2012 Fantasy Football Gambles
Gamble: A player with both high potential and high risk. Players in this category are usually injury-prone, have a high probability for being suspended, or are approaching the end of their career. From our Fantasy Football Dictionary
We have classified the following 9 players as gambles for 2012. We will be updating this list throughout the pre-season.
| Name | Pos | Team | Age | Yrs Exp. |
Pos. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jahvid Best | RB | DET | 24 | 2 | Unranked |
| Since the organization opted not to add a running back in the draft, they must already be confident in what they have. Jahvid Best is a big part of the Lions' backfield, regardless of his concussion problems. When healthy, he has been a great fantasy performer, particularly in PPR leagues. Best has been cleared for football activies by Detroit's medical staff and h... Read More | |||||
| LeGarrette Blount | RB | NE | 26 | 2 | RB - #58 |
| One of the biggest disappointments in fantasy football last season, LeGarrette Blount followed up a breakout rookie campaign with an injury-plagued and ineffective sophomore season in which he rushed for 781 yards and five touchdowns on 184 carries. The Buccaneers added Boise State rookie running back Doug Martin in the first round of the NFL Draft, which means tha... Read More | |||||
| Brandon Jacobs | RB | --- | 30 | 7 | RB - #65 |
| After just two seasons the 49ers seem ready to move on from Anthony Dixon, who was drafted to be the team's short-yardage bruiser. Brandon Jacobs will now compete with him for that role, though neither is assured of a roster spot come September. Jacobs turns 30 this summer and will have a tough time staying relevant in a crowded backfield.... Read More | |||||
| Marshawn Lynch | RB | SEA | 27 | 5 | RB - #4 |
| Lynch had a career year in 2011 and it earned him a rich four-year contract extension. He was in line to carry the load again this season and was shaping up to be an early-round target in fantasy drafts until his July 14th arrest for driving under the influence.
UPDATE (7/27): Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio believes the NFL can't suspend... Read More | |||||
| Joe McKnight | RB | NYJ | 25 | 2 | RB - #102 |
| Aside from Shonn Greene, the only other back in a Jets uniform who has carried the ball more than 50 times in their NFL career is McKnight. This means if you're drafting Greene and want his backup, you'll need to pick up McKnight with his 82 career carries for 323 yards. The second best rusher for New York this season likely won't be a running back, but backup qu... Read More | |||||
Rashard Mendenhall  |
RB | ARI | 25 | 4 | RB - #35 |
| The Illinois alum suffered a torn ACL late in the 2011 regular season and there are rumblings that he will miss a significant portion of the 2012 season. Mendenhall topped 1,100 yards in the 2009/2010 seasons, but his production regressed in 2011 as he finished with 228 carries for 928 yards (62 YPG). He does have 30 touchdowns over the past three seasons, but with... Read More | |||||
| Jonathan Stewart | RB | CAR | 26 | 4 | RB - #27 |
| The Daily Show has been a colossal disappointment for fantasy owners the last two seasons and with the Panthers' backfield situation more crowded than ever, it may be best to just stay away from this situation altogether this season. While Jonathan Stewart scored only four rushing touchdowns, he did manage to get more involved in the passing game by reeling in 47 p... Read More | |||||
| Beanie Wells | RB | --- | 24 | 3 | Unranked |
| Beanie Wells played through a nagging knee injury and enjoyed the most productive season of his career eclipsing 1,000 yards rushing and scoring double-digit touchdowns last season. Wells will have some competition for carries in the Arizona backfield with second year running back Ryan Williams fully healthy, but fantasy owners should still consider Wells a solid n... Read More | |||||
| DeAngelo Williams | RB | CAR | 30 | 6 | RB - #38 |
| The Panthers' backfield situation is a mess. There are just too many mouths to feed between DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert. That list doesn't even include quarterback Cam Newton, who is a factor in the run game. Williams was productive last season (rushing for 836 yards and seven touchdowns), but his upside is limited due to questions about hi... Read More | |||||
