Arizona Cardinals

QB: Kurt Warner was signed to be the Cardinals starting QB in 2005. He'll have better weapons than he had with the Giants last season, but it shouldn’t be a surprise to see Josh McCown on the field either. Entering camp Warner is "firmly" entrenched as Dennis Green's starter. Warner probably won't see many well disguised blitzes until the regular season starts, so it shouldn't be a surprise if he looks pretty good in the preseason. The same goes for McCown, who doesn't have nearly the same amount of pressure that he had last season as the expected starter. John Navarre holds the clipboard but will have to stave off a challenge from undrafted rookie Timmy Chang. Warner still has the same tools that made him an NFL MVP but he's been sacked one too many times, struggles with turnovers and he's playing behind an offensive line that has a lot to prove. It's probably a good idea to keep a watchful eye on McCown through the preseason. He's fallen short of expectations before, but he could still emerge as a fantasy commodity given the talent surrounding him.

RB: It's the world's worst kept secret. Dennis Green loves J.J. Arrington. Arrington is HIS guy. Nothing against Marcel Shipp, other than coming off a major knee injury and reportedly still running with a 'hitch in his gait' in the first days of camp, but Arrington is the kind of back the Cardinals need to open up the offense. He was clearly targeted by Green on draft day, too. Though undersized, Arrington is already showing that he has the ability to be an every down back for Cards. He catches the ball well and simply needs to continue doing what he's doing to supplant Shipp, who's likely to move into a secondary, change-of-pace role. Yet if the club's recent free agent moves are any indication Marcel Shipp may not be as healthy as the club hoped heading into camp. On the eve of camp they signed James Jackson and J.R. Redmond, which may not be a good sign for Shipp. Holdover Troy Hambrick's roster spot is in peril, too. They, along with Larry Croom, Josh Scobey and Damien Anderson are fighting for roster spots. Hambrick didn't do himself any favors by missing minicamps and could be on his way out. Keep an eye on who gets goal-line carries in the preseason. If Arrington is on the field near the goal line and on 3rd downs he'll be a strong #2 fantasy back. It would be unreasonable to expect anything more than 20 carries a game, but he could catch 25 to 30 balls easily. Shipp will get playing time and spell Arrington in an effort to keep both backs healthy and fresh. All eyes will be on the Cardinals offensive line, too. If they improve up front the Cardinals offense might finally be ready to make some noise.

WR: Anquan Boldin is back to 100% this year and claims he was never more than 80% a year ago after returning mid-season from knee surgery. Boldin is expected to see more time in the slot this year potentially reprising a role similar to the one he filled in his rookie season. Larry Fitzgerald vowed to improve upon his rookie season and figures to blossom into a Top 25. He might be the team's more featured red zone target. The Cardinals promise to move their talented WRs around more this year to gain favorable matchups. Third year WR Bryant Johnson will man the slot giving the Cardinals a formidable 1-2-3 punch in their passing attack. Charles Lee was signed to add depth but will be competing with holdovers Reggie Newhouse and Lawrence Hamilton for roster spots. Rookie Dan Sheldon could squeeze a roster spot because of his abilities as a return man.

TE: The Cardinals tight end picture is murky at best. Eric Edwards leads a group of undrafted players. Rookie Adam Bergen is a guy to watch. He was highly productive coming out of Lehigh and seems to have caught the coaching staff's eye in minicamps. He could emerge from a group that also consists of Bobby Blizzard, who flashed his wares in Europe, and Aaron Golliday. There's a chance none of these guys will make a difference this year, but one could emerge as a sleeper with some fantasy value during the season.

Defense: Dennis Green has always been known as an offensive coach, but under his guidance the Cardinals defense has made significant strides in a short period of time. They've added more key talent by signing DE Chike Okeafor to give them a pair of speedy pass rushers and help offenses from keying on Bertrand Berry. They spent their first round pick on CB Antrel Rolle, who should start right away and give the Cardinals a potential difference maker in the secondary. Robert Griffith should shore up the Cardinals run support, but at his age seems miscast as a free safety. The Cardinals LB corps is young and talented. Overall, the Cardinals defense has the look of an inexperienced group that could outperform expectations. Their front four figures to be quite active so expect an increase in sacks and with that usually comes a better chance at creating turnovers.

Special Teams: PK Neil Rackers improved significantly since his forgettable early years in Cincinnati. He's always had a strong leg and now also has decent accuracy. In minicamps he connected on several kicks from 65 yards. The Cardinals have not done well in the return game in recent years, so several new faces have a good chance at unseating the veterans. Rookie WRs Dan Sheldon and LeRon McCoy and FA RB J.R. Redmond will challenge RBs Josh Scobey and Larry Croom on kickoff returns. Sheldon and first-round pick CB Antrel Rolle will challenge WRs Bryant Johnson and Anquan Boldin on punt returns.

Cardinals Depth Chart
QB Kurt Warner, Josh McCown, John Navarre, Timmy Chang
RB J.J. Arrington, Marcel Shipp, Troy Hambrick, James Jackson, J.R. Redmond, Larry Croom (3RB), Josh Scobey (KR/3RB), Damien Anderson , Roger Robinson
FB James Hodgins (inj), Obafemi Ayanbadejo, Harold Morrow, Casey Moore
WR Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, Bryant Johnson, Reggie Newhouse, Charles Lee, Lawrence Hamilton, Fabian Davis, LeRon McCoy, Dan Sheldon, Luke Powell, Carlyle Holiday
TE Eric Edwards, Bobby Blizzard, Adam Bergen, Aaron Golliday, John Bronson
K Neil Rackers
DE Bertrand Berry, Chike Okeafor, Peppi Zellner, Calvin Pace, Antonio Smith, Tyler King
DT Darnell Dockett, Russell Davis (NT), Kenny King, Ross Kolodziej, Tim Bulman
MLB Gerald Hayes, Lance Mitchell, Greg Carothers
OLB Karlos Dansby (S), Orlando Huff (W), James Darling (W), Darryl Blackstock (W/S), Eric Johnson, Isaac Keys (W), Isaiah Ekejiuba (S)
CB David Macklin, Antrel Rolle, Eric Green, Robert Tate, Rhett Nelson, Raymond Walls, Aaron Francisco, Jermaine Hardy
S Adrian Wilson (SS), Robert Griffith (FS), Ifeanyi Ohalete (FS), Quentin Harris (FS), Adrian Mayes (SS), Clarence Curry (FS), Ernest Shazor (SS)

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Atlanta Falcons

QB: Michael Vick is the face of the Falcons and he'll be counted on heavily in 2005 to improve as a passer and help take the Falcons offense to the next level. Specifically, Vick is working to improve his accuracy and patience in the pocket. He needs to let his receivers’ patterns develop a bit longer before improvising, but he also needs to do a better job of getting all of his weapons involved. Vick claims to be more comfortable in his 2nd season in Greg Knapp's offense but he'll need to develop chemistry with his young receiving corps before the Falcons offense really takes flight. Matt Schaub begins his 2nd season in the league as Vick's backup while veteran Ty Detmer is the clipboard holder. Schaub looked very good in exhibition games as a rookie, but it's hard to know what we might expect of him in real games if he's forced into action. His progress will be something to watch in the preseason.

RB: The Falcons had the league's best running attack in 2004. Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett will probably fill the same or similar roles as in previous seasons. Dunn should continue to get a lot of work between the 20s and especially on third downs and passing situations while Duckett is better suited near the goal line. Duckett could earn a larger role in the running game, but it's hard to discount Dunn despite his lack of size and amount of wear and tear he's taken over the years. Dunn remains amazingly resilient and is effective both as a runner and receiver in the Falcons offense. Duckett's biggest drawback, aside from splitting carries with Dunn, is Michael Vick hawking TDs though we might expect that to decline somewhat as Vick matures and develops as a passer. Rookie DeAndra Cobb adds a lot of speed to the backfield, but will most likely be used strictly as a return man where he shined at Michigan State. Jason Wright and undrafted rookie T.A. McClendon round out the group and will be fighting for the last roster spot.

WR: Second year WR Michael Jenkins appears poised for a breakout season. Entering camp he's supplanted Peerless Price in the starting lineup. Jenkins gained around 10 lbs. of muscle during the off-season and gives Michael Vick a big red zone target and someone the Falcons hope will stretch the field with his size/speed combination. He only caught seven passes as a rookie so he's got a lot to prove in the preseason. Price appears to be competing for a roster spot, but he could also slide into a role as the team's slot WR with either Dez White or Roddy White starting alongside Jenkins. White missed the first couple days of camp, but is now signed. Brian Finneran remains in the fold and he will be competing for one of the top four WR spots as well. Jenkins and White will be the two players to closely watch in the preseason. Even with the upgrade of talent at WR it's hard to envision anyone truly breaking out in a fantasy sense knowing the Falcons offensive tendencies and Michael Vick's limitations as a passer. If Vick makes progress, however, Jenkins could emerge as a starter with the potential for more.

TE: Alge Crumpler is coming off a Pro Bowl season and figures once again to be a key target on third downs and in the red zone. Dwayne Blakely and Eric Beverly provide depth, but Beverly is a converted offensive lineman and strictly a blocker. Blakely could emerge as a pass-catching TE if Crumpler goes down at some point, but he's inexperienced.

Defense: Assuming Brady Smith recovers from neck surgery in time for the start of the season, the Falcons should have a strong pass rush with Patrick Kerney, Rod Coleman and Smith anchoring the defensive line. Keith Brooking is the Falcons best LB but he'll get some help via free agency as the Falcons added former Raven Ed Hartwell, who will start in the middle. SLB Demorrio Williams will compete with newcomer Ike Reese for a starting job and safety Bryan Scott hopes to be back on the field by the third week of camp. If DeAngelo Hall progresses in his 2nd season at corner the Falcons defense will continue to be among the league's better units. As a fantasy D/ST they have the potential to be a solid option with a good pass rush and a potentially good run stuffing unit depending on how they Falcons interior DL pans out with Ed Jasper's departure.

Special Teams: Well-traveled free agent Todd Peterson joined the Falcons this offseason as their place kicker. He's hovered around 80% on FGs throughout his career. The team would like to spare him from kickoffs and have the punter handle them, but current punting candidates Toby Gowin, Ryan Flinn, and Michael Koenen have all struggled early. Atlanta re-signed return specialist CB Allen Rossum to a four-year contract this offseason. He returned every punt and all but three of the kickoffs last year. The preseason battle for backup roles will primarily feature rookie RB DeAndra Cobb, CB DeAngelo Hall, and possibly WR Michael Jenkins.

Falcons Depth Chart
QB Michael Vick, Matt Schaub, Ty Detmer, Bryan Randall
RB Warrick Dunn (3RB), T.J. Duckett (SD), Jason Wright, Deandra Cobb (KR), T.A. McClendon
FB Justin Griffith, Fred McCrary, Carey Davis, Kevin Dudley
WR Michael Jenkins, Dez White, Peerless Price, Brian Finneran, Roddy White, Kendrick Mosley, Romby Bryant, Lawrence Bady, Cole Magner, Kerry Johnson
TE Alge Crumpler, Dwayne Blakely, Eric Beverly, Mark Anelli, Steve Cucci
K Todd Peterson, Ryan Rossner
DE Patrick Kerney, Brady Smith, Brandon Mitchell (DT), Junior Glymph, Chauncey Davis, Khaleed Vaughn, Erik Flowers, Gabe Nyenhuis, Anthony Herron
DT Rod Coleman, Chad Lavalais (NT), Jonathan Babineaux, Antwan Lake, Darrell Shropshire
MLB Edgerton Hartwell, Jordan Beck
OLB Keith Brooking (W), Demorrio Williams (S), Ike Reese (S/W), Michael Boley, Jordan Kramer (W), Adrian Archie (W), John Leake (S), Michael Brown (S), Derrick Tinsley, Hannibal Thomas
CB Jason Webster, DeAngelo Hall, Kevin Mathis, Allen Rossum (KR), Christian Morton, Byron Jones
S Bryan Scott (FS/SS), Ronnie Heard (SS/FS), Rich Coady (FS), Keion Carpenter (FS), Kevin McAdam (FS), Ettric Pruitt (FS), Shawn Mayer (FS)

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Baltimore Ravens

QB: Kyle Boller heads into the 2005 season with a lot of expectations. The Ravens have invested heavily in Boller giving him two major upgrades at WR by signing Derrick Mason as a free agent and drafting Mark Clayton in the first round. They've also hired Rick Neuheisel as his QB coach and Jim Fassel moves into the role of offensive coordinator. Boller has the tools to succeed; now it's just a matter of getting there. Boller will have no shortage of red zone weapons, a strong running game and a stellar defense to support him. What he does in the preseason could be a great indicator for what to expect when the games mean something. Boller can be drafted among the lower third of starting NFL QBs in most leagues, which means he has the potential to be a difference maker if he can put it all together in his third season. Backing up Boller is veteran Anthony Wright, who missed last season due to injury. Wright has shown flashes of potential in game duty but doesn't pose a threat to Boller as the starter. Derek Anderson was drafted to fill the role of 3rd QB and the team will bring him along slowly. He's got great size and inherent playmaking ability, but if anything, he'll be a player to watch in preseason games who should get plenty of action to see what he can do.

RB: Somewhat unexpectedly the Ravens matched a contract offer to backup RB Chester Taylor for $3 million. Taylor will begin camp running with the first team, but not because he's supplanting Jamal Lewis. Lewis won't be available for the start of camp as he completes his sentence that stemmed from his guilty plea this past year for assisting in a cocaine deal. Lewis is unquestionably the Ravens feature back, but he returns to the fold with some questions. How focused will he be following his experience in prison? Will his ankle or past knee injuries eventually catch up to him - can he stay healthy? The Ravens didn't take any chances matching Taylor's offer sheet. That shows the level of confidence the team has in him. Taylor played well starting in four games in 2004 while Lewis was sidelined and is probably a better receiver out of the backfield than Lewis. That alone should get him on the field frequently for obvious passing situations and third down duty, while Lewis will remain the primary runner otherwise. The Ravens offensive line has a couple new faces, but appears to be a formidable group once again. Backed by a stout defense, Lewis and Taylor figure to get an abundance of work in 2005 as the Ravens plan on opening up the offense to utilize their new weapons. Musa Smith returns from a major knee injury, so don't expect much from him right away. B.J. Sams is likely to make the team primarily as a playmaker in the return game. His speed sets him apart from the rest of the backs trying to make the roster.

WR: Derrick Mason is the newcomer and very likely the guy who will lead the Ravens in receptions and pass targets in 2005. He's a skilled route runner who can be effective as a possession receiver and also in the red zone. He's deceptive downfield, too. Mason's presence should greatly improve the Ravens’ ability to convert on third downs and keep drives alive giving Boller a reliable target with good hands and veteran savvy. Opposite Mason we'll probably see rookie Mark Clayton emerge at some point. Entering camp it looks like Randy Hymes and Clarence Moore have the early edge, but Clayton's separation skills, quickness and hands are sure to make a difference and long-term he figures to be the team's best receiver. Moore's excellent size and good hands make him a natural target in the red zone. He caught 4 TDs as a rookie (twice catching 2 TDs in a game). Hymes is a converted QB who made progress as a player last year and could be the dark horse to start the season for the Ravens while Clayton catches on. Hymes could also fit right in as the team's slot receiver giving them some size and another good target for Boller. Devard Darling returns after missing his entire rookie season because of injury. He's considered a project, but he's got plenty of physical talent and could make some plays against 2nd/3rd string defenses in exhibition duty.

TE: Todd Heap is another player returning from injury having two off-season surgeries on his ankle and shoulder. He's not expected to play until the 2nd preseason game, so he may start the season slowly as he gets healthy. But there should be no long term concerns about his health, as the team committed to a long-term extension in June despite Heap’s aforementioned surgeries. Terry Jones, Daniel Wilcox, Darnell Dinkins and Trent Smith form a 4-way battle for probably 2 roster spots. All have their strengths, but whoever performs best in camp will strengthen their chances of making the team and playing behind a guy who's struggled to stay healthy. In other words watch how these guys do on the field because one could be a deep sleeper if Heap misses more games in '05.

Defense: The Ravens say goodbye to defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and promote Rex Ryan, the son of legendary Buddy Ryan - the creator of the infamous '46' defense. The Ravens are switching from a 3-4 scheme used the past couple of seasons to the '46' which means that Ray Lewis will return to being a true MLB, Terrell Suggs will move from OLB to DE, and Will Demps will play more of a hybrid LB/S safety role often joining the front seven to create the look of an eight man front. The 46 defense thrives on creative blitzing, stunting and generally creating havoc for QBs who are often forced to make quick decisions - and hopefully turnovers. With Ed Reed as the primary ball hawk and the addition of Samari Rolle opposite Chris McAlister the Ravens secondary should once again be among the league's best. Deion Sanders and Dale Carter hope to fill the nickel and dime roles giving the Ravens two veteran players who, if healthy, could really stifle opposing teams in the passing game. Any time a team implements a new defensive scheme you can expect a few growing pains. The Ravens may start slowly at first, but they have the talent to be the top D/ST unit in the league, if not the most aggressive.

Special Teams: One of the more accurate kickers in the NFL, Matt Stover heads into 2005 looking to extend two streaks: he has hit at least 84% on FGs the last six years and he hasn't missed an extra point since 1996.  Rookie PK Rhys Lloyd and punter Jesse Ohliger will compete for kickoff duties during the preseason. Lloyd needs to win to keep a roster spot. B.J. Sams, last year's top ranked fantasy returner in the NFL, will again handle both kickoff and punt returns. The Ravens already know what they have in backup returners RB Chester Taylor, newly acquired WR Derrick Mason, and unretired and formerly electrifying Deion Sanders. First round pick WR Mark Clayton has also been practicing punt returns.

