can drag your entire team down.
In this piece, we look at 4 players who are plummeting early in the preseason, and should be avoided in your Fantasy Draft. This can be due to the circumstances they are facing from competition, the aging process, injury, overall team weakness or question marks and coaching issues.
RB Joe Mixon may be on downhill run in Fantasy Football
Mixon is clearly at the point in his career when NFL decision makers fear that a running back will no longer approach their peak numbers.
He has been a solid producer with the Bengals for 6 seasons, but he ran for 814 yards and averaged just 3.9 yards per carry a year ago. The idea that he is still a breakaway threat does not make sense.
While Mixon remains a solid target as a receiver, he is just a safety valve for quarterback Joe Burrow. He is not going to threaten the defense with long passing plays at this point in his career.
In addition to becoming less of a Fantasy threat, he seems to be the example of a running back who previously had dynamic and explosive characteristics, but wear and tear has slowed him down to make him a pedestrian player.
Can WR Christian Watson fulfill his promise?
There's a lot to like about Watson, because he is a dynamic breakaway threat every time he steps onto the field. He appears to be a gamebreaker for the Packers and he could be new quarterback Jordan Love's favorite target.
Watson comes into his second year after coming through with 41 receptions for 611 yards and 7 touchdowns, with a long of 63 yards.
There are a couple of problems with Watson, and one of them is his catch rate of 62.1 percent. That number could be expected to improve in his second year, but Watson had Aaron Rodgers throwing to him last year, and this year he will be on the receiving end of Love's tosses.
The Green Bay quarterback is an unknown at this point in his career. He is likely to need at least a half-season to limit his mistakes.
If Love struggles to throw the medium- and long-range pass, Watson's numbers will suffer.
QB Daniel Jones must improve if he is to become a Fantasy stud
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After leading the Giants to the playoffs last year, Giants fans are optimistic about Jones and his future as the team's QB1.
The Giants apparently share the same feelings, because the team gave him a 4-year, $160 million contract. They are expecting him to make significant progress with his accuracy, timing and ability to make key plays when the game is on the line.
Jones completed 317 of 472 passes for 3,205 yards last year with 15 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He also ran for 708 yards and 7 touchdowns.
However, the problem may be the lack of quality receivers. While they added tight end Darren Waller, the rest of the receiving crew is inexperienced and unproven.
It will take several games for Jones and Darius Slayton, Jalin Hyatt and Parris Campbell to get on the same page. The Giants are likely to struggle in the passing game until that point, and Jones will not have adequate fantasy numbers.
TE Irv Smith Jr. needs to get on same page as Bengals stars
If there's one player that will be hurt by the high ankle sprain suffered by Joe Burrow at the start of training camp, it's Smith.
This is his first year with the Bengals, and he needs to develop a rapport with the quarterback. Burrow could miss as many as 4 weeks this summer, and that will hurt Smith.
While he has talent, he never put it together with the Vikings and it is quite unlikely he will overachieve in Cincinnati. The Bengals have some of the most talented wide receivers in the league, and Burrow is comfortable throwing to Ja'Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins.
There will be times that the tight end will be a good target in the Bengals offense, but Smith has to prove he can come through with consistency. There is no indication that he is about to raise his intensity and concentration and come through this season.
