The move to Philadelphia is one of the biggest reasons to fear Murray as a bust candidate

Training camps are set to kick off this week and there are plenty of players who potentially can make their names even more popular in the fantasy world. Of course, some of those names will be the plethora of running backs this season to choose from when going through a fantasy draft.

With so many options, some are bound to disappoint relative to where they were drafted. After all, everyone is expecting big things from Adrian Peterson, but what if he finishes as the 12th best fantasy back? Or what if Arian Foster/DeMarco Murray fall out of the top 24 because of some injury they incur? Sure, it’s hard not to draft some of these players in the top 10, but it doesn’t mean they’re immune to being a bust. Below, you’ll find a list of players the featured experts feel will fall into that category.

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Q. What RB in our consensus top 20 should fantasy owners fear the most as a bust candidate?

DeMarco Murray (RB – PHI)
“I’ll be steering clear of Murray on draft day. He is currently sitting at ADP 8.6, and I believe that is way too early. The Eagles utilized Darren Sproles more than McCoy last season due to his pass receiving abilities. He also poached a few red zone touchdowns. Murray also has Ryan Matthews to contend with. If you can combine the three into one player, you have the makings of a top 3 back, but due to the quick play-calling style that Chip Kelly utilizes, I see a 60/25/15 split in terms of fantasy production. I need more out of my first round draft pick. Murray is an injury risk as well. Last year was the first season Murray played all 16 games and he ran behind the best offensive line in the NFL. I’d rather target a safer pick in this area, either a stud WR like Antonio Brown or Rob Gronkowski. I think Murray will be the biggest first round bust this season, and will finish outside the top 20 RBs this year.”
– Sean Beazley (EDSFootball)

“Believe it or not, out of the top 20, I believe DeMarco Murray has the best bust potential. He’s ranked number 9 in the consensus rankings, but I’ll go as far to say he finishes closer to 15-20. Not a huge drop, but where he’ll be drafted compared to what type of production he’ll have will make fantasy owners go crazy. Being in a backfield with two other talented RBs and running behind an offensive line that got worse after cutting Evan Mathis, is a recipe for a let down to owners who draft DeMarco Murray high. Stay away!”
– Richard Janvrin (Fake Pigskin)

Matt Forte (RB – CHI)
“With a current ADP near the bottom of Round 1, acquiring the fantasy services of Bears RB Matt Forte is an expensive proposition, and one that is likely to be a costly mistake. With Mark Trestman’s pass-happy offense, Forte was heavily featured as a receiver out of the backfield- including setting an NFL-record with 102 receptions last season. In fact, Forte eclipsed 20+ carries in only three of 16 games last year. Now that Adam Gase will be calling plays in Chicago, we will see a more diverse attack, with multiple alignments, including ’12’ formations with two tight ends and even a fullback. More damaging for Forte’s fantasy value will be the fact that he’ll be utilized far less as a pass-catcher, thus limiting his fantasy ceiling and forcing him to rely more on running behind a shaky Chicago offensive line. In 2014, Forte played 1,006 snaps, which led all running backs- that number is not sustainable for a running back that will turn 30 during the season and has accumulated a lot of mileage over the years. Two years in a row the Bears have invested 4th round picks on young running backs, and with Forte’s contract set to expire at the end of this season, it’s possible that Chicago’s new coaching staff will be eager to lighten Forte’s workload in an effort to see if his successor is on the roster. Matt Forte has been a tremendous fantasy football asset over the years, but it might be time for fantasy owners to be proactive, not reactive.”
– Jody Smith (Gridiron Experts)

LeSean McCoy (RB – BUF)
“The argument for McCoy as a top 10 RB in 2015 is rooted in volume. Buffalo’s three-quarterback circus won’t do their offense many favors, so the Bills figure to run like Forrest Gump, constantly and somewhat aimlessly. McCoy will receive plenty of carries, but even with a heavy workload, I’m not convinced he’ll recapture the burst and decisiveness he lost between 2013 and 2014. Buffalo’s suspect offensive line won’t do any him any favors and he will lose at least some passing down work to Fred Jackson. Furthermore, their aforementioned quarterback woes will let opposing defenses stack the line of scrimmage to stuff the run. All of these factors tie new unwanted connotations to McCoy’s ‘Shady’ designation. Most fantasy running backs outside of the first round have question marks, but McCoy’s range of potential outcomes has me worried more than most. He still lands in my top 12 at his position, but these concerns have caused him to slide outside my top 20 overall, which likely means I won’t end up with him in drafts.”
– Greg Smith (The Fake Football)

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Thank you to our experts for contributing their thoughts, you can follow them on Twitter here.