Ravens Depth Chart
QB Kyle Boller, Anthony Wright, Derek Anderson
RB Jamal Lewis, Chester Taylor (3RB), Musa Smith (inj), B.J. Sams (KR/PR), Tellis Redmon, Keith Burnell, Alex Haynes
FB Alan Ricard, Ovie Mughelli, Justin Green
WR Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton, Clarence Moore, Randy Hymes, Devard Darling, Patrick Johnson, Derek Abney, Fred Stamps, Curtis Williams
TE Todd Heap, Terry Jones, Daniel Wilcox, Darnell Dinkins, Trent Smith
K Matt Stover
DE Anthony Weaver, Terrell Suggs, Jarrett Johnson, Roderick Green
DT Kelly Gregg, Dwan Edwards, Ma'ake Kemoeatu, Aubrayo Franklin, Matt Zielinski, Cedric Hilliard
MLB Ray Lewis, Bart Scot, Jim Nelson, Mike Smith, Matt Sinclair
OLB Adalius Thomas (S), Tommy Polley (W), Dan Cody (S/DE)
CB Chris McAlister, Samari Rolle, Deion Sanders, Dale Carter, Calvin Carlyle, Zach Norton, Jamaine Winborne
S Ed Reed (SS), Will Demps (FS), Chad Williams (SS), Jarvis Johnson (FS), Chris Kelley

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Buffalo Bills

QB: There are a lot of questions surrounding the Bills offense heading into 2005, but none bigger than 2nd year QB J.P. Losman. How will the Bills young starting QB handle his first season behind center in the NFL? The Bills offensive line isn't among the best pass protecting units in the league but he will be aided by a strong running game and a talented defense. Perhaps that will relieve some of the pressure that comes with being a first year starter. Losman’s development will be one of the primary focuses in preseason games. He'll probably get a little more work than most starters as the Bills really want to get him ready for the season. He's mobile and reportedly has been impressive in offseason workouts and minicamps. WR Eric Moulds touts him as being a good presence in the huddle and says he's displayed a good handle and grasp of the offense. The coaching staff will be working extra with him to make sure he's making the right progressions and reads. If Losman is up to the task, the Bills should return to the playoffs in 2005, but that's a tall order for a first year starter at the most important position in the NFL. If Losman struggles or gets hurt, Kelly Holcomb will start. Holcomb was signed as a free agent and he provides the team with a veteran insurance policy. He's been productive in stretches for the Browns, but doesn't figure to play unless Losman really flops or goes down. Holcomb is a player who could emerge mid-season as a solid waiver wire pickup in that circumstance.

RB: Now that the Bills have finally unloaded Travis Henry to the Titans the pressure is squarely on Willis McGahee to stay healthy and live up to the vast expectations created by his own stellar play in 2004. McGahee proved he was up to the task after returning from a horrific knee injury suffered during his last game at the University of Miami playing for the national championship. McGahee appears to be no worse for the wear, but if he's like other backs coming off major knee injuries, he promises to be even more explosive and confident this season. McGahee finished with 13 TDs and 1,128 yards rushing despite not starting a full season. If McGahee falls victim to injury again the team will need Shaud Williams, Lionel Gates or ReShard Lee step up. Williams got some playing time at the end of '04 but seems more destined to be a third down back given his lack of size and inside running ability. Lee is a major load between the tackles, but isn't refined as a blocker or receiver, and could be limited if he can't improve in both capacities. Gates is a rookie with great potential as a receiver and all-purpose back, though he lacks pure speed and might have to earn a role on the team as a special teams player.

WR: Eric Moulds is surely the veteran presence amongst the Bills skilled offensive players. He will be heavily counted on during Losman's first season. Moulds is a great target as a possession receiver and still a guy who can make big plays down the field with his speed and strength off the line. But he might not be the team's best receiver for the first time in years. 2nd year WR Lee Evans scored seven TDs in his last seven games as a rookie displaying game-breaking ability and exceptional speed and separation skills. The duo gives potential Losman owners a definite reason to be optimistic. The Bills have improved depth, too. Josh Reed never developed into the playmaker they were hoping for but he's capable in the slot or as the team's 4th WR. He'll need to stave off competition from rookie Roscoe Parrish, the team's first pick in this year's draft. Parrish is also undersized, but quick in and out of his cuts and a player who could make contributions immediately in the slot and as a return man. Parrish could beat Reed out as the slot (3rd) WR and this will be one of the best battles to watch in Bills camp. Sam Aiken likely rounds out the squad.

TE: The picture at tight end is a bit cloudy especially after rookie Kevin Everett tore his ACL in minicamp. Once again it will be an open competition between Mark Campbell and Tim Euhus, both of which are coming off injuries themselves. Ryan Neufeld is also in the mix, but not likely to have a significant role. Euhus showed some pass-catching ability as a rookie before getting hurt and he could push Campbell for the starting job in camp.

Defense: The Bills return with most of their defensive talent intact from a year ago. Most noticeable perhaps is the loss of DT Pat Williams, a true run stuffer who may be sorely missed. Ron Edwards and Tim Anderson will fight for his starting spot and if they can give the Bills a strong presence against the run like Williams did, there should be little to no fall off in the Bills defensive play in '05. The linebacking corps is among the best in the AFC led by WLB Takeo Spikes. The defensive tackle play will be key to his game as his talents are predicated on speed and quickness. If he's forced to deal with more offensive linemen getting into his grill, that could spell trouble. But don't count on it. Fletcher, Takeo Spikes and Jeff Posey all do their jobs extremely well and provide a great balance for defending the run, rushing the passer and covering backs and tight ends. The Bills secondary is among the best in the league.

Special Teams: PK Rian Lindell could use a solid preseason to solidify his job.  His overall 2004 numbers looked good, but the fact he was 1 of 3 in kicks over 40 yards promoted the idea the team had no confidence his range. Rumors indicate that the Bills contacted both Doug Brien and Paul Edinger when they were on the market. Special teams coach Bobby April did however recently state that Lindell is already looking significantly better this year. The Bills were the top return team in 2004, led by CB Terrance McGee on kickoff returns and by CB Nate Clements on punt returns. Despite being half of that top tandem, Clements could lose his job to rookie WR Roscoe Parrish, who is already showing enough potential to win the job.

Bills Depth Chart
QB J.P. Losman, Kelly Holcomb, Shane Matthews, Kevin Thompson, Troy Woodbury
RB Willis McGahee, Shaud Williams (3RB), Lionel Gates (3RB), ReShard Lee
FB Damien Shelton, Joe Burns
WR Eric Moulds, Lee Evans, Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish, Sam Aiken, Jonathan Smith, Drew Haddad, Kahlil Hill, George Wilson
TE Mark Campbell, Tim Euhus, Ryan Neufeld, Kevin Everett (inj), Rod Trafford, Brad Cieslak
K Rian Lindell, Owen Pochman
DT Sam Adams, Ron Edwards, Tim Anderson, Lauvale Sape
DE Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay, Ryan Denney, Constantin Ritzmann, Uyi Osunde, George Gause
MLB London Fletcher, Mario Haggan (W), Daryl Towns, Liam Ezekial
OLB Takeo Spikes (W), Jeff Posey (S), Josh Stamer (S), Angelo Crowell (W), Kellen Brantley (S)
CB Nate Clements (PR), Terrence McGee (KR), Kevin Thomas, Jabari Greer, Eric King
S Lawyer Milloy (SS), Troy Vincent (FS), Rashad Baker (FS), Coy Wire (SS)

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Carolina Panthers

QB: Jake Delhomme enters his third season as the Panthers QB and is firmly entrenched as the starter and leader in the huddle. Delhomme was quite productive throwing for 3,886 yards and 29 TDs against only 15 INTs a year ago, but that was largely due to poor defensive play and a struggling running game. The Panthers figure to rebound in both areas this year which means it's difficult to expect Delhomme to match his production from 2004, especially after losing Muhsin Muhammad to free agency. Delhomme lacks great arm strength, but there's no doubting his leadership and confidence. Though it hurts, losing Muhammad shouldn't make too much of an impact because the Panthers get Steve Smith back, Keary Colber should continue to progress and they just obtained Rod Gardner from the Redskins.  If Delhomme goes down to injury the Panthers might be in real trouble. Chris Weinke is the backup now that Rodney Peete is on the Best Damn Sports Show Period. Weinke hasn't played since 2002 and doesn't inspire much confidence judging from his previous experience as a starter. Rookie Stefan Lefors seems like a Delhomme clone. He also hails from Louisiana and Delhomme is taking an active role in helping develop him. Lefors has good mobility and can throw well on the run. It wouldn't be a stretch to see Lefors on the field, and not Weinke, if Delhomme is forced to miss any stretch of games this year. Watch Lefors in the preseason to see how he responds to the NFL game.

RB: The Panthers love to run the ball first and foremost. They struggled to do so last year because of the onslaught of injuries and some lackluster play from the offensive line. They moved to shore up that problem signing G Mike Wahle from the Packers as a free agent. That should help DeShaun Foster's chances of making an impact in his first (but perhaps final) real shot at the Panthers starting gig - if he can just stay healthy. Foster is the clear cut starter entering camp, but he's only played in 18 of 48 regular season games and the Panthers have no shortage of competition from rookie Eric Shelton, Nick Goings and Stephen Davis who claims to be close to returning from his micro fracture knee surgery in the off-season. The curious thing about Foster is he turned down the club's overtures for a contract extension. What gives? Foster wants to prove his ability on the field and cash in on a new contract for 2006. Someone, perhaps Drew Rosenhaus, might want to remind him of the difficult market conditions that even the best RBs, like Edgerrin James and Shaun Alexander met this year. Nick Goings performed well down the stretch as the team's starter, but he returns to his role as a fullback and backup. Knowing how well Goings played would seem to point toward good things for Foster, who certainly has more upside as a runner than Goings, but there's a good chance he won't last a full season giving Shelton ample opportunity to earn a significant role either as a goal line runner or perhaps even as the Panthers featured back. It's hard to expect anything out of Davis. He's been injury-prone the past few years and is clearly on the downside of his career; and he starts camp on the PUP list. The big thing to watch will be Foster's health and production in the preseason. If he's okay then he could be a huge bargain on draft day, or perhaps just as likely, Eric Shelton could be a tremendous middle to late round steal if Foster isn't up to the task.

WR: Muhsin Muhammad is gone after finishing the 2004 season as the #1 fantasy WR in the land, but don't fret because WR Steve Smith returns from his broken foot/ankle that sidelined him for all but the first game of the 2004 season. He's appears to be back at 100% and flashing the speed and game-breaking ability that made him one of the top young WRs emerging in the NFL at the end of 2003. He figures to be the Panthers #1 WR. The Panthers have talked about throwing him a lot of short screen passes as well the more traditional intermediate and deep passing routes. Opposite Smith will be either 2nd year WR Keary Colbert or newcomer via trade WR Rod Gardner. Colbert flashed plenty of potential and promise as a big play WR and deep threat as a rookie averaging an impressive 16 yards per catch. He displayed good hands and a veteran-like presence despite his lack of experience. He enters camp as the starter though with Rod Gardner joining the team he could be pushed and face more competition for his job than originally anticipated. Colbert should be fine though, but just in case we'll keep you updated if his grip on the job loosens. With Muhammad gone, Gardner’s size will be an asset and he could become a factor on third downs and in the red zone, but only if he can shake the inconsistency that led to his exodus from the Redskins. Veteran Ricky Proehl is like a Timex. He's still ticking and continues to report to camp in great shape. Despite his age, he still has a fair amount of speed. Proehl won't likely be anything more than the team's 4th receiver, but he's a proven guy who's always had a knack for catching TDs when the weather gets colder. 2nd year WR Drew Carter is almost like a rookie having missed his first year to injury. He adds good size and exceptional speed to the mix. He was in the running for the 3rd WR job before Gardner was acquired so look for him, Gardner and Proehl to compete for those jobs as the 3rd and 4th receivers in camp. Carter is a guy to watch in the box scores. Don't be surprised if he produces some 40+ yard TDs this August and put him on your list of deep sleepers who could emerge mid-season or down the road in dynasty leagues.

TE:  Panthers signed veteran free agent Freddie Jones to improve their production. He's on the downside of his career, but he's been a capable receiver in the past and can be an effective, but not great blocker. Ultimately, the Panthers would like to see Mike Seidman emerge as the starter. He might give them the best overall combination of skills at the position, but he's young and needs to continue improving before he'll get that chance. Kris Mangum was the starter last year and was somewhat effective as a receiver. He's a tenacious blocker, but will probably serve as a backup barring any surprises in camp.

Defense: The Panthers biggest problem last year was the long list of injuries they suffered across the board, but particularly on defense. DT Kris Jenkins hopes to return to his Pro Bowl form and anchor the team's run defense, which slipped badly without him in the lineup last year. His return should also free DE Mike Rucker up as a pass rusher and also give Pro Bowler Julius Peppers more room to wreck havoc. Jenkins, not Peppers, is the key to everything the Panthers do defensively. If he's back to 100% the Panthers D/ST figure to be a top 10 unit again with a strong pass rush, solid run defense and an improved secondary. That was their weakest spot a year ago. Chris Gamble will be better in his 2nd season and Ken Lucas was signed as a free agent to give them a formidable pair of corners with solid depth in Ricky Manning and Dante Wesley behind them. Mike Minter returns as the captain of the secondary, so to speak, but his role is likely to change also with the addition of first round pick Thomas Davis. Davis could move Minter to free safety, or he could play linebacker. Depending on his role Minter will either stay at SS or slide over to FS. Dan Morgan and Will Witherspoon anchor the LB corps giving them great speed from sideline to sideline and the ability to cover. Like any other team if this unit stays healthy they could be very productive from a fantasy perspective.

Special Teams: When healthy (something which has not always the case), PK John Kasay is one of the better kickers, averaging around 85% on FGs in recent years. Fantasy owners of Kasay should be hoping that Jason Baker beats out Tom Rouen in the preseason battle for punter. Baker would likely relieve Kasay of kickoff duties, whereas Rouen would not. Aging kickers often improve in the FG department when they no longer have to handle kickoffs. The Panthers will have both their top return men back after they missed most of 2004 with injuries: RB Rod Smart on kickoffs and WR Steve Smith on punts. The primary question heading into the year is whether the team will risk using Smith on punts or just keep him on offense. That may well depend on how effective the two alternatives look in camp.

Panthers Depth Chart
QB Jake Delhomme, Chris Weinke, Stefan LeFors, Rod Rutherford
RB DeShaun Foster, Stephen Davis (inj), Eric Shelton, Nick Goings (FB), Rod Smart (KR), Jamal Robertson, Nick Maddox
FB Brad Hoover, Casey Cramer
WR Steve Smith (PR), Keary Colbert, Rod Gardner, Ricky Proehl, Drew Carter, Karl Hankton, Micah Ross, J.R. Tolver, Eugene Baker, Taylor Stubblefield, Aaron Boone, Efrem Hill
TE Freddie Jones, Kris Mangum, Mike Seidman, Michael Gaines, Dan Curley
K John Kasay
DE Julius Peppers, Mike Rucker, Al Wallace, Isaac Hilton, Jovan Haye, Kemp Rasmussen
DT Kris Jenkins, Brentson Buckner, Kindal Moorehead, Atiyyah Ellison, Jordan Carstens, Omari Jordan, Charles Hill, Eddie Freeman
MLB Dan Morgan, Vinny Ciurciu (W/M), Adam Seward
OLB Will Witherspoon (W/M), Brandon Short (S/M), Chris Draft (S/M), Bryan Knight (W), Marcus Lawrence
CB Ken Lucas, Chris Gamble, Ricky Manning, Dante Wesley, Eddie Jackson, Lornell McPherson
S Mike Minter (SS), Colin Branch (FS), Thomas Davis (SS), Idrees Bashir (FS), Marlon McCree (FS), James Whitley (FS), William Hampton, Ben Emanuel (FS)

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Chicago Bears

QB: Rex Grossman is probably the number one player to watch in the Bears preseason and training camp. He's yet to finish the season healthy in his first two years in the league, but appears to be right on track this time around. His knee isn't an issue now and Lovie Smith says he's looking very good in practice and showing a great command of the offense and his presence in the huddle is encouraging. Grossman will benefit from what the Bears hope to be an improved offensive line and the addition of #1 WR Muhsin Muhammad. If the Bears can establish a steady running game Grossman will have a better chance of success and the Bears added Cedric Benson with the 4th pick in the draft to help ensure that will happen. Grossman certainly has a better chance of producing this year. The Bears offense was the worst in the NFL a year ago so there's only one way to go and that's up. Just how much they improve will depend to a large degree on how well they come together in the preseason. Grossman needs to develop chemistry with Muhammad and hope that either Bernard Berrian or Justin Gage emerge as a legitimate #2 WR. If Grossman's durability is a problem again the Bears brought back Chad Hutchinson to serve as the backup. He was only 1-4 in his five starts last year, but he has the potential to be a decent backup QB at least until the Bears see what they have in rookie Kyle Orton. Orton is a developmental player having played his collegiate career in a spread offense operating out of the shotgun. He's got a long delivery, but was a prolific passer at Purdue. He'll have competition for the 3rd QB job from Kurt Kittner. Kittner is familiar with new offensive coordinator Ron Turner having played under him at Illinois. So, don't discount Kittner completely. The competition for the 3rd QB job will be worth watching in camp, but Orton figures to be the favorite.

RB: The Bears drafted Cedric Benson fourth overall to help them establish the kind of power running attack they'd like to achieve in Ron Turner's offense after miserably failing in Terry Shea's offense a year ago. Thomas Jones was brought in as a free agent and seemed to be a great fit in the previous scheme, but now that the Bears are moving to a more conservative attack, it seems like only a matter of time before Benson takes over as the lead back. Jones is not without talent though. He performed admirably on a horrific offensive team last year managing to rush for 948 yards and lead the team with 56 catches while scoring 7 TDs. He may lose the starting gig to Benson at some point, but entering camp he's the guy with the job while Benson remains involved in contract talks. If Benson wants to make an immediate impact he needs to get under contract and into camp. Let's hope this situation doesn't become prolonged. Jones will almost certainly be the team's 3rd down back and get enough carries to warrant fantasy consideration as a 3rd or 4th RB. If Benson struggles picking up blitzes and blocking assignments then Jones could get even more playing time while Benson adjusts to the NFL and some of the duties he didn't have to deal with at Texas. Benson's preseason performance will be a focus for all of us in the fantasy world. If he hits the ground running, Jones could be phased out of the running game quicker than most would expect. The Bears signed Fred Miller to play left tackle prompting most of us to expect improvement in the offensive line play. Miller along with John Tait and center Olin Kreutz form the nucleus of what should be a solid line. As far as depth goes, Adrian Peterson leads Fred Russell and Zack Abron in the competition for the last roster spot(s).

