The Fantasy Football 2014 season is nearly here and while it's pretty obvious, some sound draft advice for owners is to stay away from Justin Blackmon and Josh Gordon, as those players likely will be out for the entire 2014 season and that means players like Hakeem Nicks, Odell Beckham, Cecil Shorts and Doug Baldwin could be sleeper options to pick up.
Blackmon has had his issues since coming into the league and now he has been arrested again and this comes after he had violations last season as well. Josh Gordon is also coming off of a year when he was suspended two games and now he faces a yearlong suspension for failing another drug test and he will be appealing that. According to ESPN.com, Blackmon was arrested and charged with marijuana possession so naturally the NFL will punish him more than wife beater Ray Rice.
Blackmon put up some very solid numbers while he was playing last season, making 29 catches for 415 yards in just a few games, but he has to find a way to stay on the field to be an option in the future. In 2012 Blackmon showed some of those skills that made him a high pick out of Oklahoma State, making 64 receptions for 865 yards and five touchdowns. Now Shorts could step up and have another solid season like he did last year and he could be a good option for fantasy owners who had Blackmon or wanted to draft him.
Blackmon has been arrested three times now and this is a big issue for the Jaguars, as they were relying on him to be a rock for them over the years. Gordon is also a troubling case, as he led the league in receiving yards last season and was very good for the Browns despite missing two games. Now Gordon's entire future is up in the air and he could have had an amazing season this year, but now he may not even get onto the field at all.
Last season Gordon was nothing but amazing, putting up 87 catches for 1,646 yards to lead the league and now one wonders what he could have done with those two extra games. Gordon will appeal his suspension in August and the Browns are hoping he wins. Gordon set career highs last season and that was playing with Brian Hoyer and Brandon Weeden and he also had back to back 200 yard games for the first time in NFL history.
