When it's the NFL offseason, every fantasy football owner acts like they have have it all figured out for next year. They are listening to podcasts, pouring over last year's stats, and boring you to death over text messages about how, "This year is going to be different. I've got it all figured out this time."
Fantasy football owners that don't learn from history are certainly doomed to repeat it.
RELATED: 2017 NFL Preseason Schedule and Nationally Televised Games Announced
Just like with the real NFL Draft, there's no foolproof way to ensure your fantasy players will live up to their expectations.
One thing is for certain though: Please pray that none of your 2017 draftees end up as one of the biggest fantasy football busts of all time like these guys.
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Todd Gurley, RB — 2016
The Rams running back was taken in first round fantasy drafts across the country in 2016 after a spectacular rookie campaign in which he ran for over 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns.
He would grind out 885 yards and 6 scores in the team's first season in Los Angeles, but his average yards per attempt plummeted from 4.8 his first year to 3.2 in 2016.
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Adrian Peterson, RB — 2014
After rushing for over 1,200 yards and amassing 11 total TDs in 2013, the Vikings running back was pretty much in everyone's top 4 players to take in 2014.
He "rewarded" fantasy owners with 75 total yards on the season and no scores after being suspended by the league for child abuse.
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Kurt Warner, QB — 2002
After three incredible seasons leading The Greatest Show on Turf, there was zero reason to believe St. Louis Rams QB Kurt Warner would be anything less than spectacular in the 2002 season. But it was the beginning of the end for Warner in the midwest, as he'd play in only 7 games that year while compiling 11 interceptions to just 3 touchdowns.
After a ho-hum one-year stint with the New York Giants in 2004, Warner would resurrect his career in Arizona on his way to the Hall Of Fame.
He'd probably rather forget the last play of his career though.
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Larry Johnson, RB — 2007
2006: 1,789 yards rushing, 17 TDs, 410 yards receiving, and two more TDs.
2007: 559 yards rushing, 3 TDs, and only 8 games played. Yikes!
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Peyton Manning, QB — 2015
Look fantasy fans, you can only go to the well so many times before it's completely dry.
Manning logged career-lows in games played (10), yards passing (2,249), completions (198), and touchdowns (9). He did manage to toss 17 interceptions, however, despite playing just over half the regular season.
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Jeff Blake, QB — 1997
You remember Jeff Blake out of East Carolina, right? Hello? Is this thing on?
Blake looked poised to take Cincinnati to great heights after throwing for more than 3,600 yards and 24 touchdowns in 1995 and 1996. 1997 was a much different story for the Bengals signal-caller.
After his breakout seasons, #8 would throw for just 2,125 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 7 picks over 11 games. Blake would end his NFL career in 2005 having played for seven teams.
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Edgerrin James — 2001
2001 was the year The Edge lost his edge.
After running for over 1,700 yards and 13 TDs the previous season, James gave owners around the world one of the worst clunkers in fantasy football history: 6 games, 662 yards, and 3 TDs.
And this is why we must always be scouring the waiver wire.