WR: The signing of “Moose” Muhammad should be a big help to the Bears passing attack. Muhammad gives Grossman a good route runner and a guy with good hands who he can trust to be where he's supposed to be on the field. It remains to be seen how long it will take for these two to develop chemistry. That will be a key to the Bears preseason.  Perhaps just as important is who will start opposite Moose. Justin Gage appears to be the leader entering camp. His size and relative experience seem to be working in his favor so far, but Bernard Berrian is the guy who could emerge as the starter during the season. Berrian has looked explosive, apparently regaining the burst he was lacking following a knee injury in college. He's probably the team's best runner after the catch and could be the Rex Grossman's favorite deep threat judging by his comments recently on the NFL Network. Gage and Berrian will have a battle royal during camp. Gage has the size advantage and presents a much bigger target, but Berrian is just plain fast and explosive. Both will end up getting a lot of playing time this year. Bobby Wade will also be a factor into the competition, though he seems ideally suited for the slot. Wade is smaller, but quicker and arguably with better hands. The winner promises to be a solid fantasy sleeper for those paying attention. Also competing for playing time are rookies Mark Bradley (2nd round pick) and Airese Currie (5th round pick). Neither are likely to have much of an impact this year, but keep an eye on their performance in exhibition games as they could grow into larger roles in the future. Bradley, in particular, raised some eyebrows when the Bears selected him in the 2nd round - a reach according to some draftniks. Yet Bradley has the tangibles to develop into a frontline player in a year or two. He's got nice hops and 4.43 speed, but lacks game experience with just 34 career catches at Oklahoma (bear in mind 9 went for TDs!).

TE: Desmond Clark will face stiff competition from his former teammate at Wake Forest Dustin Lyman. Neither have been able to stay healthy since joining the Bears, but both have flashed promise as pass-catching TEs. It's possible one of these two could be cut if they don't play well in camp or can't stay healthy. Behind them on the depth chart is converted WR Ron Johnson, who's largely a project and no guarantee to make the roster, along with John Gilmore and John Owens - both of which are more blockers than receivers.

Defense: The Bears defense is truly one of the team’s strengths. Led by LBs Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, DEs Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye and 2nd year DT Tommie Harris they have a great nucleus of playmakers in their front seven. If Harris continues to develop and Tank Johnson or Ian Scott provide strong play to shore up the interior of their defensive line this group could be among the elite defensive teams in the league in 2005. Charles Tillman and Jerry Azumah form a solid tandem at corner with Nathan Vasher a capable playmaker as the nickel corner. Safeties Mike Green and Mike Brown remain as starters though Brown returns from a season-ending Achilles injury. He was the leader of the secondary and if he's 100% then this unit gets a definite boost and another playmaker added to the mix. The primary loss was R.W. McQuarters who return skills will probably be missed more than anything else.

Special Teams: Despite his occasional meltdowns, the PK job appears to be Doug Brien's to lose. He's been accurate so far this offseason, and has demonstrated better distance on kickoffs than departed Paul Edinger. He does not have the job locked up however, since rookie Nick Novak has been just as effective in camp. CB Jerry Azumah will once again be the primary kickoff returner. The top punt returner spot vacated by R.W. McQuarters will be a competition with numerous contenders. Current frontrunner WR Bernard Berrian is being closely challenged by WR Bobby Wade and CB Nathan Vasher. Azumah, CB Rashied Davis, and WR Mark Bradley have also been practicing at the position.

Bears Depth Chart
QB Rex Grossman, Chad Hutchinson, Kyle Orton, Ryan Dinwiddie, Kurt Kittner
RB Cedric Benson, Thomas Jones (3RB), Adrian Peterson, Fred Russell, Zack Abron
FB Bryan Johnson (inj), Marc Edwards, Jason McKie (inj), Thump Belton
WR Muhsin Muhammad, Justin Gage, Bobby Wade, Bernard Berrian (KR/PR), Mark Bradley, Eddie Berlin, Airese Currie, Carl Ford, Kareem Kelly
TE Desmond Clark, Dustin Lyman, John Gilmore, John Owens, Darnell Sanders, Ron Johnson, Gabe Reid
K Doug Brien, Nick Novak
DE Adewale Ogunleye, Alex Brown, Michael Haynes, Israel Idonije, Shurron Pierson, Alain  Kashama, Greg White, Jonathan Jackson
DT Tommie Harris, Ian Scott, Alfonso Boone, Terry Johnson, Darrell Campbell
MLB Brian Urlacher, Quinn Dorsey
OLB Lance Briggs (W), Hunter Hillenmeyer (S/M), Joe Odom (S), Marcus Reese (S), Jeremy Cain (W), Derrick Ballard (W), Levar Woods, Rod Wilson, Leon Joe
CB Charles Tillman, Jerry Azumah (KR), Nathan Vasher, Todd McMillon, Alfonso Marshall, Talib Wise, Rashied Davis, Leroy Smith
S Mike Brown (SS), Mike Green (FS), Todd Johnson (SS), Bobby Gray (SS), Jason Shivers (FS), Cameron Worrell (FS), Chris Harris, Jerrell Pippens, Brandon McGowan

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Cincinnati Bengals

QB: The Bengals have a solid 1-2 strategy going for them at QB. Entering his 3rd year in the league, 2nd as starter, the former top pick in the draft Carson Palmer appears to be on the verge of fulfilling his great potential. Palmer made big strides in 2004, starting slowly and inconsistently, but finishing strongly. He's got a great arm and he worked hard in the offseason to come to camp in better shape for this year. Playoff expectations abound in Cincinnati for the first time in a decade, but Palmer is clearly one player who can make those dreams become a reality. He threw 18 TDs against 18 INTs last year, but completed 60.9% of his passes. Palmer should continue to improve those numbers, especially if we look at his last four starts (11 TDs, 6 INTs and a 382 yd, 3 TD game against Baltimore). If Palmer gets hurt, the Bengals are in better shape than most teams thanks to Jon Kitna. Kitna could start for several teams in the league, including the cross-state Browns. Kitna has been a willing mentor to Palmer and gives the Bengals a quality, proven backup. When or if he's called upon, Kitna can deliver quality numbers and give the team solid play from the QB position. Casey Bramlet and former Buckeye Craig Krenzel will compete for the 3rd spot. Bengals’ fans pray that neither of these guys have to see the field except in the second half of exhibition games.

RBs: Rudi Johnson enters camp as the team's feature back. Last year Rudi was playing for a contract and he delivered just what the team was looking for and was rewarded with said contract. Johnson's primary drawback as a fantasy RB is his lack of playing time in passing situations. He doesn't catch a lot of footballs. That role fell to Kenny Watson last year, but will probably be filled by Chris Perry this year. Perry missed basically all of his rookie season with a sports hernia that continued to slow his recovery up until recent months. Perry has to be considered a moderate threat to Johnson, but only in the event that Johnson gets hurt and misses several games or a season. Perry is a hard runner with good receiving skills. Perry's got the spin moves and stiff arm, but he's got to prove he can be productive at this level and stay healthy. Johnson's done that and will continue to do it as long as he stays healthy. Johnson can simply wear down a defense. Having Perry as a change of pace could help the Bengals offense take the next step. Watson will probably stick with the team and provide depth. He's always been productive when called upon, but his receiving skills are what keep him in the hunt for playing time.

WR: Chad Johnson is already among the elite group of wide receivers in the NFL. Last year T.J. Houshmandzadeh made huge strides and emerged as a quality #2 WR opposite Johnson by catching 73 balls for 978 yards, giving Palmer the added confidence that he can be a trusted as a reliable possession WR. Those two guys are secure in their roles though Houshmandzadeh could conceivably lose some playing time if Peter Warrick returns to 100% or Kelley Washington, Chris Henry or Kevin Walker develop into a playmaking presence in 2005. Washington's development has been frustratingly slow. He's the prototypical big, fast WR, but the production simply hasn't been there. Warrick seems destined to return to the slot where he's proven to be an effective playmaker. If he's 100% healthy his quickness and elusiveness after the catch give him an edge against nickel and dime corners. Kevin Walter is a deep sleeper who has good size and seems to have improved under the Bengals tutelage as coaches were quick to point out his development in the offseason program. He bears watching in exhibition games and practices in camp. It wouldn't be a huge stretch to suggest that Walter's emergence could potentially lead to Washington's exit. A lot will be determined by how they perform in camp. Rookie Chris Henry will also be part of that competition. He's reportedly looked great in practices and minicamps and could have an inside track on the team's 4th WR spot. Assuming Warrick is in the slot that means Washington, Walter and Cliff Russell will be fighting for what might be only one roster spot. Henry's a nice dynasty prospect to watch. He had his share of problems, no doubt, at West Virginia, but if Chad Johnson takes him under his wing and he matures as a pro, he could develop into the long-term starter opposite Johnson and become a nice deep threat with his size and speed. Tab Perry is another rookie who could force his way onto the roster. There's no lack for competition or talent here, it will come down to a numbers game so all eyes will be watching Washington, Walter, Henry and Perry in camp. The whole situation bodes well for Carson Palmer though as he should have no shortage of weapons.

TE: This is perhaps the offense's weak link. Reggie Kelly is a strong blocker, but is essentially a non-factor in the passing game. Matt Schobel is a decent receiver, but not much help as a blocker. Tony Stewart is sometimes listed as the starter, and might be the most complete player of the three, but still isn't much of a factor in the passing game. Overall, there's not much fantasy gold to pan for here amongst the TEs, but they combine to fill their role effective for the team, which is mostly to help them run the football and occasionally catch a ball in the red zone.

Defense: The Bengals added some more new blood to their young and improving defense this offseason. Beginning up front they let DT Tony Williams go and arguably improved their run defense by signing DT Bryan Robinson. Also gone are LB Kevin Hardy and S Rogers Beckett. Hardy is replaced by first round pick SLB David Pollack, a converted DE and noted playmaker out of Georgia. Pollack seems to be making the transition well so far. He'll be a key to the Bengals defense this year so his progress bears watching in exhibition play. LB Odell Thurman was also drafted and he could emerge from training camp as the starting MLB. That means potentially starting two rookies at LB. That might usually be a bad sign, but in this case it's almost certainly a positive sign as long as both players perform reasonably well or up to their potential as rookies. The Bengals have had difficulty both generating a consistent pass rush and stopping the run. Adding Robinson, Pollack and Thurman should help along those lines. The Bengals hope their pass rush will improve with the emergence of Robert Geathers at DE opposite Justin Smith, not to mention Pollack's ability as an edge rusher as he'll almost certainly play a role in the Bengals nickel defense. The secondary remains a work in progress though Tory James is solid at corner and 2nd year free safety / corner Madieu Williams is an emerging star. If the Bengals can coax some strong play from Deltha O'Neal and safeties Anthony Mitchell or Kim Herring they could make significant improvement. The keys to camp will be improving the pass rush, finding a starter at SS, Pollack's progress and how well the interior of their line holds up to the run. New defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan simplified the defense to encourage more instinctive play befitting the team's speed, and less thinking and reacting.

Special Teams: The Bengals offense and PK Shayne Graham have both emerged over the last two years as viable fantasy options. Graham spent this offseason working on kickoffs, the one area where he could use some improvement. Heading into camp, the KR job belongs to WR Cliff Russell who improved towards the end of last year. He'll be pressed during preseason by rookie WR Tab Perry, who set the season kick return yardage record for UCLA. The dark horse candidate to watch is WR Jamall Broussard. CB Keiwan Ratliff will be the primary PR, although he could lose some touches if WR Peter Warrick ever returns to being healthy. WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh and CB Deltha O'Neal are available as backups.

Bengals Depth Chart
QB Carson Palmer, John Kitna, Casey Bramlet, Craig Krenzel
RB Rudi Johnson, Chris Perry (3RB), Kenny Watson (3RB), Quincy Wilson
FB Jeremi Johnson, Doug Easlick
WR Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Kelley Washington, Peter Warrick, Chris Henry, Tab Perry, Cliff Russell (KR), Kevin Walter, Freddie Milons, Jamall Broussard, Matt Cherry
TE Reggie Kelly, Matt Schobel, Tony Stewart, Kori Dickerson, Ronnie Ghent, Lyonel Anderson
K Shayne Graham
DE Justin Smith, Robert Geathers, Duane Clemons, Carl Powell, Elton Patterson, Jonathan Fenene, Derrick Crawford
DT John Thornton, Bryan Robinson, Langston Moore, Matthias Askew, Shaun Smith, Greg Scott
MLB Nate Webster, Landon Johnson (W/M), Odell Thurman, Caleb Miller, Allen Augustin
OLB Brian Simmons (W/M), David Pollack (S/DE), Marcus Wilkins (S), Larry Stevens (W), Cedrick Sullivan (S)
CB Tory James, Deltha O'Neal (WR/PR), Keiwan Ratliff, Reggie Myles, Rashad Bauman, Terrell Roberts, Greg Brooks, Brandon Williams
S Madieu Williams (FS/CB), Kim Herring (SS), Kevin Kaesviharn (FS), Anthony Mitchell (SS), Siddeeq Shabazz (SS), Patrick Body (FS)

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Cleveland Browns

QB: The entire Browns organization underwent major changes this offseason starting in the front office with the arrival of GM Phil Savage (Ravens) and the hiring of new head coach Romeo Crennel (Patriots). On the field, gone are quarterbacks Jeff Garcia, Kelly Holcomb and Luke McCown. In their place, the Browns signed veteran Trent Dilfer to be the team's starter despite the fact he's not been a starter since 2000. The Browns also signed Doug Johnson as a backup and drafted the local collegiate star Charlie Frye (Akron). Dilfer's a decent caretaker for the position, but not much otherwise. Under Crennel the Browns will try become more of a running team with a strategy focused on ball-control and letting everything else fall into place after that. Dilfer won't be asked to carry the offense and throw 30 or 40 times a game. If it turns into that kind of a game the Browns are likely in trouble. Dilfer's not very mobile anymore and behind the Browns offensive line it's doubtful he lasts the full season without an injury or benching. The Browns line was improved during the offseason as they added a pair of guards and replaced Ross Verba with L.J. Shelton. Expect improvement up front, but just how much remains to be seen and will be a focus of training camp. If Dilfer goes down or gets benched it's quite possible the team will turn to rookie Charlie Frye, though Doug Johnson could also get the call. Johnson is merely a veteran backup and isn't viewed as a future starter by any stretch, while Frye could very well develop into that guy. Frye bears watching in camp. He was the MVP of the Senior Bowl and has the kind of leadership ability the team needs. Josh Harris could force his way onto the team, too. He's athletic and also played his collegiate ball locally at Bowling Green, but he lacks experience and might be practice squad fodder.

RB: Finally the Browns appear to be turning the corner on the floundering running game. Since rejoining the league the Browns have yet to manage a solid running attack. Yet there's reason to be optimistic this year. The Browns added two solid guards upgrading the middle of their line dramatically, especially if C Jeff Faine stays healthy and finally develops into the player they've hoped he'd become. With a better push up front the Browns could finally have something to work with now that they have appear to have two or three capable, if not talented backs on the roster. William Green has proven not to be the answer, but he remains in the fold and could still yet emerge at some point either via trade, injury or just pure luck; though we are doubtful. The story entering 2005 centers around Lee Suggs and Reuben Droughns. Suggs is the incumbent. He started last year and finally emerged at the end of the year as a viable threat. Suggs can run, catch and does just about everything pretty well, but he just needs to stay healthy. Suggs has more speed than Droughns, and while underrated as an inside runner, he doesn't have the size or ability to pound the defense that Droughns has. Suggs will likely enter the season as the starter, though it's possible Droughns could be the goal-line back, too. Suggs is better suited to third down duty, but Droughns is also capable in that area, having spent a couple years honing his craft as a fullback. Ultimately, both backs will probably get carries and fill their own roles. However, Suggs would appear to be the key. If he remains healthy he's more likely to produce big numbers and have a greater impact. If not, Droughns could once again emerge as a solid fantasy back. Sultan McCullough could earn the last roster spot and has good speed, but not much experience.

WR: The Browns invested the third overall pick in the draft on WR Braylon Edwards out of Michigan. Edwards appears to have the full package - size, speed, strength and maturity. Given the Browns recent luck with their top draft picks, it's anything but a given that Edwards will develop into an elite NFL WR. That said, Edwards is truly a specimen. He needs to continue to work on his concentration and occasional case of the drops, but Edwards stayed all four years in college and enters the league with a lot of experience in a pro-style offense. That should help him and the Browns as he's expected to be one of the starters on opening day. Edwards could immediately become the team's best red zone target. Starting opposite him will be either Andre Davis or Antonio Bryant. It's been long rumored the Browns are dangling Davis' name in trade talks to the Seahawks. So, don't be surprised if something happens during training camp that would open up the starting job for Bryant. Davis has elite speed, and if he could just stay healthy, would seem to be an outstanding player to start opposite Edwards. He can get by defenders and stretch the field. Bryant, on the other hand, started seven games for the Browns last year and would appear to have the inside track on the job. He also possesses big play ability and adds good size to the mix, but he's also inconsistent and simply doesn't appear to play up to his physical abilities or potential. Either one could emerge as a starter. Meanwhile, the consummate pro among the group is Dennis Northcutt. He should probably be considered a dark horse for a starting job, but he's clearly the team's best WR in the slot and he's also a dangerous return man (as is Davis). Northcutt is small but has excellent burst and quickness. Beyond those three are C.J. Jones, Frisman Jackson and Richard Alston. Lance Moore and Josh Cribbs will try to make the team as undrafted rookies.

TE: The tight end position will be manned by a committee of Aaron Shea and Steve Heiden. Keith Heinrich would also be part of that rotation if could stay healthy, but he tore his ACL in minicamp and is gone for the year. Shea and Heiden are more H-backs than traditional TEs, but both are solid in the red zone, have good hands, run good routes and do a decent job as blockers. But neither of them are Kellen Winslow. The oft-maligned 2nd year TE will miss the entire season following his infamous motorcycle crash. The Browns TEs combined for 8 TDs a year ago. So there's reason to keep an eye on Heiden and Shea, especially if one gets hurt. The other might become a legitimate fantasy TE and definite sleeper.

Defense: The Browns defense will undergo a complete overhaul in 2005. Their defensive line was basically sent to Denver for a bag of peanuts. They'll switch to a predominantly 3-4 scheme this year under Romeo Crennel. The Browns probably lack the personnel they need to pull off their switch but Crennel's defense will be a work in progress and it arguably can't get any worse than it's been. One of Phil Savage's first moves as the Browns GM was to raid his former team signing corner Gary Baxter to a free agent deal. Baxter replaces Anthony Henry in what appears to be an upgrade, but the truth is that both corners were among the leaders in big plays allowed to opposing WRs last season. Sean Jones missed his rookie year to a knee injury, but returns to start at strong safety while rookie Brodney Pool could push Brian Russell and Chris Crocker for the starting job at free safety. Overall, don't expect much from this group in 2005. Beyond that, maybe but right now there's just not a wealth of talent and changing schemes usually takes some time for players to get adjusted and get on the same page.

