Five Potential Fantasy Football Busts to Avoid in Your League’s 2019 Draft

Fantasy football is no joke these days. Money is on the line, and more importantly, so are bragging rights.

There are traps you must avoid, though. We're here to help.

Not every star will produce huge numbers. One big season doesn't always translate to the next. Sometimes competition is too much. And sometimes, change isn't so good.

Here are five potential busts to avoid in your fantasy football drafts.

Antonio Brown, WR, Raiders

Here comes Raider Nation for my head.

There's no doubt Brown is one of the best -- if not the best -- receivers in the NFL. But there's a recipe for disaster here.

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After nine seasons starring for the Steelers, Brown is in a new offense with a new coach and a new quarterback. All of which haven't come close to the kind of success that Brown's former team, the Steelers, have enjoyed in recent seasons.

Since Brown was traded to the Raiders this offseason, he's been away from the team more than on the field. The four-time All-Pro has dealt with extreme frostbite to his feet, a helmet grievance and off-field issues in recent weeks.

That's a whole lot of drama.

If his feet allow him to cut and run, Brown surely will put up big numbers. But they might not be as godly as past years.

Sony Michel, RB, Patriots

Michel, the Patriots' top pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, put up solid numbers as a rookie. He rushed for 931 yards and six touchdowns and should be New England's lead back this season.

But Patriots coach Bill Belichick loves to rotate ball-carriers and one down game can put you to the bottom of the depth chart. New England has a plethora of options to choose from and former Alabama running back Damien Harris could easily see touches right away as a rookie.

Michel will be productive for the Pats, just don't make him a top priority for your draft.

Phillip Lindsay, RB, Broncos

Lindsay was one of the best stories in football last season. The Broncos running back went from undrafted to the Pro Bowl.

The reason Lindsay could see his numbers drop in Year 2 is due to the running back Denver actually drafted last year. Royce Freeman was a big disappointment as a third-round draft pick out Oregon last season, rushing for just 521 yards.

But that could change this season. All reports have Freeman looking great this offseason, and there could be a backfield by committee in Denver.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers

As Brown could struggle without Roethlisberger, the QB could falter without his top target.

Roethlisberger is coming off a career-high 5,129 yards passing last season. He's also 37 years old and the Steelers could be turning into more of a running team with a trio of James Conner, Jaylen Samuels and Benny Snell.

Quarterbacks can defy time much easier in today's NFL, but there are good reasons to believe Roethlisberger's stats could take a step back.

Drew Brees, QB, Saints

Speaking of Father Time, it looks to finally be catching up to Brees. The 40-year-old signal-caller put up solid numbers last season, but many of those don't seem sustainable.

Brees completed 74.4 percent of his passes last season. That's bound to come down. He rushed for a career-high four touchdowns last year, too. That's not happening again.

In Brees' final four games of the season, he threw three touchdowns and three of his five interceptions on the year. Brees has put together a historic career, but his numbers will take a tumble this season.