The plague. Law enforcement. Delicate punches tossed by Orlando Bloom. And, in the case of Mike Wallace, well-thrown deep balls from Ryan Tannehill ... Someplace, somewhere, someone is purposely trying to avoid something.

This loudmouthed half-wit is no different.

Around this time last year, romantic prose about Dolphins sophomore rusher Lamar Miller was written. Without meaningful competition outside plodder Daniel Thomas, an above average offensive line and off an impressive 4.9 yards per carry in his rookie season, all signs pointed to the ‘U’ product graduating to the RB2 level within Joe Philbin’s West Coast brand. As a result, yours truly, intoxicated by his potential and assumed substantial workload, shelled out a foolish $45 for his services in a 14-team auction league.

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Clouded judgement?

I blame the Silver Bullet kegger at the draft.

Naturally, the climax didn’t match the build-up. The Richie Icognito-Jonathan Martin scandal hampered an underachieving O-line, Wallace failed to keep defenses honest downfield and Miller, my overpriced albatross, failed miserably in his quest to secure every-down work. His 879 total yards and two touchdowns were a mere 440 combined yards and six scores short of my lofty preseason fearless forecast. The resulting 6.2 fantasy points per game in standard formats slotted him No. 51 among RBs, one spot behind a washed up Peyton Hillis.

Yes, it still hurts.

For those that invested similarly, the bitter taste has lingered. Though he’s made noticeable strides in several categories throughout the summer, particularly in pass protection, and is firmly atop Miami's RB depth-chart, I for one won’t be selling my soul to acquire him again.

To be fair, every player has their price. If he can be secured on the cheap, it’s possible I would entertain another purchase. Early camp buzz reached a crescendo last week when the Miami Herald reported “a hope” Miller could fill the” LeSean McCoy role” in OC Bill Lazor’s Philly-styled offense. That’s awfully enticing, but the reconfigured offensive line, down arguably its best blocker in Mike Pouncey, looks horrendous on paper. Knowshon Moreno’s eventual presence also doesn’t inspire confidence. The ex-Bronco, who showed up to OTAs doughy and missed time due to a knee scope, may not return to action until the regular season, but once available, he's sure to pose a threat. Keeping all of that in mind if a bidding war over Miller ensues this year on draft night, I will gladly enjoy a moment with my beer.

What other players invoke chilly feelings? For fans of fading the Noise, who should you lock in on? Here are 11 additional commodities widely available inside the overall top-70 I will purposely circumvent in drafts, whether auction or snake, this year:

Rob Gronkowski, NE, TE (Yahoo ADP: 45.7, Calculator ADP: 26.0, Mean ADP: 35.8, Yahoo AAV: $13.7)

When Gronk is healthy he’s arguably one of the most intimidating forces, no matter the position, in the entire league. Among RBs and TEs, only Calvin Johnson has averaged a higher fantasy points per game clip over the past three years in standard leagues (Gronk – 13.9, Megatron – 15.4). Unfortunately, his vulnerability to the scalpel cannot be overlooked. If the fantasy gods could guarantee even 14 games this season, he’s a certifiable Round 2 pick in 12-team drafts. However, at that price point, he’s simply not worth the enormous risks attached.

Marshawn Lynch, Sea, RB (Yahoo ADP: 8.0, Calculator ADP: 10.9, Mean ADP: 9.4, Yahoo AAV: $56.4 )

At 28 and with three straight seasons of 300-plus touches on his record, Beast Mode has seen his fair share of battles. It’s conceivable he could be an invincible Adrian Peterson-type, a running back impervious to rapid decline, but a violent, brutalizing running style doesn’t typically imply longevity. Lynch was brilliant in Seattle’s Super Bowl run, however, his yards per carry did decline sharply (5.0 in ’12, 4.2 in ’13). That combined with his underutilization in the pass game and explosive second-year standout Christine Micheal’s anticipated increased role say stay away. Over the past five years 43.3 percent of rushers drafted inside the RB top-12 haven’t measured up. Lynch is a strong candidate to add to that statistic this year.

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