Unless someone invents a time machine or unlocks the key to warping the fabric of spacetime itself, the results of our highest level sporting events will always be influenced by pure, dumb luck. If Chris Paul's floater was a few inches lower -- or Tim Duncan's arms were a few inches longer -- the Clippers wouldn't been eliminated in the first round and the Spurs may have never felt the need to go out and add LaMarcus Aldridge.

Fantasy owners know this all too well, especially when it comes to injuries. Kevin Durant missed just 16 games in his first seven NBA seasons and was the No. 1 pick in Fantasy with a bullet last season, but a fracture in his right foot in early October led to a series of ongoing issues that limited him to just 27 games. If you drafted early enough, your season was torpedoed in the most unlikely and painful manner possible.

Nobody can predict injuries, especially the ones that strike out of the blue like a bolt of lightning. However, some players obviously carry more risk than others heading into the season, and it is important to identify them when possible.

Heading into the 2015-16, here are the 20 players with the highest potential to sink your season:

2015-16 Torpedo Rankings

1. Kevin Durant, F, Thunder (No. 2 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Foot -- Missed 55 games in 2014-15

Durant could be the top player in Fantasy this season. He was two years ago, and was well on his way to being the unanimous No. 1 pick last season before his injury. But that injury is such a scary one, a Jones fracture in his foot that has already required three surgeries -- including one procedure for a bone graft that is not FDA approved -- that the risk here is huge. He'll either lead you to a championship or last place, and there doesn't seem to be much room in the middle.

2. Carmelo Anthony, F, Knicks (No. 7 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Knee - Missed 42 games in 2014-15

The risks with Anthony extend beyond his surgically repaired knee, as the Knicks' malaise last season impacted his production as well. He was still the focal point of the offense, but his scoring dropped to 24.2 per game, his lowest average since 2011-12, and his rebounds dropped from a career-high in 2013-14 to 6.6 as he shifted more to small forward. He might be best suited as a power forward at this point in his career, and you have to wonder if chasing wings around the perimeter is in Anthony's best interests. He's untouchable as your first pick, but he is worth the risk as your second option.

3. Paul George, F, Pacers (No. 14 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Leg - Missed 76 games in 2014-15

You might have to reach for George in the first round; that's how high his upside is, and I've seen it happen in multiple mock drafts already this year. The last time we saw George before his gruesome injury last August, George was averaging 21.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game, and there's reason to think the 25-year-old can build on that to reach even higher heights. The Pacers are expected to run a lot more this season, and if Larry Bird has his way, George could be unleashed as a monstrously athletic stretch-four. The potential there is scary, and outweighs whatever risk is here.

4. Kyrie Irving, G, Cavaliers (No. 29 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Knee - Missed last five games of NBA finals

Irving played a career-high 75 games last regular season, and then logged nearly 500 postseason minutes before the injury bug inevitably caught up to him. That has been an issue since college for Irving, who has now missed 56 regular season games in four seasons. The injuries have mostly been unrelated, which has made it easy to shrug them off heading into the next season, but this one seems different. Irving is already expected to miss the start of the season as he recovers from a fractured knee cap. Even if he is healthy enough to play in November, the Cavaliers have stated numerous times that Irving is going to see a reduction in minutes, from 36.4 per game last season, the third-highest mark in the league. Irving could be a sure-fire first-round pick in another season, on another roster, but it's hard to trust him there now.

5. Kawhi Leonard, F, Spurs (No. 73 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Finger - Missed 18 games in 2014-15

Leonard doesn't get tagged with the injury-prone tag much, which is weird, because he has missed 60 games over four seasons in the NBA, including at least 16 in each of the last three seasons. He has missed time with left knee tendinitis in 2012-13, a fractured right hand in 2013-14 and another right hand injury in 2014-15. The fact that the hand troubled him in two straight seasons is a concern, but they weren't related injuries, with last year's a ligament issue. Leonard is a fine choice in the first 15 picks in any Rotisserie league, and let's hope this is the year he can avoid bad injury luck.

