Fantasy Football: 11 Players to Avoid in 2017

Jordan Howard, RB, Chicago Bears

Jordan Howard showed last year that he's a baller running back, and the Chicago Bears should be jacked about their second-year guy. But talent doesn't always lead to fantasy production, and the other factors have to make you worried about Howard as an early second-round pick in 12-team PPR leagues.

At quarterback, the Bears will be starting either Mike Glennon -- a guy who hasn't started since 2014 -- or Mitchell Trubisky, who has 572 total pass attempts beyond the high school level. Trubisky did ball out in the preseason opener, but that's a whole lot of uncertainty to have at the position most responsible for generating scoring drives and, thus, fantasy upside.

On top of that, Alshon Jeffery is gone via free agency, and stud guard Kyle Long is still recovering from November ankle surgery. This is from a team that finished 2016 with a 3-13 record. Things are not trending up for Howard off of his big opening campaign.

You want to tie your running backs to offenses that will score touchdowns, and that's even more true when they're as expensive as Howard. He can be the most talented guy in the league, but if his offense can't generate points, he'll have a hard time giving you big return on investment. That's what pushes us away from Howard even after a mightily impressive 2016. —Jim Sannes