Special Teams: The Browns recently reaffirmed that Phil Dawson is their PK man by signing him to a fairly lucrative five year extension. Rookie Tyler Jones has a good shot at making the team as the kickoff specialist given his strength combined with Dawson's inconsistency in that area. WR Richard Alston led the team in KRs last year and is the front runner for 2005, although he'll get competition from WR Frisman Jackson, WR C.J. Jones, and possibly even RB Reuben Droughns. WR Dennis Northcutt is one of the better PRs in the NFL and should be the primary PR for the Browns once again. He might get more help than in the past since rookie CB Antonio Perkins had a very good punt return career at Oklahoma.

Browns Depth Chart
QB Trent Dilfer, Doug Johnson, Charlie Frye, Josh Harris
RB Lee Suggs, Reuben Droughns, William Green, Sultan McCullough
FB Terrelle Smith, Ben Miller, Corey McIntyre
WR Andre' Davis, Antonio Bryant, Braylon Edwards, Dennis Northcutt (PR), Frisman Jackson, Richard Alston (KR), C.J. Jones, Lance Moore, Josh Cribbs (WR/RB)
TE Aaron Shea (TE/HB), Steve Heiden, Keith Heinrich (IR), Kellen Winslow (IR)
K Phil Dawson, Nick Setta
DE Orpheus Roye, Alvin McKinley, Amon Gordon, Andrew Hoffman, Corey Jackson (W), Simon Fraser
NT Jason Fisk, Ellery Moore, Nick Eason, Larry Burt, J'Vonne Parker
ILB Andra Davis, Ben Taylor, Brant Boyer (W), Mason Unck, Jamal Brooks (S), Renauld Williams
OLB Kenard Lang (S), Chaun Thompson (W), Matt Stewart (S), David McMillan (W), Sherrod Coates (W), Nick Speegle (S), Justin Kurpeikis (S)
CB Daylon McCutcheon, Gary Baxter, Mike Lehan, Leigh Bodden, Antonio Perkins, Dyshod Carter
S Sean Jones (SS), Brodney Pool (FS), Brian Russell (FS), Chris Crocker (FS), Michael Jameson (SS), Antwaan Harris, Michael Grant (SS)

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Dallas Cowboys

QB: Drew Bledsoe is one of several prominent changes to the Cowboys team in 2005. Bill Parcells also worked to improve the team in the trenches signing Pro Bowl guard Marco Rivera to go with RG Larry Allen, RT Flozell Adams and C Al Johnson in what promises to be an improved offensive line. That is... if Rivera's back holds up. He hurt his back shortly after signing the dotted line and must recover from offseason back surgery. If the line isn't up to the task Bledsoe will be in trouble. He isn't the most agile or mobile QB. He wasn't when he was younger and certainly isn't now, but there's also plenty of reasons to think Bledsoe will rebound. He rejoins Parcells, who he had his most productive years with, and he's got some talent to work with though the Cowboys could certainly use an upgrade at WR. Bledsoe should be an improvement over Vinny Testaverde, but just how much remains to be seen. He struggled in Buffalo to avoid sacks and must try to reduce his turnovers as well. Parcells will try to help along those lines by emphasizing the ground game as much as possible. If Bledsoe gets hurt or flops, the Cowboys will turn to either Tony Romo or Drew Henson. Romo may be the better QB right now in terms of overall polish and knowing the playbook, but there's little question that Henson's the better overall talent and a guy who could still be the future starter in Dallas. Henson is mobile, has great size and arm strength, but very little experience in college or the NFL to dwell upon. He's a work in progress, but could show signs that he's turning the corner in the preseason.

RB: With improvements made to shore up the offensive line and the addition of veteran RB Anthony Thomas and rookie draft pick Marion Barber III to add depth to the backfield behind starter Julius Jones, the Cowboys appear to have the makings of a pretty solid running game. Jones will undoubtedly be the Cowboys featured back as long as he remains healthy. Though a bit undersized Jones showed he can be a bell cow last year carrying the rock 30+ times in three straight games. Just how long he'll last if he's asked to do that again is anyone's guess. Expect Parcells to use Anthony Thomas just enough to keep Jones healthy and fresh late in games. Jones will probably average 20+ carries a game, but that leaves plenty of room for Thomas to get around 10 touches a game. If Jones goes down, Thomas is a proven commodity. He can produce solid numbers, if not spectacular. The combination of Jones and Thomas should give the Cowboys a strong 1-2 punch not to mention having Marion Barber is in the hole. Barber is a strong inside runner with good all-around skills coming out of Minnesota. If pressed into action, Barber could also be a productive player. While Thomas will spell Jones at times, he probably won't be the team's third down back. Jones is a decent receiver and Parcells has mentioned he plans to get Jones the ball more this year in that area of the game. We'll watch this closely in the preseason to see how Parcells uses his backs in those situations. 

WR: Last year's starters all return to camp healthy this year (at least for now). Keyshawn Johnson and Terry Glenn are pegged as the starters, while Quincy Morgan and Terrance Copper will compete for roles. Either one could emerge at some point if Glenn, in particular, doesn't stay healthy. Morgan is the most likely starter in that event, but he's been plagued by inconsistency, dropped passes and an apparent fear of going over the middle. For whatever reason, Morgan remains an enigma until proven otherwise. There's no second guessing his explosiveness in the open field and pure athletic talent and he'll be more knowledgeable with the offense now in his 2nd season, so it's possible he could still emerge somewhere down the line. Johnson remains a solid possession receiver, but he lacks the separation skills needed to be a big playmaker down the field or to be a consistent performer beyond the short and intermediate routes. He will probably be the team's second leading receiver behind TE Jason Witten.

TE: Witten had more receptions than any other Cowboy TE in history last year. He's coming off a Pro Bowl season and he's emerged as one of the elite pass-catching TEs in the league. He'll certainly be used to soften up defenses and keep them from stacking eight men against the run. If Witten, Johnson and Glenn all stay healthy then Bledsoe should be fine and have three reasonably good targets to work with, but there's room for improvement here. Backing up Witten is Dan Campbell and Sean Ryan. Campbell returns from a season-ending foot injury and he's better served in a blocking capacity. Ryan is still developing and is also a solid blocker.

Defense: Parcells is making the switch this year to the 3-4 alignment in lieu of the 4-3 the team has used traditionally. The Cowboys still might not have the right personnel to pull it off, and they'll probably play a bit of both during the season. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has never coached this scheme either. The Cowboys did add some new blood to their defense by drafting DeMarcus Ware, Marcus Spears and Kevin Burnett. They also added corners Anthony Henry and Aaron Glenn to improve their ability to cover. In the new defense it's expected that Roy Williams will be able to lineup in the box more as he switches back to a more formal SS role. This defense could go either way, depending on how well the players adjust to their new roles. For example, DE Greg Ellis is not a good fit as a 3-4 end. Jason Ferguson seems like a natural run stuffer and great fit at NT, but he's not played in this scheme and in his expected role before either. Terrance Newman must also play up to expectations after a poor 2nd year and the Cowboys don't yet have an answer at free safety - a huge factor in last year's drop in performance on the defensive side. Losing Darren Woodson hurt and either Izell Reese, Lynn Scott or Keith Davis must be up to the challenge.

Special Teams: Keep a close eye on PK Billy Cundiff this preseason. Bill Parcells will, and so will we. Parcells has expressed concern with Cundiff's range, and he fired long time Dallas kicking coach Steve Hoffman so that he can personally work with Cundiff. The challenger is rookie Brett Visintainer, who had a very successful career at Fresno State and hopes to be the next in the line of Cowboy kickers to emerge out of obscurity. WR Terrance Copper, CB Jacques Reeves, CB Aaron Glenn, and WR Ahmad Merritt could all compete for kickoff returns. CB Lance Frazier is the incumbent PR but could be pressed by CB Terence Newman, WR Patrick Crayton, and CB Aaron Glenn. FS Woodrow Dantzler and RB Tyson Thompson will also compete for both positions but are long shots to make the team.

Cowboys Depth Chart
QB Drew Bledsoe, Tony Romo, Drew Henson
RB Julius Jones (3RB), Anthony Thomas, Marion Barber, Erik Bickerstaff, Keylon Kincade, Woodrow Dantzler (KR), Tyson Thompson
FB Darian Barnes, Lousaka Polite
WR Keyshawn Johnson, Terry Glenn, Quincy Morgan, Terrance Copper, Patrick Crayton, Ahmad Merritt, Zuriel Smith, Reggie Harrell, Jamaica Rector
TE Jason Witten, Dan Campbell, Sean Ryan, Brett Pierce, Tony Curtis
K Billy Cundiff
DE Greg Ellis, Marcus Spears, Kenyon Coleman, Leonardo Carson, Chris Canty, Jay Ratliff
NT Jason Ferguson (NT), La'Roi Glover, Jermaine Brooks, Willie Blade, Chris Van Hoy
ILB Dat Nguyen, Al Singleton (S), Scott Shanle (S), Kalen Thornton (W), Keith O'Neil, Mike Goolsby, Roger Cooper, Joe Condo
OLB Bradie James (W), Demarcus Ware (S/DE), Kevin Burnett (W), Eric Ogbogu (S/DE), Ryan Fowler (W), Reggie Love
CB Terance Newman (PR), Anthony Henry, Aaron Glenn, Jacques Reeves, Lance Frazier, Bruce Thornton, Nathan Jones, Lenny Williams
S Roy Williams (SS), Keith Davis (FS/SS), Lynn Scott (SS), Izell Reese (FS), Justin Beriault (FS)

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Denver Broncos

QB: Jake Plummer produced career highs across the board last year and appears to be on the verge of being a top shelf fantasy QB. Unfortunately, there are still enough question marks to believe he's not quite there yet. Plummer is still plagued by the untimely interception and the penchant to kill drives or force the ball into coverage. He seems to be improving and his numbers are decidedly better since joining the Broncos and playing under Mike Shanahan. One of the key focuses for the Broncos in training camp will be improving on their red zone performance. Plummer will need to improve himself in that area if the team is to play up to its ability. Plummer is productive otherwise. He threw for 4,089 yards and 27 TDs, hardly numbers to scoff at so the key will be reducing the 20 interceptions he threw and showing more patience in the pocket. If Plummer falters or gets hurt the Broncos could be in a very bad way. Danny Kanell remains the backup for now while Matt Mauck and Bradlee Van Pelt look to improve their spot on the depth chart in their second seasons. None of these three will take the Broncos far if Plummer's not available, so it's crucial that he a) stays healthy and b) makes better decisions. Look for Shanahan to give Van Pelt and Mauck a lot of playing time in exhibition games to see if either one is capable of being the backup this year.

RB: The Broncos RB situation is the most talked about position in fantasy football year after year. It's not by mistake either. Mike Shanahan's ego is apparently so big that he doesn't blink an eye when it comes to getting rid of the team's leading rusher. He did it with Clinton Portis and again with Reuben Droughns. He's had great success with seemingly every back that's been put into the starting role. To that end Tatum Bell appears to be on the verge of great things. After all he's the highest drafted RB in Mike Shanahan's tenure. Bell proved his toughness playing through a separated shoulder during the last month of the season. He is probably the fastest RB that Shanahan's had, too. Bell enters camp behind Mike Anderson in the competition for the starting job. It's hard to believe that Bell won't earn the starting job at some point during camp, but this figures to be a heated competition and one that the veteran Anderson won't give up without a fight. The problem with Anderson is he's now 5 years removed from his one big season not to mention two knee injuries, a suspension and a position switch. That's not to suggest Anderson's not capable. He certainly is, but it's doubtful that he can withstand the competition from a younger, faster, more talented Tatum Bell. It's possible that Anderson, Maurice Clarett or Ron Dayne could earn a goal line or short yardage role, too. Bell needs to prove himself in the preseason and if he does that he could very well end up being a Top-5 or -10 fantasy back, but he faces competition and has to prove he's durable enough to handle the load. Also returning from injury is Quentin Griffin. He could re-enter the picture to some degree though it's hard to believe Shanahan would go back to him as a featured back. Maurice Clarett is said to be working hard and learning the system. He's a dark horse who could emerge mid-season if Bell and/or Anderson get hurt. After last year it's hard to discount any of the Broncos backs - fullbacks included - from achieving fantasy prominence. It's just rather unlikely. Ron Dayne is also in the mix, though to what extent is unclear at this point. Without a doubt this will be one of the most watched training camp battles, if not the most, in the NFL this year. Put your chips on Bell, but don't forget about the other guys.

WR: Once again, Rod Smith enters the season as the team's unquestioned go-to receiver. Ashley Lelie emerged last year as a viable deep threat averaging over 20 yards per catch, but he was mostly a non-factor in the red zone and on third downs. That's where Plummer simply locks onto Rod Smith. Lelie needs to develop into a better short and intermediate route runner. Smith can't continue to play at such a high level and it's almost a guarantee he won't match his 2004 production in 2005, but don't expect a dramatic decline either. It remains to be seen if his low production in 2003 was the anomaly or if last season's surge was the real indicator of things to come. The Broncos are slowly grooming 2nd year WR Darius Watts to be the heir apparent to Smith down the road. Watts has good size, speed and knows how to get open. He struggled a bit as a rookie, but still managed to show the coaching staff some nice flashes of his potential in last year's training camp. Watts seemed to have an inside track on the 3rd WR job, but Jerry Rice could possibly push him for the job along with Triandos Luke. It's just as like that Rice won't make the team. Watts is the most likely of the backups to breakthrough this year. If Smith or Lelie get hurt, Watts would be the guy who benefits. Nate Jackson is experimenting with the TE position, but that job is Jeb Putzier's all the way.  

Putzier emerged as a solid target for Plummer down the middle of the field and showed he's capable of stretching the field and breaking big plays as a pass-catching TE. Stephen Alexander was signed to add veteran depth while Patrick Hape can play FB, TE and H-back and provides depth and versatility. Dwayne Carswell moved back to playing tackle. Wesley Duke will be sure to draw some looks in camp as an undrafted rookie free agent. He played basketball in college and is trying to make the switch back to football. He could be practice squad material, but keep an eye on his progress in camp to see if he's able to pick up the game quickly. He's got some raw size and talent.

Defense: The most notable change to the Broncos defense is their defensive line, also dubbed the "Browncos". Making the move from Cleveland to Denver are Ebenezer Ekuban, Courtney Brown, Gerard Warren and Mike Meyers. Whether any of these four pan out, or if Warren and Brown can play up to their billing, remains to be seen. The Broncos biggest addition might simply be an old face. Trevor Pryce missed most of last season with back problems, but he says he's 100% again and feels as good as he did a few years ago. His presence dramatically improves the Broncos entire line, but just how much he can offer or how long he can stay healthy are serious question marks. The Broncos also acquired DE John Engelberger for DB Willie Middlebrooks in a trade before camp started. Elsewhere, OLB Ian Gold returns after a year away and a full year removed from a knee injury. Gold should be a great "addition" giving the Broncos one of the best LB corps in the league. Champ Bailey is the leader of the secondary along with safety John Lynch. Lenny Walls needs to stay healthy now that Kelly Herndon bolted, but the Broncos back filled in the draft selecting three corners to add depth. If the rebuilt defensive line is successful the Broncos could be a top 10 fantasy defense, but if it fails then there will be a lot of pressure on the linebackers and secondary to cover up what could be a glaring weakness. Aside from the running backs, the defensive line will be what everyone watches on the Broncos in the preseason. If they look like they're going to be solid and productive the Broncos will be playoff bound again.

Special Teams: PK Jason Elam heads into 2005 shooting for his ninth straight top ten finish in kicker scoring. Rookie Paul Ernster looked strong in minicamp and will probably make the final roster cut to handle kickoffs, so that Elam and punter Todd Sauerbrun can focus on their respective specialty. Rookie CB Darrent Williams of Oklahoma State has already been anointed the top KR and PR, which is one of the reasons the Broncos drafted him.  WR Triandos Luke and CB Roc Alexander should again handle backup roles for kickoff returns. Assuming Williams gets the job done on punt returns, the team will no longer be forced to use WR Rod Smith in that role. He'll still be available as a backup, along with Luke and CB Champ Bailey if needed.

Broncos Depth Chart
QB Jake Plummer, Danny Kanell, Matt Mauck, Bradlee Van Pelt
RB Tatum Bell, Mike Anderson, Quentin Griffin, Ron Dayne, Maurice Clarett
FB Kyle Johnson, Brandon Miree, Cecil Sapp, Kris Briggs
WR Rod Smith, Ashley Lelie, Darius Watts, Triandos Luke (PR), Jerry Rice, Nate Jackson, Charlie Adams, B.J. Johnson, Todd Devoe
TE Jeb Putzier, Stephen Alexander, Patrick Hape (HB), Mike Pinkard, Wesley Duke
K Jason Elam, Paul Ernster
DE Trevor Pryce, Courtney Brown, Raylee Johnson, Marco Coleman, Ebenezer Ekuban, John Engelberger, Anton Palepoi, Randy Garner, Chukie Nwokorie, Aaron Hunt
DT Gerard Warren, Mario Fatafehi, Monsanto Pope, Michael Myers, Luther Elliss, Demetrin Veal, Dorsett Davis, D.J. Renteria
MLB Al Wilson, Keith Burns, Patrick Chukwurah
OLB Ian Gold (W), D.J. Williams (S), Jashon Sykes (W), Terry Pierce (S/M), Louis Green (W), Marcus Steele (S)
CB Champ Bailey, Lenny Walls, Jeremy LaSueur (FS), Darrent Williams, Karl Paymah, Roc Alexander (KR), Dominique Foxworth, Curome Cox, Jeff Shoate, Brandon Browner
S John Lynch (FS), Nick Ferguson (SS), Sam Brandon (FS), Chris Young (SS)

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Detroit Lions

QB: With the moves the Lions made this offseason there's no longer any room for error when it comes to Joey Harrington. The Lions QB needs to take this team to the next level, or risk losing his job. Steve Mariucci displayed a quick trigger at times last year. With Jeff Garcia aboard as the backup QB that hook might come even sooner this year. On the surface Harrington put up decent numbers last year. He improved across the board and seems to be headed generally in the right direction. But something just doesn't add up with Joey. He is quick to abort plays all too often. He's not as accurate as he should be or needs to be in the West coast offense. He doesn't throw particularly well when flushed out of the pocket or throwing on the run. He also has not done a great job of making crucial decisions on key plays to keep drives alive or finish them off in the red zone. The Lions won't hesitate to make a switch to Garcia if Harrington doesn't get off to a good start. Harrington could either emerge as a top 10 fantasy QB or get benched before the season starts and never get his job back. He's that risky. So, when it comes to having arguably the league’s most talented WR corps and a future Pro Bowl RB to help, for Harrington, it's either a blessing or the kiss of death. His margin for error is almost zero. The Lions drafted Dan Orlovsky in the 5th round to groom into a larger role down the road. Keep an eye on him in training camp to see if he quickly grasps the offense or show flashes of potential during the exhibition games.