6. Kevin Love, F, Cavaliers (No. 23 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Shoulder - Missed final 19 games of playoffs

Love wasn't right for long stretches of last season, as ongoing back issues continuously bothered him. I am hopeful that explains at least some of his struggles in a new offense, and actually have some optimism about him getting back to the days of 20-10 with healthy assist numbers; Irving's injury could help. The Cavaliers are looking to limit their stars' minutes, and Love is no exception, especially with their frontcourt depth behind him. Still, there are few players with his rebounding, scoring and shooting potential, and I'm not terribly worried that the shoulder injury will impact him long term. Still, there's risk here of him continuing to lose minutes, as he did last season when he averaged fewer than 30 per game in April.

7. Derrick Rose, G, Bulls (No. 54 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Knee - Missed 31 games in 2014-15

Missing only 31 games -- and undergoing yet another knee surgery -- is what counts as a resounding success for Rose at this point. We saw flashes of his All-Star form, and he was able to cap off his season by averaging 37.8 minutes per game in the postseason, which are all good signs! However, he shot just 40.5 percent from the field, struggled to get to the free-throw line and relied way too much on a very, very shaky 3-pointer. At this point, the biggest question isn't whether Rose can stay healthy, but whether he can still be a difference maker, even granting health.

8. Dwyane Wade, G, Heat (No. 51 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Knees/legs - Missed 20 games in 2014-15

At this point, it's not really any one thing for Wade, so much as a series of knee and leg injuries that have left him seemingly incapable of playing a full-time role. Here are his games missed totals over the last four seasons: 20, 28, 13, 17. He hasn't played more than 69 games since 2010-11, and you probably can't count on him for anything more than that at this point. He can provide second-round value on a per-game basis -- he still averaged 21.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists while shooting 47.0 percent -- but you also know he can't be there for every game. He's a mid-round guy at this point.

9. Chris Bosh, C, Heat (No. 87 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Heart - Missed 38 games in 2014-15

The Heat are tough to pin down for a lot of reasons, not least of which because their two marquee players missed extensive time and don't have much experience playing with the three members of their starting lineup who have spent one season or less on the team. Bosh was enjoying a fine season, averaging 21.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 3-pointers per game, before a blood clot put him on the shelf for good. Thankfully, he'll be able to play and shouldn't have any strict limitations, but the Heat will likely be very cautious with him, at least at first, so don't except huge minute totals from him. Bosh has managed to stay mostly healthy besides this issue, so hopefully he can put it behind him, because he has solid early-middle round value.

10. Kobe Bryant, G, Lakers (No. 27 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Shoulder - Missed 47 games in 2014-15

If we were ranking this list in inverse order of my confidence in the player making it through the whole season, Bryant would be No. 1 with a bullet. Sorry, Bean. He's only played 41 games over the last two seasons, and has now suffered a season-ending malady in three straight seasons, all of which have required surgery. Few players will rage against the dying of the light harder than Bryant, but there probably isn't much he can do about it; time catches up with everyone. Bryant is unlikely to average 30 MPG even when he plays, and he has shot 37.8 percent over the last two truncated seasons, but his per-game counting stats have still been impressive. You'll get decent production from Bryant when he is healthy, which makes him a worthy late-round flier on Draft Day, but you can't draft him in the first half of the draft or anywhere close.

Other players who could sink your season...

Dwight Howard, C, Rockets (No. 33 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Back - Missed 41 games in 2014-15

Serge Ibaka, F, Thunder (No. 94 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Knee - Missed 18 games in 2014-15

DeMar DeRozan, G, Raptors (No. 19 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Groin - Missed 22 games in 2014-15

Brook Lopez, C, Nets (No. 75 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Feet - Missed 10 games in 2014-15

Brandon Jennings, G, Pistons (No. 36 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Achilles - Missed 41 games in 2014-15

Al Jefferson, C, Hornets (No. 38 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Knee - Missed 17 games in 2014-15

Jrue Holiday, G, Pelicans (No. 39 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Legs - Missed 42 games in 2014-15

Chandler Parsons, F, Rockets (No. 50 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Knee - Missed 20 games in 2014-15

Ricky Rubio, G, Timberwolves (No. 61 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Ankle - Missed 60 games in 2014-15

Wesley Matthews, G, Mavericks (No. 76 in projected Fantasy points per game)
Achilles - Missed 22 games in 2014-15