5 Superstars who need to be handled with care in the Royal Rumble 2018

The Royal Rumble is the beginning of the highly anticipated road to Wrestlemania. The Royal Rumble match itself is usually well received as the winners etch their names in the WWE history. It is also a demonstration of the company's belief in a particular individual and how it wants to shape its biggest show of the year.

Having said this, not every Royal Rumble has gone as per plan. There have been instances over the last few years where the crowd has turned on the winner, forcing WrestleMania plans to change drastically. Think Batista winning the Royal Rumble at Daniel Bryan's expense.

With that being said, there is no question that WWE needs to look handle certain Superstars with care. Here are five of them.

#5 Rusev

Rusev has seen his popularity surge over the last few months. His non-inclusion in the US Title tournament was a surprise. It could either be a sign that he has been relegated lower than Aiden English, or creative could potentially have bigger things in store.

His popularity certainly rivals that of anyone on the roster. Everything from his "Happy Rusev Day" merchandise to his rendition of "Lana Number One" is resonating with the fans. At this moment, he can do no wrong. His elimination, if handled incorrectly, could spawn resentment among the fans. WWE creative needs to ensure that they have a well-defined role for the Bulgarian at the January extravaganza, or they could see a repeat of the Roman Reigns or Batista incident.