In fantasy football, there are certain players I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.

The reasons vary, but every year there are a handful of guys I refuse to draft unless they are available 10 rounds after they should be.

Here are my top 5 players to stay away from this fantasy season:

1. Marques Colston - The rookie sensation was tremendous last year and won a lot of fantasy gurus their league titles. This year, however, he is incredibly overrated. Although Drew Brees is a stud and runs the Saints versatile offense to perfection, Colston is no longer flying under the radar. With top receiver and mentor Joe Horn gone, Colston will now be the focus of opposing pass defenses. Colston lacks elite speed and with the extra attention he'll garner this season, don't expect a jump into the fantasy receiver elite. He's rated at around the 10th spot as a fantasy receiver in most places, but I would gladly pass on him for Roy Williams, Anquan Boldin, Donald Driver, Javon Walker, or any number of other proven receivers. Remember the last rookie receiver to rack up 1,000 yards receiving? Michael Clayton, who is now 5th on the Bucs depth chart after two pathetic seasons. If you're taking Colston as your #1 receiver, expect to be disappointed.

{mosimage}2. Vince Young - I've been enamored with Young since his legendary performance against USC in the National Championship game. Unfortunately for him, he had more talent on offense at Texas in his senior year than he does on the Titans in 2007. Young was a one man show at the end of last year doing what he does best, winning games in impossible fashion. He lost his top receiver in Drew Bennett, and now he has less than nothing going for him. It's almost preposterous the lack of talent on the offensive side of the ball for Tennessee. His most proven receiver is newcomer Eric Moulds whose prime ended a half decade ago. Ben Troupe is a perennial disappointment at tight end, and the rest of the receivers have proven nothing. Couple that with the lack of a proven running back (LenDale White and Chris Henry will split time) and a pathetic 49% completion rate, and you have a ticket to fantasy bustdom. Young is rated as a top 10 QB in most fantasy spots because of his incredible rushing performances at the end of last year. With nobody to even fake throw to, he'll be running a lot this year, but don’t expect him to be able to shake loose as much. Every team should have at least one spy on Young on every play because he is the ONLY weapon the Titans have. Drafting Young as your #1 QB is asking for trouble.

3. Laurence Maroney - I was in a draft yesterday where a guy took Maroney 2nd overall and justified it by saying that the Patriots' passing game will be so incredible that Maroney will double his numbers from last year and make a jump to the fantasy elite. Use this faulty logic and you'll get burned. Even if he did double his numbers across the board, he'd still be ranked behind Steven Jackson and Larry Johnson in fantasy points, and it isn't really even that close. Maroney should benefit from the overhauled receiving corps in New England, but he hasn't proven himself as a #1 back in the NFL just yet. Expect him to put up nice numbers this year, but he should not be going among the elite. Pegging him as your #1 back with proclamations of incredible upside is a battle cry for fantasy failure. Reliability should rule your top picks. Save the upside guys for the middle and end of your draft.

4. Ronnie Brown - Brown broke my heart on several teams last season. He was supposed to make the jump into the elite with his incredible blend of speed, power, and pass catching skills. He did nothing of the sort. He's still rated as a top 12 back, but I'm terrified of him this season. The passing game in Miami is a major question, and Brown has only shown brief glimpses of his ability. He has yet to put it together for an entire season. Couple that with the fact that he came into camp 10 pounds overweight and is in the coach's dog house and you've got a recipe for fantasy disaster. If you take Brown as a top 15 pick, make sure to draft at least 4 total running backs (probably 5) because you may be regretting it by the halfway point of the season.

5. Any kicker before the last round - I'm consistently amazed by people who take kickers in the 7th or 8th round of a draft to fill out their fantasy starting roster. Half the guys who start on your team at the beginning of the season will be hurt or benched by midseason, so depth is an absolute must. A solid fantasy roster should include 2 QB's, 4-5 RB's, and 5 WR's. Wasting a middle round pick on a guy who kicks the football is ludicrous. You could be taking Donte' Stallworth, Joey Galloway, or Thomas Jones with that pick and get a huge return, even if they start the season on your bench. There is no excuse for taking a kicker before the last round, and having more than one on your roster should be punishable by expulsion from your league. Kicker is the least predictable and least important position in fantasy because the player has no control over opportunities and there are always quality free agents available. Take Matt Stover or Josh Scobee in the last round and marvel at the depth you have elsewhere.

Honorable Mentions: Cedric Benson, Jamal Lewis, Vernon Davis, Hines Ward, Brett Favre

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