RB: Kevin Jones led the NFL in rushing during the 2nd half of last season providing a glimpse of what's to come. The expectations for Jones are running rampant at this point, but with all of the surrounding talent and hope for improvement on the offensive line, many pundits expect he'll emerge as an elite fantasy back in '05. Count me among the believers. Throw out the stopwatches, folks. Forget what he did or didn't do at the Combine as a draft prospect. The bottom line here is that Jones is a threat to score anywhere on the field. He'll be more involved in the passing game this year and if he stays healthy, could be a 1,500+ yard rusher with 30-40 receptions and 10+ TDs. That's an optimistic outlook. Realistically, knowing the Lions, Jones will fall just short of those expectations, but other things will hold back his development and impending star status. Jones has no competition for the starting job and the only thing keeping him from being a solid #1 fantasy back is an injury. Shawn Bryson and Artose Pinner are the backups. Both are good receivers out of the backfield, but Bryson has served as the team's 3rd down back the past couple seasons. He could be used in that role again this year, to some degree, though it's expected Jones will get more of that playing time once he proves himself worthy as a blocker and add picking up blitzes. Pinner has good size and all-around skills, but lacks speed. Jamel White is also in the background. He's been around the league a while and has similar skills as the others. He's a good 3rd down back with a little wiggle but not cut out for being a featured back. One final note regarding the Lions running game. One of the more important camp battles will be at right tackle, departed by free agent Stockar McDougle. Kelly Butler and Victor Rogers are the two leading candidates, but neither player has a single start under their belt. Free agent Kyle Kosier joins the fray and has some past experience playing for Mooch in San Francisco. One of these three will need to fill this hole for the Lions running game to be as productive as most people are predicting and expecting it to be.

WR: The Lions suddenly have an embarrassment of riches at the WR position. Roy Williams emerged as one of the best WR talents in the game as a rookie last year, but couldn't stay healthy and was slowed most of the year by nagging leg/ankle injuries. He's healthy again and looking forward to an even bigger year in 2005 starting opposite Charles Rogers, who appears to be finally healthy again himself. Rogers broke his collarbone in two consecutive seasons raising major concerns over his durability. Team officials continue to stand by Rogers and they adamantly deny the drafting of Mike Williams was partially due to concerns with Rogers' health. If Rogers truly is healthy and remains that way, the Lions have arguably the two most talented, dangerous starting WRs in the league. At this point those two are living purely on talent and potential. Both have near elite speed and both are big targets. Williams is much more physical, but Rogers is also a dynamic playmaking deep threat. How Mike Williams figures into the mix remains to be seen and will be one of the primary focuses in Lions camp. Mike Williams should dramatically improve the Lions red zone offense having scored 30 TDs in two seasons at USC.

Adding veteran TE Marcus Pollard via free agency was a nice move. He'll instantly improve the Lions production at TE from a year ago. Pollard is well known for his ability to get open in the red zone and on third downs. Having Pollard, Mike Williams, Roy Williams and Charles Rogers along with Kevin Jones in the backfield means teams will have to pick their poison with the Lions for the first time in years. Veteran WR Kevin Johnson was also signed in the offseason to compete for the 4th WR job. The last roster spot among WRs is likely to go to the still unsigned Eddie Drummond, one of the elite return men in the NFL. Drummond doesn't offer much as a WR but he's lethal on punt and kick returns making his roster spot more secure than players like David Kircus who offers little on special teams. Backing up TE Marcus Pollard is Casey Fitzsimmons, an overachiever who enters his 3rd season with the Lions. He's an adequate player with some receiving skills. He could be worthwhile if injury strikes and he's forced into a bigger role. Undrafted rookie Jason Randall from Michigan State has drawn the eye of Steve Mariucci in minicamps. He adds great size to the mix and Mooch mentioned that he runs pretty well for a guy his size. He could earn a roster spot as the 3rd TE.

Defense: The Lions defense also has some new and old faces being added to the mix. Rookie Shaun Cody will add to the talent level of the defensive line. He can provide depth behind Dan Wilkinson but also move outside and play end if needed. OLB Boss Bailey returns after missing last year due to a knee surgery. Some question his durability but if he's healthy he could dramatically improve the Lions front seven. He joins 2nd year LB Ted Lehman and MLB Earl Holmes to form a strong LB corps further boosted by strong depth including James Davis, Alex Lewis and Donte' Curry. The Lions biggest improvements were made in the secondary. They signed SS Kenoy Kennedy from Denver and added R.W. McQuarters to provide depth and versatility. He can play corner or free safety. He'll give FS Terrence Holt strong competition in camp for the FS job, but at worst, also gives the Lions a solid playmaker capable of being a nickel or dime corner and contributing as a return man on special teams. If the Lions pass rush improves they could be a strong #2 fantasy defense. The team recently entertained Ty Law for a work out but no offer was made. That shows the Lions are still looking to improve their team and GM Matt Millen isn't afraid to use their remaining cap dollars to add another veteran during camp if the situation presents itself.

Special Teams: PK Jason Hanson should be solid as always. He'll be eagerly watching all the offensive talent in preseason, hoping that they can start providing him with more opportunities in 2005. Despite earlier claims he'd be in camp, KR/PR specialist extraordinaire Eddie Drummond is currently holding out upon the advice of his agent (yep, Rosenhaus). The Lions are not budging, perhaps because they earlier signed CB R.W. McQuarters, who can definitely handle punts and possibly kickoffs. Other potential backups include RB Artose Pinner and WR Scottie Vines on kickoffs, and CB Dre' Bly, WR Kevin Johnson, and Vines on punts.

Lions Depth Chart
QB Joey Harrington, Jeff Garcia, Dan Orlovsky
RB Kevin Jones, Shawn Bryson (3RB), Artose Pinner, Jamel White, Howard Jackson
FB Cory Schlesinger, Paul Smith, Will Matthews, Greg Hanoian
WR Roy Williams, Charles Rogers, Mike Williams, Kevin Johnson, Eddie Drummond (PR/KR), David Kircus, Scott Vines, Steve Savoy, Paris Hamilton
TE Marcus Pollard, Casey Fitzsimmons, Leonard Stephens, Jason Randall
K Jason Hanson
DE James Hall, Cory Redding (DT), Kalimba Edwards, Jared DeVries, Bill Swancutt
DT Shaun Rogers, Dan Wilkinson, Shaun Cody (DE), Marcus Bell, Brandon Kennedy
MLB Earl Holmes, Wali Rainer (W/M), Scott Genord
OLB Ted Lehman (W/S), Boss Bailey (S/W), James Davis (W), Alex Lewis (W), Donte' Curry (S), Jonathan Goddard (W), Andrew Battle (W)
CB Dre' Bly, Fernando Bryant, R.W. McQuarters (FS), Andre Goodman, Chris Cash, Keith Smith, Stanley Wilson, Jeff Sanchez, Mike Echols
S Kenoy Kennedy (SS), Terrence Holt (FS), Bracy Walker (SS), Vernon Fox (SS), Kentrell Curry (FS)

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Green Bay Packers

QB: Brett Favre returns for what many people think could be his final season as the Packers QB. The Packers offense returns largely intact aside from their two starting guards and a possible holdout of TE Bubba Franks. Favre reportedly re-committed himself during the offseason and worked harder to get back into top shape. Favre is the iron man of NFL quarterbacks so even though the Packers secured Aaron Rodgers with first round pick, there's very little chance he sees the field much if at all this year. That's not to say he won't get a tremendous amount of work in the preseason though. The Packers want to see how far along Rodgers is and how he does against NFL-level competition. Not knowing Favre's plans beyond this year makes it important for them to develop Rodgers quickly. Craig Nall will probably replace Doug Pederson as the backup this year. He's shown potential as well and who's to say he couldn't hold off Rodgers down the road for the starting job if/when Favre retires. Nall and Rodgers both lack experience so how well they perform in the preseason deserves a good look. Otherwise, this team is and will be Favre's until he decides otherwise. He seems poised for another big statistical year not only because of the talent the Packers have at WR, but due to a potentially bad defense that could struggle to keep the Packers in games. If the Packers offensive line takes a hit with the losses of Marco Rivera and Mike Wahle, then the running game could suffer a bit, too. Remember the NFC North is filled with big, athletic defensive tackles (e.g. Shaun Rogers (Det), Kevin and Pat Williams (Min) and Tommie Harris (Chi)). If their replacements aren't up to the task it could spell problems for Favre and the entire Packers offense. Regardless, most signs point towards another big year in the stat sheet for Favre.

RB: Ahman Green is coming off his worst season as the Packers starting RB and losing his two starting guards also doesn't help. However, it would still be foolish to write off Green without a closer look. He's got plenty of tread left on his tires. He made his 4th straight Pro Bowl, averaged 4.5 yds/carry and he's still only 28 years old. And he's playing in a contract year. If you still have faith in Ahman, this might be a good year to draft him depending on your draft position. He's going late 1st and into the middle of the 2nd round in many leagues due to the seemingly ominous signs - bad defense, offensive line changes, good depth and backups, doesn't play as much on 3rd downs anymore. Yet he could easily continue to produce around 100 total yards per game and score 10 TDs on the season. Najeh Davenport figures to be the primary backup if Green goes down, but he and Tony Fisher seem to split the duties of keeping Green fresh throughout games. Fisher is more of a 3rd down back who also gets some love in the red zone from time to time. Davenport is bigger and more physical, a more capable runner with the ability to break off long runs and punish would-be tacklers. Davenport, due partially to his size and running style, struggles to stay healthy. The only other backs on the roster are William Henderson and Nick Luchey, both fullbacks. Henderson is getting long in the tooth, but remains a very good lead blocker and underrated receiver out of the backfield. How well Ahman Green performs this year, ironically, may have more to due with the Packers defensive performance than anything other single factor aside from staying healthy. If the Packers defense pulls the unthinkable and surprises all of us who think they'll be horrible, then Green will be among those who cash in and those who draft him would be getting a tremendous value in the 2nd round.

WR: Javon Walker has reported to camp. That was the number one concern for the Packers front office and fans. What would happen if Walker holds out? He still wants a new contract, and who could blame him given his production a year ago. Walker joins Donald Driver to give Favre a tremendous pair of starting WRs. Robert Ferguson is the team's 3rd WR. He could start in place of either Driver or Walker if needed. Beyond Ferguson there's the diminutive Antonio Chatman, who was team's 4th WR last year. He's developed into a nice player for the Packers and he could see the field more frequently this year, too, if injuries strike or the Packers are forced to throw a lot. Rookie Terrence Murphy and Craig Bragg give the team an infusion of youth that they can develop as possible starters down the road. Murphy, in particular, could emerge as a future starter with his size and route running ability.

At tight end Bubba Frank was slapped with the transition tag and has refused to sign the one year tender thus far. He's seeking a long-term extension and that seems rather unlikely. Franks is invaluable to the Packers offense though. He's a valuable third down target and among the best blockers at his position. If he continues to hold out David Martin will benefit and get the bulk of the playing time in camp with the first team offense. Behind him is Ben Steele, who saw some limited action last year, and rookie Garrett Cross. If Franks decides to do the unthinkable and sit out Martin could be worthy of a waiver wire pickup.

Defense: Ugh. Where do we start here? DT Grady Jackson, one of the team's key players on defense, is holding out for a new contract. He's met with the team's brass and demanded "Trade me or cut me". We'll see how that goes, but just a gut feeling says it won't end with either of those two scenarios. That's because he is the team's best run stuffer. The Packers need him to be on the field or their run defense is in serious trouble. He's arguably the key to everything the Packers defense tries to do. When he was out of the lineup last year team's ran all over the Packers at will. If he's not in camp or not starting the season in good conditioning that's a very bad sign for the Packers D. They also lost veteran leader Darren Sharper and will attempt to replace him with rookie FS Nick Collins or a number of other unproven players. Al Harris is a capable corner, but beyond him Ahmad Carroll and Joey Thomas need to improve quickly in their 2nd year or the Packers secondary will be a mess. Their pass rush is predicated on Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila being a double digit sack guy, but if he doesn't have anyone else for the offensive line to worry about his productivity wanes. The LBs corps is anchored by Nick Barnett in the middle, but otherwise is in need of some youth and improved talent. Don't expect any fantasy production out of this group in 2005 though if anyone can make lemonade out of lemons it's new defensive coordinator Jim Bates. His coaching alone could inspire better production than last year, but the declining talent and lack of experience will be tough to overcome.

Special Teams: Ryan Longwell is a very good kicker - as long as he is happy with his holder. He'll have a new one this year, so keep an eye on several relevant preseason battles. If punter B.J. Sanders makes the team, he'll likely be the holder. Otherwise it would be one of the backup QBs, either Craig Nall or rookie Aaron Rodgers. The Packers like to use both RB Najeh Davenport and WR Robert Ferguson regularly on kickoffs. Rookie WR Terrence Murphy should be the primary backup, and WR Antonio Chatman and rookie WR Craig Bragg should also get some practice time. Chatman has been the primary PR the last two years. He's reliable but not explosive, so he'll be challenged for the starting job. The primary contenders in camp are Murphy, Bragg, and WR Andrae Thurman.

Packers Depth Chart
QB Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, Craig Nall, J.T. O'Sullivan, Scott McBrien
RB Ahman Green, Najeh Davenport, Tony Fisher, Walter Williams, Chaz Williams
FB William Henderson, Nick Luchey, Vonta Leach
WR Javon Walker, Donald Driver, Robert Ferguson, Antonio Chatman (KR/PR), Terrence Murphy (KR), Craig Bragg, Andrae Thurman, Michael Marker, Sam Breeden
TE Bubba Franks (UFA-T), David Martin, Ben Steele, Garrett Cross
K Ryan Longwell
DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Aaron Kampman, R-Kal Truluck, Corey Williams, Kenny Peterson, Seante Williams
DT Grady Jackson (NT), Cletidus Hunt, James Lee (NT), Cullen Jenkins, Donnell Washington, Colin Cole (NT), Mike Montgomery, Doug Sims (NT)
MLB Nick Barnett, John Garrett
OLB Na'il Diggs (S), Raynoch Thompson (W), Hannibal Navies (S), Paris Lenon (W), Brady Poppinga, Ike Emodi (W), Shawn Morgan (W), Nick McNeil (S), Roy Manning
CB Al Harris, Ahmad Carroll, Joey Thomas, Chris Johnson (inj), Jason Horton, Michael Hawkins, Kurt Campbell, Art Smith, Chris Day
S Mark Roman (SS), Arturo Freeman (FS), Nick Collins (FS), Michael Underwood (FS), Todd Franz (FS), Julius Curry (FS), Wendell Williams (FS), Chonn Lacey (SS)

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Houston Texans

QB: David Carr enters his fourth season as a player who's still a work in progress. He's shown improvement in each of his first three seasons but still seems to make poor decisions and has yet to throw for more than 16 TDs. His completion %, yds/att, yards and TDs have improved every year but he still needs to take that extra step and help the Texans more in the win column. One of the problems impeding Carr's improvement has been an ineffective offensive line. Last year Carr was sacked 49 times. Until the line improves it's difficult seeing Carr taking that next step. That's why this preseason the Texans are stressing "get rid of the ball quickly". They've added more passing plays into the playbook designed towards that goal. Carr has good mobility, he's resilient and isn't afraid to run for a first down or TD. His arm strength is excellent and his leadership qualities are solid. Keep an eye on him this preseason. There's a good chance he and Andre Johnson will both fuel each other's development and if the Texans defense takes a step backwards, Carr might be throwing more often than Dom Capers would like. Carr's backed up by Tony Banks and Dave Ragone. Banks provides the team with a veteran presence, capable of starting several games if called upon. Ragone has very little NFL experience but showed some potential in NFL Europe. Ragone will be one to watch in camp as he could push Banks for the backup job this year.

RB: Davis went from a 4th round draft pick to the team's feature back in his rookie season. The only problem with Davis has been his inability to stay healthy for the full season. Being a three down back probably doesn't help, but Davis is a weapon both as a runner and as a receiver. The Texans protected themselves by drafting Vernand Morency in the third round. He joins Jonathan Wells and Tony Hollings in the stable; all three will compete for the backup job behind Davis. Morency should win the backup job while Hollings might have run out of time to develop. Capers is a big run-first style of coach so the Texans promise to run the ball as much as they can. Davis will continue to get a lot of touches, but look for another back to emerge in training camp and spell Davis more often than last year. The Texans believe that giving Davis a bit more of a rest in games will help him avoid injuries. Wells performed reasonably well last year, but he's more of a plodder between the tackles and lacks the open field burst or second gear that a player like Morency has. Hollings can't seem to stay healthy long enough to mount much of a challenge for playing time. With Morency in the picture his chances of ever starting took a big blow.

WR: The story here is all about what WR will emerge to be a solid No. 2 player opposite their young Pro Bowler Andre Johnson. They drafted Jabar Gaffney three years ago to fill that role. Entering his 4th season Gaffney would appear to be on the cusp of being that player, but he's yet to live up to expectations. He's been inconsistent, but does look like he could be the possession WR the Texans need. He's able to get open running short and intermediate routes. On the flipside, Corey Bradford can stretch the field, but he's not very helpful otherwise. Gaffney had shoulder surgery in April and will probably miss the start of training camp giving Bradford a slight edge, but look for Gaffney to emerge in this battle to ultimately start opposite Andre Johnson. Also in the hunt for more playing time is Derick Armstrong. He worked his way onto the field last year and showed great improvement. He adds some size and speed to the mix and ultimately might prove to be the best WR of the three. 4th round pick Jerome Mathis heads up a group of young receivers which also includes Kendrick Starling, Reggie Swinton and Sloan Thomas, who are competing for the last roster spot or two. Mathis has elite speed and should pay immediate dividends as a return man on special teams. He returned 5 TDs in his senior season at Hampton. If Mathis develops as a receiver he could be a great long-term player for dynasty leaguers.

