Can you really trust Chargers running back Ryan Mathews anymore? Is he worth the risk to draft him as even a flex option?
I consider Mathews a bust this season, and I will avoid drafting him this year unless he completely plummets to a late-round pick. His Average Draft Position on CBSSports.com is No. 50 overall, and he's being selected as the No. 26 running back. That's too high for me.
Mathews is saying all the right things this offseason, and the new coaching staff in San Diego is also behind him. Coach Mike McCoy told me at the NFL owners meetings in March that Mathews "had some bad luck the past couple of years" with injuries, and "he's going to be a great fit for this system."
That's good to hear, but it's clear Mathews will have a limited role. Danny Woodhead was brought in to play on passing downs, and the Chargers still have Ronnie Brown on the roster. That means Mathews is a two-down running back. He's also injury prone along the lines of Darren McFadden, and he suffered two broken clavicles in 2012.
There's a lot to like about Mathews in terms of talent, but Fantasy owners are clearly running out of patience. From what we saw last year, Mathews might not have what it takes to be a legitimate contributor.