Fantasy Football: 11 Players to Avoid in 2017

Marshawn Lynch, RB, Oakland Raiders

We all have fond memories of Marshawn Lynch. We remember "Beastquake." We also remember his dominating four-year run in fantasy from 2011 to 2014, when Lynch led all NFL running backs with a total of 48 rushing touchdowns and 967 fantasy points.

The problem is, this is 2017. Lynch is over 19 months removed from NFL action. If we ignore that, then we can also forget that in his last season, 2015, Lynch started only six games -- due to injuries -- while posting by far his most inefficient season since 2010. His -0.05 Rushing Net Expected Points (NEP) per attempt ranked 28th out of the 44 running backs with at least 100 carries that season.

If those weren't enough red flags for Lynch, we need to acknowledge he is 31 and about to play in his 10th season, both marks widely recognized to be over-the-hill for running back production. With that in mind, the Oakland Raiders are reportedly considering limiting him to fewer than 200 carries this season, taking it easy with the veteran back's workload early on to save him for a potential postseason run.

If all that doesn't scare you off, this should: Lynch's average draft position (ADP) carries a second-round price tag, where he is being drafted as the 12th running back overall, per Fantasy Football Calculator. —Dale Redman