At tight end it's the same old song and dance. Billy Miller and Mark Bruener provide a rag-tag combination. Bruener the blocker, Miller the receiver. Benny Joppru is already on IR, again. Like we said, same old story here. The Texans haven't featured their tight ends much in their offense so there's no reason to think that will change in 2005.

Defense: It seems like the only thing that will be the same with the Texans defense from a year ago is the 3-4 scheme. The personnel changes abound beginning with their linebackers. Jamie Sharper and Jay Foreman are gone. Morlon Greenwood was signed as a free agent and Kailee Wong moves inside. Those moves allow the Texans to get Antwan Peek and Jason Babin both on the field and hopefully boost their feeble pass rush. On the plus side is the Texans young secondary. Dunta Robinson had a stellar rookie season and the Texans acquired Phillip Buchanon from the Raiders to play opposite him. Strong safety Glenn Earl is a player to watch entering his 2nd season. Marcus Coleman begins his 2nd season at free safety, but he missed much of last season due to injury. If the Texans can hold up along their defensive line - a big question - and their revamped LB corps comes together they could make some noise. They are well coached, but ultimately have lacked the talent needed to be a top tier defense.

Special Teams: PK Kris Brown got some big bucks and job security when he signed a five-year contract extension this offseason. Perhaps the Texans are planning to kickoff a lot this year, since Brown has been stronger in that regard than placekicking. The team released J.J. Moses, their KR/PR specialist the last two years. Preseason will feature competition from very speedy rookie WR Jerome Mathis and WR Reggie Swinton, who was stuck behind Eddie Drummond on the depth chart in Detroit. Mathis has the most potential, but he'll need to make the adjustment from a small college (Hampton) to the NFL. CB Phillip Buchanon will also vie for punt return duties. WR Jabar Gaffney cab backup the others at both positions.

Texans Depth Chart
QB David Carr, Tony Banks, Dave Ragone, B.J. Symons
RB Domanick Davis, Jonathan Wells (FB), Vernand Morency, Tony Hollings, Jason Anderson, Adam Matthews
FB Moran Norris, Jarrod Baxter
WR Andre Johnson, Jabar Gaffney, Corey Bradford, Derick Armstrong, Jerome Mathis, Kendrick Starling, Reggie Swinton (KR), Sloan Thomas, Allen Suber, Nick Narcisse, LaTarence Dunbar
TE Mark Bruener, Billy Miller, Matt Murphy, Marcellus Rivers, Benny Joppru (IR)
K Kris Brown
NT Seth Payne, Travis Johnson, Jerry DeLoach
DE Gary Walker, Robaire Smith, Corey Sears, Junior Ioane, Daleroy Stewart, Jason Davis
ILB Kailee Wong (O), Morlon Greenwood, Troy Evans, Frank Chamberlin, DaShon Polk, Shantee Orr, Quincy Monk, Dave Moretti
OLB Jason Babin, Antwan Peek, Zeke Moreno, Charlie Anderson, Anthony Dunn, D.D. Acholonu, Kenneth Petway
CB Dunta Robinson, Phillip Buchanon, DeMarcus Faggins, Lewis Sanders (FS), Jason Bell
S Glenn Earl (SS), Marcus Coleman (FS), Jason Simmons (FS), Ramon Walker (SS), Jammal Lord (FS), Ceandris Brown (SS), David Young (SS)

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Indianapolis Colts

QB: Peyton Manning is the story in Indianapolis. If Manning ever went down the Colts would be in real trouble. Travis Brown and Jim Sorgi will get some work in the preseason, but neither would put much of a scare into an NFL defense. Manning is like a young Favre in that he's an Iron Man and never seems to get hurt. Even if he falls back to Earth following his record breaking season he's still likely to throw 35 to 40 TDs. It's hard to imagine him throwing less than 35 TDs given the riches that surround him offensively. Manning is in his prime and will undoubtedly see limited action in the preseason saving his good stuff for the season opener.

RB: Edgerrin James didn't hold out and reported to camp on the first day. He downplayed the franchise tag and made light of "making the best of the situation". In other words Edge is getting paid $8 million and he just wants to play football. Dominic Rhodes remains the team's primary backup. He's expected to see a slightly bigger role this year after the Colts re-signed him to a multi-year contract. Rhodes is perfectly capable of producing big results if he were to be thrust into the starting job, but Edge has been remarkably consistent, productive and durable. The Colts drafted Anthony Davis to add depth and youth to the mix. Davis is smaller than the others, but was a very productive back throughout college, at least when he wasn't hurt. Davis should make the roster along with James Mungro, who plays a little fullback as well. Ran Carthon and Vashon Pearson will also compete for roster spots. Pearson entered himself into the NFL's Supplemental Draft, but went unselected and signed with the Colts. Watch Pearson, Davis and Rhodes during the preseason. If Edge really leaves after the season one of these guys could get a legitimate shot at the starting job in 2006.

WR: Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley are the most productive trio of receivers in the league, if not the most talented, too. Harrison has historically been the go-to receiver for Manning. As Wayne enters the prime of his career his start is shining almost as brightly, which has had something of a negative effect or limiting factor for Harrison's fantasy value. Both players are widely viewed as top 10 fantasy WRs entering 2005. So, it's hardly a bad thing for Harrison, but because Wayne is performing at such a high level the days of Harrison being the league's #1 receiver are likely over. Harrison and Wayne seem poised for another huge season. Both are likely to produce over 1,200 yards and score 10 TDs. Brandon Stokley returns as the team's slot WR who is heavily featured in the red zone. He, too, could once again score or approach 10 TDs, but if one of the three were to disappoint this year it's more likely to be Stokley, and not Harrison or Wayne. Aaron Moorehead, Troy Walters, Brad Pyatt, Roscoe Crosby and John Standeford are competing for the remaining roster spots. Crosby was signed by the team after going unselected in the supplement draft also.

The Colts lost starting TE Marcus Pollard to free agency, but that allows Dallas Clark to emerge as the full-time starter and it also opens the door for Ben Hartsock and Ben Utecht to develop as the Colts 2nd TE. The Colts have long used a lot of double tight end sets, but last year went more frequently with three WR sets featuring Stokley. If the Colts get back to using more double TE formations Hartsock and/or Utecht could surprise. Clark is quite talented, but he's not a great blocker and has a difficult time staying healthy. That means Hartsock and Utecht should be on your fantasy radar as potential impact waiver wire pickups during the season if/when Clark gets nicked up. Bryan Fletcher is also in the mix competing with Utecht and Hartsock. He's another developmental type with good physical tools. Expect one or possible two of these reserves to possibly emerge this year as Clark needs to prove he can stay healthy for an entire season.

Defense: The Colts defense took a step backwards under Tony Dungy last year. The Colts addressed their secondary needs drafting corners Marlin Jackson in the 1st round, Kelvin Hayden in the 2nd and safety Matt Giordano in the 5th. The rest of their defense returns pretty much the same. DE Dwight Freeney is perhaps the league's preeminent speed rusher off the edge while Robert Mathis showed incredible improvement in 2004. Rob Morris re-signed but may not win the starting MLB job away from Gary Brackett. Mike Doss is suspended for four games, but once he returns and Freeney is 100% the Colts defense could be a decent find this year. They'll get after the QB, but until they show better coverage skills and improve their run defense they'll struggle to make it far in the playoffs.

Special Teams: Mike Vanderjagt remains one of the best place kickers in the game, but he is not the strongest on kickoffs. Consequently the Colts drafted Dave Rayner to handle that responsibility. Preseason should feature numerous entertaining quotes from Vanderjagt as the media continually harasses him about Rayner and gets him fired up. If he can remain healthy, WR Brad Pyatt could be the primary returner on both kickoffs and punts. The other primary candidate for kickoffs is RB Dominic Rhodes, who filled in ably last year. CB Jason David serves as backup PR, and WR Troy Walters is a capable backup at both positions.

Colts Depth Chart
QB Peyton Manning, Travis Brown, Jim Sorgi
RB Edgerrin James, Dominic Rhodes (3RB), Anthony Davis, James Mungro (FB), Ran Carthon, Vashon Pearson, Marcus Williams
FB J.T. Wall
WR Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Brandon Stokley, Aaron Moorehead, Troy Walters, Brad Pyatt (KR/PR), Roscoe Crosby, John Standeford, Eric Hill, Levon Thomas
TE Dallas Clark, Ben Hartsock, Ben Utecht, Bryan Fletcher, Joey Hawkins, Torey Humphrey
K Mike Vanderjagt, Dave Rayner
DT Josh Williams (inj), Montae Reagor, Larry Tripplett, Jason Stewart
DE Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Raheem Brock (RFA), Josh Thomas, Vincent Burns, Jonathan Welsh, Josh Mallard, Nathaniel Adibi, Thomas Houchin, Javor Mills
MLB Gary Brackett (M/W), Rob Morris, Keyon Whiteside
OLB David Thornton (S), Cato June (W), Gilbert Gardner (W), Nick Rogers (S), Kendyll Pope (W), Andre Sommersell (S), Tyjuan Hagler (inj), Deryck Toles (W) (inj)
CB Nick Harper, Joseph Jefferson (SS/CB), Donald Strickland, Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden, Jason David, Von Hutchins (inj), Waine Bacon, Willie Ford, Jermaine Mays
S Bob Sanders (SS), Mike Doss (FS) (susp), Gerome Sapp (FS), Matt Giordano (FS), Brandon Lynch (SS), Daryl Dixon (FS)

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Jacksonville Jaguars

QB: Byron Leftwich enters his third season as the face of the Jaguars offense. He showed significant improvement in his 2nd season and hope springs eternal at this time of year. The Jaguars changed offensive coordinators in the offseason bringing in Carl Smith, the QB coach at USC last season. Smith is expected to spread the field more this season giving Leftwich more of a wide open attack and a greater opportunity to use his talents. Leftwich completed 60.5% of his passes in 2004 throwing for 2,941 yards in 14 games with 15 TDs and 10 INTs. Leftwich appeared to be developing into a fantasy star in October as he missed throwing for 300+ yards in four straight games by 2 yards. Granted, three of those games were against Indy (twice) and KC - not the toughest matchups - but Leftwich's vast potential was on display and he's expected to take the next step in 2005. There are other factors that may help catapult Leftwich higher into the fantasy QB ranks, too. The team's unsettled RB situation with Fred Taylor remains a concern if not a slight mystery. Going to a more spread offense and having their star RB's status up in the air to some degree means that it wouldn't be a complete shock if the Jaguars pass-run ratio tilts a little more towards the passing game than before. Leftwich will continue to work with a young WR corps outside of Jimmy Smith, which can take time to develop chemistry and get everyone on the same page. David Garrard backs up Leftwich and he should see plenty of action in the preseason. He was called upon for two games last year, but didn't make much of an impact. He's a better runner than thrower, but struggled to move the team and get them into the end zone. He's playing for a contract, too. Quinn Gray is a player the team likes a lot. He will push Garrard for the backup job and if Garrard leaves at the end of the season, Gray is the natural fit to move into the backup spot. He should also see extensive playing time in the preseason so the Jags can evaluate where he is and whether they think he's capable of being the #2 guy. Nate Hybl is competing for a roster spot, but doesn't figure into their plans much beyond that at this point. He's a developmental player, or project.

RB: Fred Taylor's health remains a major concern for the Jaguars. During the offseason Taylor's knee surgery and rehabilitation status was unclear. The team simply didn't reveal the extent of the damage done to his knee and what was done to clean it up. Taylor later confided that his knee was worse than expected and it was indeed a major knee surgery. His status for training camp remains up in the air and there's no guarantee he'll be ready for the season, though the Jaguars seem to be acting like he will be ready when needed. If Taylor's not ready the Jaguars offense will have a decidedly different look. Taylor is the team's most complete back, if not the most explosive and talented. Taylor's 29 yrs old now, no longer used near the goal line and frequently pulled on third downs. With the injury situation further clouding the picture, Taylor's fantasy projections and expectations are taking a dive. That either means he could become a huge bargain if he's fine by the start of the season, or he'll continue to be a major risk for anyone who selects him on draft day expecting him to be a starter. Taylor missed 2 games in 2004, carried the ball 20 or more times on eight occasions topping 100 yards in five of those games. Unfortunately, he scored just 3 times. He's topped 1,200 yards rushing in 5 of his 7 years as a Jaguar, so all eyes will be on the Jaguars RB situation in training camp.

If Taylor emerges onto the field and shows some of his traditional burst before the end of camp, his value and draft day position will shoot up a couple rounds at least. If not, Taylor will remain a middle round gamble. Considering Taylor's questionable status it makes great sense to use training camp to evaluate the rest of the RBs on the Jaguars roster. The player who appears to be the primary benefactor is LaBrandon Toefield. "Toe" has been mostly utilized on third downs and occasionally in the red zone. He's versatile and at 5' 11" 232 lbs has the size needed to potentially fill in as a full-time back. His primary competition may ironically come from rookie Alvin Pearman. Veteran holdover Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala can never stay healthy and the team pretty much knows what it has in him - a big back who can get tough yards between the tackles, but not a guy who's cut out to be the feature back. Pearman, on the other hand, is known for his receiving skills out of the backfield. Pearman has great hands and could quickly emerge as the team's 3rd down back and could potentially branch out from there. Pearman lacks Toefield's and Fu's size (5' 9" 208 lbs) but his all-purpose skills could fit well with what the Jaguars are trying to accomplish offensively this year, especially if Taylor isn't available.

Greg Jones may or may not be in the picture. He still thinks he's a viable runner in the NFL, but the team thinks otherwise, preferring to keep him at FB. Jones could still have some value though as he's been utilized as the team's goal-line runner and short distance guy. The potential for the Jags to use the dreaded "RB by committee" approach is a distinct possibility if Taylor's not ready, or maybe even if he is. If Jones gets the goal line work, Taylor gets the bulk of the 1st and 2nd down work (and between the 20s), while Toe or Pearman compete for 3rd down duty, then you get the feeling there's a chance that none of these guys might have a big fantasy impact. That's why it will be important to watch the Jaguars training camp, check out their practice notebooks and pour through their game logs and box scores to see if we can get any ideas on how these roles will pan out. But keep in mind it all comes down to Fred Taylor and his availability. Don't be surprised if the Jags make a roster move during camp to bring in a veteran runner as a backup and insurance policy if Taylor isn't ready.

WR: Jimmy Smith continues to be the team's #1 WR. Basically, he's the only WR they have that's proven, consistent and a known commodity. 2nd year WR Reggie Williams looks the role, but struggled badly as a rookie playing heavier than he did in college. He couldn't gain separation against NFL corners and seemed to lack a good burst off the line. He's lost about 10 pounds in the offseason conditioning program. The team's touting him now as regaining some of that speed and burst. The Jags desperately need someone to emerge as a strong #2, and eventual #1 replacing the aging Smith at some point. Williams is the guy the team wants to fill that role. He'll have the microscope on him during camp and exhibition games. If he shows signs that he's ready to turn the corner, draft him accordingly in the later rounds. He's got excellent size & strength and wasn't drafted with the 9th overall pick simply because he's big. He'll continue to be pushed by veteran Troy Edwards and 2nd year WR Ernest Wilford. Edwards seems like the team's best option in the slot given his lack of size. He has good quickness and Leftwich has grown fond of him and frequently looks for him on 3rd downs. Wilford is a giant-sized WR who displayed good hands and a knack for making plays in the red zone. Those four WRs seem like locks to make the team along with 1st round pick Matt Jones, who is being converted to WR from QB in college. Jones was one of the SEC's best playmakers at the QB position though he's viewed as a better runner than a passer. Jones has freakish measurables. He was among the fastest WRs timed (4.37 40) at the combine despite his size (6' 6" 242 lbs). He's viewed as a project, but as a first rounder, the team would like to see him develop as quickly as possible. How much he can be counted on to contribute as a rookie is unknown, but don't expect much right away. He'll still be a player to watch in the preseason simply because of his ability to make plays. He's got a natural advantage over most players defending him - he's bigger, stronger and faster. Other WRs fighting for roster spots are Cortez Hankton, one of the coaching staff's favorites. He's a special teams ace and a guy who works hard and does everything asked of him. He'll need to fend off competition from rookie Chad Owens, an undersized super-quick jitter-bug style return man who was explosive in college in that capacity. Owens could earn a spot simply because of his home-run ability as a returner.

TE: Kyle Brady remains the starter by default, but his hold on the position is tenuous at best. The teams like its younger players - George Wrighster and Brian Jones. Wrighster showed signs of becoming a solid pass-catching TE but he can't seem to stay on the field. If he can stay healthy, look for him to push Brady aside, especially in obvious passing situations; he could be the team's leading receiver (among the TEs). Brian Jones also played reasonably well when called upon last year. Brady and Wrighster both struggled to stay healthy giving Jones opportunities. It's probably Brady's last season with the team so either one of these younger players will have plenty of incentive to prove themselves in camp this year. Veteran Todd Yoder is strictly a blocker, but his roster spot seems fairly secure as he is quite reliable for what he's asked to do.

Defense: The Jags primary defensive need during the offseason was to address the lack of a pass rush. The interior of the Jags defensive line is among the best in the game. Unfortunately, their defensive ends have been a sore subject ever since Tony Brackens' career was cut short due to knee injuries. They've struggled to get after the QB ever since. The Jags tried to address the problem by signing free agent DE Reggie Hayward (Denver) and DE Marcellus Wiley (Dallas). Hayward is promising, but without a reliable bookend on the other side, he could be the focus of offensive lines and that could thwart his productivity. Wiley showed very little in Dallas and is going on his third team in as many years. He's clearly on the downside of his once-promising career. Elsewhere, the Jags young LB corps is rock solid and their secondary is shaping up nicely but could still use another strong cover corner to get them over the top. If the Jags pass rush improves they have the potential to be a top 10 fantasy defense. Their run defense is solid, but if they are serious about getting past Indy in their division, they'll need to quickly improve both aspects of their pass defense - the pass rush and maintaining coverage. One positive sign as the Jags head into camp is the signing of franchise player safety Donovan Darius to a three year contract extension.

Special Teams: PK Josh Scobee won the epic battle over Seth Marler, Jeff Chandler, and Steve Christie in preseason last year. Marler lost by default when he got injured, but remained with the team on IR. He'll compete again this year and could be a surprise starter come September. After an impressive senior year at Hawaii, rookie WR Chad Owens is the favorite to win the punt return job and is also a strong contender for kickoffs. He'll compete with RB David Allen and WR Troy Edwards on kick returns. RBs LaBrandon Toefield and rookie Alvin Pearman are potential backups on KRs. The backups for punt returns are Edwards, Allen, and Pearman.

