Fantasy Football - When to Take a Chance on Injury-Prone Players - NYTimes.com Brian Blanco/Associated Press Robert Griffin III could still be a top-six fantasy quarterback even if he does not run as much in 2013. It's a fantasy football dilemma every season: if, and when, do I take a chance on those talented players who never seem to stay healthy? If you time these picks right, it could give you a major advantage in your league. If not, you could be in for a very long season. The following players have become known for their injury-riddled past. Some are still worth taking, depending on where you take them. Quarterback Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles - It's difficult not to like Vick's fantasy potential this season, as he looks like a perfect fit to run Coach Chip Kelly's up-tempo offense, but his notorious knack for getting injured has burned plenty of owners in the past. In his three years as the Eagles" starting quarterback, Vick has missed 13 games, and he has not turned in a full 16-game season since 2006. Vick, 33, vows to run more this year, which is going to expose his body to even more contact, and his tendency to hold onto the ball too long still appears to be an issue. Verdict: Worth a QB2 pick as he brings top 10 QB1 upside to the table in the miraculous event he can stay on the field for more than 12 games this year. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers - His willingness to put his body on the line to keep a play alive and the lack of great pass protection have taken a toll on his body over the years. He has been sacked 344 times, which is tops among active quarterbacks. Roethlisberger has completed only one full season in his nine-year career and averages close to two missed games per season. Verdict: Worth a later-round QB2 selection, as his 21-point fantasy average ranked eighth best among his peers last year. Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins - Technically, you could insert any quarterback who runs as much as Griffin into this spot, as that style of play leaves a quarterback much more vulnerable to contact (see Vick), but because Griffin sustained multiple injuries last season (concussion Week 5, knee sprain Week 14, and the A.C.L. tear that required surgery this off-season), we will single him out. A big part of Griffin's rookie success came from running the read option, and according to the great John Madden, defenders are going to aggressively attack read option quarterbacks this year to counter it. Verdict: Worth a midround pick as he has the accuracy (65 percent) and downfield vision (8.1 yards per attempt) to still be a top-six quarterback, even if the Redskins cut down on the read option this year. Running Back Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders - In his 80 career games, Run DMC has managed to suit up for only 57. As a rookie, he sustained an injury to his big toe in Week 2 that limited him for the next 14 weeks; it also forced him to miss three games. In 2011, a foot injury effectively derailed a Pro Bowl-like season to the tune of nine missed games. Last year, a bad ankle kept him out of four contests. Verdict: Not worth the early fourth-round risk, as a costly injury to Oakland's best lineman, Jared Veldheer, and a dreadful supporting cast downgrade his outlook significantly. Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers - No injury list would be complete without this guy. Mathews missed four games in 2010 and two more games in 2011. In 2012, his first preseason carry resulted in a broken right clavicle that cost him the first two games of the season. He would follow that up by breaking his left clavicle on Dec. 16, and would be placed on injured reserve for the rest of the season. Verdict: Worth a fifth-round RB3 gamble in standard scoring leagues, but stay away from him in PPR formats. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars - Jones-Drew has accumulated a lot of wear on those tires, averaging 318 carries a season as the starting running back before 2012"s foot fracture grounded him for 10 games. Jones-Drew has shown no ill effects from the injury this preseason, but you have to wonder how well he will hold up under another big workload, which is what the Jaguars plan to give him in 2013. Verdict: Worth a second-round RB2 selection as he is one of the few running backs projected to see a steady 20 to 25 carries a game, but not before Chris Johnson, Steven Jackson or Stevan Ridley. Wide Receiver Danny Amendola, New England Patriots - There is top-15 wide receiver potential with this pick, considering the Wes Welker-type role he is expected to fill for the Patriots, but his extensive injury history outweighs nearly all of the upside. In 2011, a Week 1 elbow injury landed him on injured reserve for the rest of the season. Last season, a rare dislocated clavicle came within millimeters of killing him, and he played in only 11 games. All in all, he has managed to complete one full season in his four-year career. Verdict: Worth a fourth-round risk, as the upside of a healthy Amendola for 12 to 14 games is too good pass up. Hakeem Nicks, Giants - Nicks always seems to be battling injuries. In fact, his name failed to appear on the injury report only three times last season. He has missed an average of two games a year since 2009 and is still looking to get a full 16-game season under his belt. His sluggish performance during the preseason does not invoke much optimism that 2013 will be any different. Verdict: Worth a fifth-round gamble, but we would strongly recommend handcuffing him with the camp standout Rueben Randle in the later rounds. Kenny Britt, Tennessee Titans - Britt has been coping with swelling in his surgically repaired knee all summer. But the Titans are not expressing any major concern. Considering he has missed 19 games over the last three seasons and struggled for most of 2012 because of a torn A.C.L., they should be. Verdict: Not worth the risk, as there is an abundant supply of better receiver prospects to choose from in the later rounds. Tight End Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers - Gates has been battling injuries for a good portion of his career, but it was not until he turned 30 that they really started to show up in the box score. He has missed 10 games because of multiple ailments over the last three seasons, the most memorable being the plantar fasciitis that forced him to miss six games in 2010 as well as his seventh Pro Bowl appearance. Verdict: Worth a ninth-round pick because of a shaky field that seems to get thinner by the day. Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots - Since the 2011 postseason, Gronk has gone under the knife six times to repair strained ankle ligaments, two broken left forearms including an infection, and a bad disk in his back. He is already expected to miss at least the first three weeks of the season. Verdict: Worth a fourth-round pick as he averages more fantasy points per game than Jimmy Graham when he is active.