The “Risk Factor” was something I threw in my positional rankings, and we would now like to take it a step further. In Fantasy Football, your top priority in the draft is to avoid risk. Unfortunately, it seems as though certain big name players carry much more risk than others and leave fantasy owners wondering what they should be doing. A.J. Green tore some ligaments in his left ankle, leaving a murky situation for the Bengals’ receiving core.
Risk Factor: 5/10
A.J. Green has been one of the most dynamic players when healthy. His problem has always been his inability to stay on the field. This year, Green was injured before he even reached padded practice. A.J. was carted off the field during training camp with what was believed to be a low-ankle sprain. An MRI later revealed ligament damage, and surgery was required. His risk comes not only from the fact that his timetable is unclear, but also his constant risk of new injuries.
Speaking on the ankle injury, Bengals’ Head Coach Zac Taylor said “It’s just going to be a couple of games … hopefully he’ll be ready to go at the beginning-half of the season.” If Green does miss only a couple of games and can stay healthy the rest of the way, Green could still end up as a 1,000-yard receiver. If not, you may be spending an early fourth-round pick on a player you have to stash on your bench for a good portion of the season.
Where do you draft A.J. Green?
This is the part of the article where I suggest not drafting a player, and people comment back saying “really, you wouldn’t take him in the 12th?” So I will say his draft position is far too high, and I would not consider taking Green before the sixth round. Green could be an extreme value in the middle rounds. However, the cost of a fourth-round pick is far too much for someone who struggles to get on the field consistently.
With A.J. Green out, look for Tyler Boyd to get off to a fast start as the top receiver on the Bengals – for the time being. Boyd is currently going as the WR25, which he should out produce. If his ADP does not climb too high, he will be the Bengal to target in the middle rounds.
The “Risk Factor” Series will be posted daily and can be found right here at WTF Sports. Scott Edwards and I will be co-writing the series that will include analysis on the riskiest picks in the game. To see some of our other articles in the series,