Jaguars Depth Chart
QB Byron Leftwich, David Garrard, Quinn Gray, Nate Hybl
RB Fred Taylor, LaBrandon Toefield (KR/3RB), Chris Fuamatu- Ma'afala (FB), Alvin Pearman (3RB), David Allen (KR), Rich Alexis, Derrick Wimbush
FB Greg Jones (SD)
WR Jimmy Smith, Reggie Williams, Troy Edwards, Matt Jones, Ernest Wilford, Cortez Hankton, Chad Owens, Huey Whittaker, Chris Cole, Kelvin Kight
TE Kyle Brady, George Wrighster, Brian Jones, Todd Yoder
K Josh Scobee, Seth Marler
DE Reggie Hayward, Marcellus Wiley, Paul Spicer, Bobby McCray, Rob Meier, Omari Hand
DT Marcus Stroud, John Henderson, Tony Williams, Martin Chase, Anthony Maddox, Derrick Ransom
MLB Mike Peterson, Tony Gilbert, Pat Thomas
OLB Akinola Ayodele (S), Daryl Smith (W), Nate Wayne (W/S), Jorge Cordova (S), Greg Favors (W), Jamar Enzore
CB Rashean Mathis (PR), Kiwaukee Thomas, Terry Cousin, Kenny Wright, Scott Starks, Chris Thompson, David Richardson, Chris Roberson
S Donovan Darius (SS), Deon Grant (FS), Deke Cooper (SS/FS), Gerald Sensabaugh (SS), Nick Sorenson (SS), Raymond Perryman (SS), Marcel Allmond (FS)

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Kansas City Chiefs

QB: Trent Green enters the 2005 season coming off career highs across the board. What's not to like when you have a QB playing behind one of the league's top offensive lines with an excellent running game to take pressure off him and a Pro Bowl TE in Tony Gonzalez? Green completed 66.4% of his passes for 4,591 yards while throwing 27 TDs against 17 INTs. His passer rating has been over 90 in each of the last three seasons. Consistently strong production from Green has his draft value at an all-time high. Such high expectations sometimes warrant a closer look and may heed caution. Can Green, who recently turned 35 years old, maintain such a staggering pace in 2005? The Chiefs cut Johnnie Morton, their defense appears to be improved signaling it's possible the Chiefs might now be passing as often this year, yet Green's being consistently ranked among the top 5 fantasy QBs. Losing Morton shouldn't hurt too badly, his skills have diminished and he was never highly productive or consistent anyway, but he was someone Green looked for on third downs and he was a semi-reliable possession WR. The concern here is that Green needs to develop rapport with whoever takes Morton's place. Otherwise, teams will shift more coverage to Eddie Kennison and Gonzalez. If the Chiefs fail to develop a player to fill Morton's shoes then Green could be less effective in the red zone and on third downs. The important thing to know here is not to over-draft Green. There's certainly a good chance he'll pass less frequently in 2005 meaning a decline in numbers should be expected. However, that doesn't mean he won't be productive, it's just a warning that you may be better off letting some other guy in your league draft Green too high, while you wait a few rounds to grab Tom Brady, Aaron Brooks or Jake Plummer. Backing up Green is Todd Collins. Collins is a veteran backup who is very familiar with the Chiefs offense. If pressed into action he should produce decent, though not outstanding numbers. Damon Huard and rookie James Killian are competing for the emergency QB job.

RB: The main focus here will be Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson. Can Priest Holmes play a full 16-game schedule anymore? How big of a role will Larry Johnson play as long as Priest remains healthy? The Chiefs haven't been the kind of team to split carries much, if at all. Johnson showed he is very capable of stepping into the featured role and producing at a high level with little to no fall off from Holmes. Priest is 32 years old which makes it somewhat difficult to put a high degree of faith in him lasting 16 games or recapturing the incredible fantasy fame that made him the unquestionable #1 player in leagues during 2002 and 2003. In 30 games Priest scored a tantalizing 51 TDs. Last year in 8 games he crossed the goal line 15 times. That's almost 2 TDs per game played. As long as Priest is healthy there's no question what he's capable of producing - well over 100 yards combined per game and almost 2 TDs. Johnson, meanwhile, saw action in 8 games (though he didn't start that many) and scored 11 TDs - 8 TDs in his last 4 games scoring 2 in each game. Johnson also went well over 100 combined yards in each of his last 5 games. The point here is that the Chiefs can plug either back into the lineup and get exceptional results. If you to mitigate the risk of taking Priest in the early to middle 1st round of your draft by securing the talents of Larry Johnson, too, even if you have to draft him a round or two higher than expected. With that combination you'll undoubtedly have a top 3 fantasy back all year long unless the unthinkable happens - Vermeil splits their playing time and both players stay healthy but get fewer touches. That's not a likely scenario, but it could happen given Holmes' age and the Chiefs desperate push to make a playoff run. The Chiefs also have Tony Richardson and newcomer Robert Holcombe in the backfield. Both will line up as fullbacks with Richardson the starter. Both have great hands and can block well at the point of attack, but neither are likely to put up any sort of production for fantasy considerations.

WR: The biggest question amongst the Chiefs WR corps heading into camp is who will emerge to start opposite Eddie Kennison? The leader going into camp is 2nd year WR Samie Parker. Parker on the small side, but he's explosive, quick and showed some potential last year getting some playing time as a rookie. Though Parker would seem like an ideal fit working out of the slot, he could easily beat out free agent Freddie Mitchell for the starting job. Mitchell will get his chance to compete as well, but “Fred-Ex” hasn't exactly lived up to his own billing as a former first round pick out of UCLA. Dante Hall is certainly explosive and a guy who can score anytime he touches the ball, but he is best suited for special teams and slot duty. The Chiefs probably don't want to overuse him so they get the most bang for their buck from him on special teams, where he remains among the most feared return men in the league. Other players vying for a spot include rookie Craphonso Thorpe and veterans Marc Boerigter, who is coming off a major knee injury, Chris Horn and Richard Smith. These four players could be fighting for just one roster spot. Boerigter has great size and good speed, but never developed as the team had hoped he would. Thorpe was a promising prep player, who never lived up to his potential at Florida State after breaking his leg early in his collegiate career. Horn and Smith seem to hang around the roster each year, but neither is likely to make a significant contribution when the games start to count, and both are potential cut casualties. Thorpe bears watching and could emerge down the road, but he's largely viewed as a developmental project at this point. If Freddie Mitchell bombs, there could be more opportunity for someone like Thorpe to see some game action this year, but it's not likely. Parker is the guy to watch. If he shows something in the exhibition games and practices, he could very well emerge as a viable 3rd/4th fantasy WR and a strong waiver wire pickup or late round sleeper. Eddie Kennison and Tony Gonzalez, of course, are the known commodities and both are expected to produce strong numbers again in 2005. Kennison finished last season on a strong note and could be anywhere from a solid #2 fantasy WR to a disappointing, inconsistent #4 WR. If the Chiefs defense improves as much as the team expects it to, then it's difficult to see Kennison being more than a 3rd option for fantasy leaguers. But the defensive improvement is not a foregone conclusion and is yet another thing to watch in training camp. Considering the division they play in even a slight improvement might not help enough and the Chiefs could continue throwing the ball a lot in '05. 

TE: Gonzo continues to be a man among boys at his position. He's clearly at the top of his class and there's no reason to believe that will change. At the same time he may not match his record-breaking numbers of 2004, but even with a decline in receptions and yardage he's still easily one of the top players, if not still the top player, at his position. His backup does bear some attention in camp though. Kris Wilson was injured in camp last year and never got a chance to fulfill his role and the team's expectations. He could carve himself a nice role in the red zone and on third downs, possibly even filling that need for Green in lieu of Morton. Wilson is a capable receiver and will play sort of a TE / H-back role. He could be a major surprise and even with Gonzo's presence have some solid fantasy value this year.

Defense: The Chiefs finally tried to shore up their defensive inadequacies during the offseason. They acquired a top cover corner in Patrick Surtain. They signed SS Sammy Knight to give the secondary a big thumper and playmaking presence, but it's hard to say if he'll live up to expectations as he's one of the slower safeties in the league. Somehow, Knight always seems to be in the right place at the right time, but he can be a major liability in coverage because he's simply slower than the players he'll be asked to cover. The LB corps got a face lift by signing Kendrell Bell and drafting Derrick Johnson in the first round. If the Chiefs pass rush improves with Carlos Hall (acquired from the Titans) and 2nd year DE Jared Allen playing opposite Eric Hicks, then defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham just might have the tools he needs to make his schemes more effective and finally get some production from this unit. Improvement is certainly expected, but just how much will be a key to training camp and will be a central factor in the Chiefs ultimate team success this year. It's hard to go anywhere but up. With their exceptional special teams play, the Chiefs D/ST could be a nice surprise this year and may go undrafted in many leagues.

Special Teams: Last preseason, NFLE and CFL veteran Lawrence Tynes beat out legendary Morten Andersen for the kicking job. This year he's the only kicker in camp. Rookie punter Dustin Colquitt is getting rave reviews for his hang time, and a nasty spin that makes his punts hard to catch. There's no question who the top kickoff and punt returner will be for the Chiefs. His name is Dante Hall. The team is looking to cut back on his wide receiver roll so he can focus on returns. More of question is who will the backups be. WR Chris Horn and CB Benny Sapp are the early candidates for kickoff returns with WR Eddie Kennison and Sapp on punt returns.

Chiefs Depth Chart
QB Trent Green, Todd Collins, Damon Huard, James Killian
RB Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson, Dee Brown, Ronnie Cruz, Jonathan Smith, Sam Gado
FB Tony Richardson, Robert Holcombe, Joe Hall
WR Eddie Kennison, Samie Parker, Freddie Mitchell, Dante Hall (KR/PR), Craphonso Thorpe, Marc Boerigter, Chris Horn, Richard Smith, Darrell Hill
TE Tony Gonzalez, Kris Wilson (HB), Jason Dunn
K Lawrence Tynes
DE Eric Hicks, Jared Allen, Carlos Hall (RFA), Gary Stills, Khari Long, Jimmy Wilkerson, Clint Mitchell
DT Ryan Sims (NT), Lional Dalton, Junior Siavii, John Browning (DE), Jabari Issa, Montique Sharpe, Arrion Dixon
MLB Kendrell Bell (inj), Kawika Mitchell, Boomer Grigsby, Mike Maslowski, Rich Scanlon
OLB Shawn Barber (W), Scott Fujita (S), Derrick Johnson (W/S), Keyaron Fox (S), Quinton Caver, Dave Moretti, Kris Griffin, Kevin DeRonde
CB Patrick Surtain, Dexter McCleon, Eric Warfield (susp), Ashley Ambrose, Dewayne Washington, Alphonso Hodge, Benny Sapp, Julian Battle (inj)
S Sammy Knight (SS), Greg Wesley (FS), Jerome Woods (FS), Shaunard Harts (SS), Willie Pile (SS), William Bartee (FS), Ed Canonico (FS), Scott Connot (SS)

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Miami Dolphins

QB: Change is afoot in sunny Miami beginning at the top of the organization all the way down to the players. New coach/GM Nick Saban brings a different philosophy to the Dolphins and has revamped the entire team beginning with a new offense. Saban hired former Vikings offensive coordinator Scott Linehan to head up the same post in Miami. Linehan favors a versatile scheme that promises to make the most out of the Dolphins talented players like WR Chris Chambers and TE Randy McMichael. Saban prefers a power-running game that centers on protecting the football and controlling the clock, much like his mentor Bill Belichick. Expect the Dolphins to be somewhere in between this year. Going into training camp the Dolphins have an open competition at QB between holdover A.J. Feeley and veteran Gus Frerotte, who followed Linehan from the Vikings. Frerotte seems to be slightly ahead in the early days of camp simply because he already knows Linehan's system and has displayed a better grasp on the field when it comes to finding his receivers and throwing accurately. Frerotte is pretty much a known commodity though. He's in the waning years of his career and can't be viewed as a long-term solution. That's where Feeley comes into the picture. He may not be the answer either. In his opportunities as the Dolphins QB so far he's been inconsistent and simply makes too many critical mistakes. Frerotte probably won't make as many mistakes, but he too is known for throwing the untimely pick and having problems beating the blitz. Neither player is likely to amount to much from a fantasy perspective, but whoever starts will likely make his way onto many fantasy rosters as owner hope to get something out of them as a backup or bye week replacement if the matchup is right. If neither player pans out there's a small chance Sage Rosenfels could enter into the picture. Rosenfels has a good arm and mobility, but he's unproven, inexperienced and will need to show he can consistently make the reads and the necessary throws in exhibition play before he's taken seriously.

RB: One of the biggest factors that will either help the Dolphins running attack return to prominence or continue to wallow in mediocrity is the revamped offensive line and addition of OL coach Hudson Houck. Houck seemed to work miracles last year with the Chargers offensive line. He'll be asked to do the same in Miami. The Dolphins are not without talent, but last year they simply didn't play well. Houck will try to get more out of Stockar McDougle than the Lions did and he hopes 2004 1st round pick Vernon Carey plays up to his potential, especially since he's taking over the highly important left tackle position. If Houck can coax this unit to play better as a group and get the most of them in the running game, then chances are Ronnie Brown will be a productive back as a rookie, despite the presence of Ricky Williams. Nick Saban did not draft Ronnie Brown 2nd overall to keep him on the sidelines. Besides Ricky will be suspended for the Dolphins first four games giving Brown ample time to come up to speed and hit the ground running presuming he ends his holdout and gets into camp. If Brown gets off to a quick start don't be surprised if Williams is traded or used strictly in a complimentary role. As long as Williams remains focused Saban has two high quality backs that should help him reach his goal of establishing a power running attack and take a lot of the pressure off his QB from having to win games. Beyond these two backs the Dolphins have Lamar Gordon, who is coming off a season-ending shoulder injury, Sammy Morris, who can play both RB and FB, and Travis Minor, who's better utilized as a 3rd down back or change-of-pace option. Undrafted rookie Kay Jay Harris could squeeze his way onto the roster with a strong training camp and showing in exhibition games. Not all of these guys will make the team and there's a decent chance one could be traded before camp is over.

WR: The Dolphins WR corps could be a pleasant surprise in 2005 if all of their players stay healthy and play up to their potential. Chris Chambers is looking for his first 1,000 yard season and seems to be in a great position to do that. He's clearly the Dolphins go-to guy and their best big play threat. His long arms, strength, speed, hands and jumping ability are quite impeccable as far as measurables go. He'll get to play the "Randy Moss role" in Scott Linehan's offensive system. Chambers will need to take the next step and turn all that physical talent and potential into production, which is easier said than done given the Dolphins current stable of QBs and the fact they'll be learning an entirely new offense heading into the season. Opposite Chambers is Marty Booker, who didn't live up to his potential after coming over to the Dolphins last year. Booker has good hands, strength and speed but never really became a consistent producer last year. He can still be a reliable possession WR who can break a tackle and make some big plays, but he'll be limited like the others by the team’s QB play and how well this team comes together in the new scheme. David Boston returns to the team after being cut and re-signed in the offseason. He's lost weight, became a father and appears to be on the path towards a comeback, but until he can prove he's healthy and stay that way for longer than a game or two, it's awfully easy to be skeptical of him. He remains a serious talent given his freakish size/speed combination, but that same combo is also something that's held him back because he's simply unable to sustain that much weight and remain healthy and productive on the field. He's no longer a young player with upside either, so Boston needs to prove something this year to keep his career alive. If he plays a full season it will be the first time since 2001. Derrius Thompson will compete with Boston for the 3rd/4th WR spots along with Brian Gilmore. Thompson also has good size and decent speed, but he's struggled to be a consistent producer and never made the most of his opportunities in Washington or Miami. Gilmore is a speed guy but it's hard to see him doing anything beyond adding depth and giving the team a speed option on the outside in 4 WR sets. Wesley Welker could push one of those guys off the roster because of his excellent versatility, special teams ability and good hands. He could develop into the team's slot WR in the future.

TE: Randy McMichael is one of the better young tight ends in the league. Unfortunately, he's also been involved in domestic abuse problems twice in a year. If he is found guilty of this transgression he could be fined and suspended by the league dealing a significant blow to his fantasy potential and draft day value. If he gets past these legal woes and stays healthy, McMichael has the potential and ability to be a top 5 fantasy TE. He's physically a freak and is coming off career highs with 73 catches for 791 yards and 4 TDs. He's been durable and does a solid job blocking, but his best attribute is his ability to split the middle of the defense down the field and make big plays. Look for Linehan to be creative with how he utilizes McMichael to achieve favorable matchups with his size and speed. If McMichael misses any games the TE duties will fall to Donald Lee. His upside is based on his size and generally solid athletic ability. Unfortunately, Lee has not progressed much in his first two seasons and it's hard to say what he might do if given a greater opportunity. The other two players who may be worth tracking in exhibition games are Lorenzo Diamond, recently signed after being cut by Arizona, and undrafted rookie Alex Holmes (USC).

Defense: The Dolphins plan to use a hybrid defensive scheme under Nick Saban that will frequently involve switching between a 3-4 and 4-3 alignment. The Dolphins added some new faces to the defense whose versatility and talents should help them pull off their new approach. Jason Taylor, for example, will lineup both as an end in the 4-3 and an outside linebacker in the 3-4. Kevin Carter can play either end or tackle and could be a nice fit as an end in the 3-4. Keith Traylor is aging and may not have a lot left in the tank, but he's a proven NT in the 3-4 who can occupy multiple blockers and help the LBs like Zack Thomas and rookie Channing Crowder fly to the ball. Other notable additions include DE Vonnie Holiday and rookie DE/OLB Matt Roth. Holiday is long in the tooth and may not offer much, but Roth is a promising pass rusher who will need to cut his teeth as an outside linebacker in the 3-4 having spent his collegiate career as a DE. Roth was almost unblockable at the Senior Bowl, and he could develop into a solid pass rusher if he's utilized properly. The secondary took a major hit by dealing away Patrick Surtain, but Sam Madison returns along with Reggie Howard and Mario Edwards. Rookie Travis Daniels played for Saban last year at LSU and he could break camp as either a starter or nickel corner. The Dolphins signed safety Lance Schulters to add a veteran presence and potential starter opposite strong safety Tebucky Jones. The Dolphins need two players to emerge at safety but there's some serious question marks around most of the candidates. Jones has never been a reliable tackler, Schulters can't stay healthy, Travares Tillman is well traveled and the others are unproven. Overall, the Dolphins have enough talent to be a potentially solid fantasy defense, but any time there's this much turnover with personnel and a scheme/coaching change there's a good chance it will take time to get everyone on the same page.

Special Teams: New head coach Rick Saban recently commented that although PK Olindo Mare's number haven't been that great in recent years, he has looked okay since Saban joined the club. Mare is the only kicker in camp this year and appears to be recovered from the injuries that lingered throughout last season. The Dolphins are set at the top spot for kickoff and punt returns with last year's pleasant surprise Wes Welker. The preseason watch will be to see who emerges as viable backups. WR Bryan Gilmore and RB Travis Minor are two of the more likely contenders.

Dolphins Depth Chart
QB Gus Frerotte, A.J. Feeley, Sage Rosenfels, Brock Berlin
RB Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams (susp), Lamar Gordon, Sammy Morris, Travis Minor (3RB), Kay Jay Harris
FB Heath Evans, Jamar Martin
WR Chris Chambers, Marty Booker, David Boston (inj), Derrius Thompson, Brian Gilmore, Wesley Welker (KR), Maurice Mann, Ron Bellamy, Kendall Newson, Josh Davis, Danny Farmer, Tony Madison
TE Randy McMichael, Donald Lee, Lorenzo Diamond, Alex Holmes
K Olindo Mare
DT Kevin Carter (DE), Keith Traylor (NT), Larry Chester (inj), Jeff Zgonina, Dario Romero, Manuel Wright, Josh Shaw, Kevin Vickerson
DE Jason Taylor, David Bowens, Vonnie Holiday, Matt Roth, Ronald Flemons, Matt Walters
MLB Zack Thomas, Channing Crowder, Derrick Pope, Winston Taylor
OLB Eddie Moore (S), Junior Seau (W), Donnie Spragan (S), Tony Bua (W), Corey Jenkins (W), Brendon Ayanbadejo (S), Billy Strother (S)
CB Sam Madison, Reggie Howard, Mario Edwards, Travis Daniels, Alphonso Roundtree, Will Poole (inj)
S Tebucky Jones (SS), Travares Tillman (FS) (inj), Lance Schulters (FS), Yeremiah Bell (SS), Chris Akins (FS), Deandre' Eiland (SS), Ricky Sharpe (FS), Abram Elam

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Minnesota Vikings

QB: The biggest change for the Vikings at QB has more to do with Randy Moss leaving than anything else. Of course, Gus Frerotte and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan are gone to Miami, replaced by Brad Johnson and new offensive coordinator Steve Loney. Despite the coaching change the Vikings aren't expected to tweak their approach much, if at all. Loney is close to Mike Tice having worked for him as the offensive line coach the past three seasons and he's got a good understanding of what the Vikings want to do offensively. Culpepper will undoubtedly miss Randy Moss, the game’s most dynamic playmaker at the WR position, but he's not left with an empty cupboard either. Culpepper enjoyed a career year in 2004 throwing for 4,717 yards, 39 TDs and just 11 INTs. While he's known for being one of the game's top rushing QBs he only crossed the goal-line twice in 2004, but did manage 406 yards and a 4.6 yds/attempt average. Besides Moss being traded, there are other factors that may affect Culpepper's production in a possibly negative fashion. The defense was overhauled in a big way adding top notch players at CB, safety, DE, DT and LB. If the Vikings defense plays up to its potential, Culpepper won't need to throw as often in the 2nd half of games leading to a definite decrease in passing attempts and probably TDs and yardage as well. Much has been made about the possibility of Culpepper falling off his lofty perch among the top fantasy QBs in the game. However, even if C-Pep drops 30% in production he's still easily a top 5 fantasy QB. Thus, it's difficult to project him as being anything other than a strong #1 fantasy QB. The Vikings still have enough weapons in the passing game and out of the backfield. It's also probable that C-Pep could run for 4-5 TDs again and help replace the loss of passing yards and TDs that we expect will happen to some extent. If C-Pep gets hurt the Vikings will turn to an old friend in Brad Johnson. Clearly, BJ isn't the player he once was. He lacks mobility and his arm strength is waning (being nice here). Yet he still has enough in the tank to be an accurate thrower and be a good caretaker at the position until Culpepper returns in that scenario. Shaun Hill and Jason Fife will compete for the right to hold the clipboard, but neither of these guys is likely to see the field other than in the 2nd half of a couple exhibition games to see what they can do.

RB: There are tons of questions regarding the Vikings RB picture heading into training camp. The fear everyone has is that Mike Tice will once again deploy a committee of sorts rendering any one of the Vikings talented backs less productive from a fantasy perspective. Of course, Onterrio "The Whizzinator" Smith is suspended for the full season so he's out of the picture until next year, if then. According to Tice, and assuming you take him at face value, Michael Bennett is the starter entering camp and he looks as good as he's ever looked since the Vikings drafted him in the first round out of Wisconsin. Bennett's long on talent and short on production though having missed significant chunks of playing time in 2004 with a knee injury and 2003 with a broken foot. In those two years Bennett missed a total of 13 games. So, it's hard to be super confident that he'll be good for 16 games in 2005. On the positive side Bennett is only 25 years old, has home run speed and he's running behind a fairly strong offensive line. On the downside, no Randy Moss means he could potentially see more safeties cheating up into the box to stuff the run and the specter of losing goal line carries to Moe Williams, third down duties to Mewelde Moore and the possibility rookie Ciatrick Fason could force himself into a committee approach. All in all, Bennett is a home run or strike out kind of player. His draft value continues to be pushed down somewhat because of these concerns making him a definite value pick if he should prove to be durable and achieve his potential. The important thing to watch in training camp is how the other backs look and whether or not Tice uses them in any specific fashion that would lend credence to a possible committee approach or well-defined role for each player. If Bennett does get hurt again the player most likely to take his place would be Mewelde Moore, who showed he can be a serious double threat as a runner and receiver. He's better than advertised between the tackles and amazingly fluid as a receiver out of the backfield. If Bennett misses too many games, Moore might not relinquish the starting job. On the other hand, Moore had problems of his own staying healthy when he was given the rock and starting job last year. That means even rookie Ciatrick Fason cannot be overlooked or ignored. Fason will probably be given a fair amount of carries in the preseason to show his wares. He's also an adept receiver out of the backfield with good speed and elusiveness. Fason was one of the SEC's top backs a year ago, which is saying something. He's an outstanding athlete who doesn't have a lot of mileage on his legs, but with that comes a lack of experience and the likelihood it will takes some time and coaching to work with him on blocking, blitz pickups and running with a lower pad level. Last but definitely not least is the vulture himself - Moe Williams. Williams turns 31 years old this year and seems primed to revisit his long-standing role as the team's choice at the goal line and also on third downs as a receiver and occasional change of pace runner. Williams is technically sound in all facets of the game including special teams. Unfortunately, his strengths tend to cause the biggest problems for fantasy prospectors looking for gold out of the Minnesota RBs. Because he may lead all the backs in TDs, it significantly hurts the ceiling for the other backs.

WR: The obvious story here is Randy Moss. Nate Burleson comes into camp this year with a mountain of expectations to live up to the Vikings #1 WR and match or improve his production from a year ago when he blossomed into a potential #1/#2 fantasy WR. He's a lock to start on opening day, but who will start opposite him is the bigger question. Heading into camp the player penciled into that role is veteran Marcus Robinson. He a physical presence in the red zone, and as long as he can stay healthy, a big-play WR who defenses will have to account for. Unfortunately, Robinson's biggest problem has been staying healthy. He could easily replace Moss as the team's go to WR in the red zone. However, it wouldn't be much of a surprise if Travis Taylor turns out to be more productive either playing in the slot or supplanting Robinson in a starting capacity via injury or otherwise. Taylor was mostly a bust in Baltimore and certainly never lived up to his billing as a 1st round pick, but then again he was playing in Baltimore - a run first, pass only if you must type of offensive system. Taylor has looked good in minicamps thus far. He's got decent speed and could be a legitimate sleeper. Watch the Vikings preseason games to see if Taylor looks like he'll emerge and to what degree they target him while the 1st team offense is on the field. Another new face in the Vikings lineup is 1st round pick Troy Williamson, who was drafted largely to replace Moss. While he's not likely to have much of an impact during his rookie year and probably won't ever approach the production Moss gave the Vikings, Williamson has elite speed and good size. The Vikings hope he can be utilized in multiple WR sets to stretch the field and keep those safeties from cheating against the run. Williams has a lot of work ahead of him though. He'll need to work on the short game - running patterns over the middle of the field, short and intermediate routes, getting off the line and blocking - all the small stuff that usually takes rookies some time to develop. Kelly Campbell returns to the team after a tumultuous offseason that included a marijuana-possession charge. Campbell isn't likely to amount to anything more than a 4th or 5th receiver who can use his speed and quickness in spread formations. Keenan Howry will give him a run for the money and could push him off the roster with a strong camp.

TE: The Vikings TE picture appears to be solid with the return of Jimmy Kleinsasser from season-ending knee surgery; though he's really more of a fullback or H-back as opposed to being a true tight end like Jermaine Wiggins. The reality is that Kleinsasser could steal some of Wiggins’ targets and eat into his production rendering both players less valuable in a fantasy sense. Kleinsasser is a devastating lead blocker in the running game and red zone packages, but also a decent short-yardage outlet receiver who caught 46 passes and 5 TDs in 2003. Wiggins, on the other hand, emerged as a super reliable target for Culpepper in Kleinsasser's absence last year hauling in 71 receptions and finishing with career highs across the board. The Vikings offense heavily utilizes their TEs and H-backs as short yardage receivers allowing Culpepper to dump passes off to them while defenses worry about their deep threats hurting them with big plays. Without Moss it'll be interesting if these routes are still there for the taking like they were before, or if teams will focus less on getting beat deep and more on snuffing out these types of plays that keep drives alive. Other players in the hunt for playing time are H-back Sean Berton, who's more of a blocker than anything else, and TE Jeff Dugan, who is used mostly when the Vikings go to multiple TE sets for short yardage or goal line situations. He's used mostly as a blocker as well.

Defense: The Vikings defense promises to be one of the most improved units in the NFL with significant upgrades made across the board at all the key positions. Perhaps the most significant additions will be CB Fred Smoot (to pair with CB Antoine Winfield), LBs Sam Cowart and Napoleon Harris, free safety and venerable ball hawk Darren Sharper, and run-stuffing nose tackle Pat Williams. The Vikings also hope to boost their pass rush by adding 1st rounder Erasmus Jones to the mix. Adding Pat Williams to the DL should free up Pro Bowl DT Kevin Williams to be an absolute monster. Williams, Udeze and Jones could all be valuable pass rusher is Pat Williams is able to do his job well occupying multiple blockers and freeing up lanes for those three to get after the QB. If the Viking secondary comes together early this defense has a chance to be a top 10 unit in the league and as a fantasy D/ST.

Special Teams: The Vikings have altered their usual practice routine to incorporate more situational kicking opportunities every day for the two PK competitors: Aaron Elling and Paul Edinger. Head coach Mike Tice has stated that the job is Elling's to lose (although Tice is not always the most reliable source of information). Preseason will determine who returns kickoffs and punts, since neither position has a clear cut starter. The contenders for kickoff returns include WR Kelly Campbell, WR Keenan Howry, RB Mewelde Moore, and rookie WR Troy Williamson. The contenders for punt returns include Howry, Moore, WR Nate Burleson, and WR Siaha Burley. Burleson might be the most talented of the group, although the team would prefer to save him for offense.

Vikings Depth Chart
QB Daunte Culpepper, Brad Johnson, Shaun Hill, Jason Fife
RB Michael Bennett, Mewelde Moore (3RB), Moe Williams (3RB/SD), Ciatrick Fason, Joe Echemandu, Onterrio Smith (susp)
HB Jimmy Kleinsasser, Sean Berton, Richard Owens
WR Nate Burleson, Marcus Robinson, Troy Williamson, Travis Taylor, Kelly Campbell (PR), Keenan Howry, Ben Nelson, Christopher Jones, Aaron Hosack, Ryan Hoag, Lane Danielson
TE Jermaine Wiggins, Jeff Dugan, Richard Angulo
K Paul Edinger, Aaron Elling, Jose Cortez
DE Kenechi Udeze, Darrion Scott, Erasmus Jones, Lance Johnstone
DT Pat Williams (NT), Kevin Williams, Spencer Johnson, Steve Martin (NT), C.J. Mosley, Eric Coleman, Matt Mitrione
MLB Sam Cowart, E.J. Henderson, Rod Davis, Grant Wiley
OLB Napoleon Harris (S), Dontarrious Thomas (W), Raonall Smith (S), Quincy Stewart (W), Keith Newman
CB Antoine Winfield, Fred Smoot, Brian Williams, Dustin Fox, Ralph Brown, Rushen Jones, Adrian Ward, Will Hunter, Ukee Dozier
S Darren Sharper (FS), Corey Chavous (SS), Ken Irvin (FS), Willie Offord (SS), Brandon Pinderhughes (SS)

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New England Patriots

QB: The Patriots are in great hands for years to come with Tom Brady, who signed a new contract keeping him in New England for the foreseeable future. Brady is the consummate leader and a proven, clutch decision maker who seems to save his best for the most important games. As a fantasy QB, Brady is a solid, but not spectacular starter. He has stretches where he may be a top 5 QB, but generally is a great bet to finish the season as the 10^th/12^th best QB. Heading into the 2005 training camp there's reason to believe Brady may be ready to make a slight climb in that regard. The Patriots championship caliber defense took some major hits during the offseason raising the possibility that the Patriots may need to lean on Brady more this year if they are to entertain notions of a three-peat - something no NFL team has ever done. Brady is well-versed in the Patriots offense so even though they lost offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, the Patriots aren't likely to deviate much from what's worked so well in the past. The downside might come if the Patriots miss Weis' game-planning which often meant a dramatically different offensive approach from one week to the next. The Patriots return essentially every player from last year's offense aside from G Joe Andruzzi and WR David Patten. If Brady ends up with more passing attempts in '05 it's reasonable to think he could move up a few slots in the year-end ranking. Even with the loss of Patten, Brady has a wealth of receivers at his disposal. Branch, Givens and Brown all return along with Brady's former college teammate David Terrell. If the Patriots TEs stay healthy they have a double barrel threat there, too. If Brady were to miss any significant time the Patriots may turn to Doug Flutie. Flutie returns to New England to likely finish his career and compete with current backup Rohan Davey. Davey remains an unknown commodity despite showing flashes of great potential in Europe and in past exhibition games. The Patriots also drafted Matt Cassell in the 7th round. He backed up Matt Leinart and seems like a natural fit for the practice squad.

RB: All of the questions last year about Corey Dillon's character and work ethic were answered resoundingly by his Pro Bowl performance on the field and his exemplary behavior off the field. As a member of the Patriots, Dillon finally got everything he wanted - a mountain of carries and a great team around him. Dillon had a career year rushing for 1,615 yards despite missing a game. Dillon ran for 100 yards nine times and never rushed for less than 79 yards. Only three times did he not top 100 combined yards and he finished with a career-high 12 rushing TDs (13 overall). Going into camp there's absolutely no question about who the Patriots’ lead back is. The only concern might be if the 30 year old back can sustain such a heavy workload given that he's got 2,210 carries under his belt as a pro. On the flip side he's been able to handle 300+ carries in four of the last five seasons. Is the glass half empty or half full? The point to be made here is the Patriots need to find out what they have in Cedric Cobbs in training camp. Cobbs led the SEC in rushing at Arkansas and was drafted in the 4th round a year ago. He's got the skills to be a good NFL back, but he struggled in his rookie year with injuries and never really got a chance to contribute. Cobbs is healthy now and the Patriots will be eager to see if he can become a reliable backup in case Dillon does get hurt. Cobbs also needs to show he can handle the blocking and blitz assignments if he's going to take that next step. Otherwise, Kevin Faulk will continue to be the biggest buzz kill for Cobbs. Faulk can do everything a back needs to do except be the featured back. He's too small, but in small segments, Faulk is very productive as a receiver and change-of-pace runner. FB Patrick Pass also gets into the mix as a receiver from time to time and gives the team a solid lead blocker who might catch a TD or two on misdirection plays where he's usually wide open for an easy TD.

WR: Deion Branch is primed to become a solid #2 fantasy WR this season. He had a strong showing at times in 2004 and saved his best for last in the Super Bowl. Branch and David Givens are the starters. Givens has better size, but not as much speed as Branch. Both have been productive when healthy. They simply need to avoid injuries. In the past the Patriots used a lot of their WRs often getting players like David Patten and Troy Brown into the mix with breakout games mixed throughout the season. That's another potential downfall for Branch and Givens. Brady spreads it around and the Patriots tend to game-plan each week to tailor the offense against the opponent at hand often yield different results. That means consistency is an issue to be aware of and any one of these guys could have a breakout game any given week, but provide next to nothing in other weeks. Patten left for free agent dollars in Washington, but he's being replaced by former 1st round pick David Terrell.  Terrell has great physical tools, but he never developed them in Chicago and instead developed a bad rap for running sloppy routes and having inconsistent hands. Maybe the change of scenery and Brady's influence will be what Terrell needs. The Patriots realize the talent they have now, so maybe he'll get some work in the red zone and give the Patriots some much needed size on the outside. Other players who could contribute are 2nd year WR P.K. Sam, who has made nice strides in the offseason program after spending his rookie season on IR. Sam also has good size and has better speed than Terrell. He could emerge as a starter down the road, perhaps in 2006. Bethel Johnson and Tim Dwight along with RB Chad Morton will be fighting tooth and nail for what might be one last roster spot. Each player is known for their excellent return ability, but it will probably take a little more for each to make the roster. To that end Bethel Johnson might have the best chance by contributing as a receiver. He's the fastest player on the team and if he ever develops into a polished receiver he could be a force, but he's struggled to learn the playbook and avoid Belichick's doghouse, so he remains a work in progress.

TE: The Patriots tight ends are one of their biggest strengths. Daniel Graham has developed into one of the game's top blockers at the TE position. If it weren't for the inconsistent hands he's displayed at times in the past he might have developed more as a receiver. Instead he's one of the team's top red zone targets. Graham's presence should only help 2nd year TE Ben Watson breakout as a receiver this year. Watson showed amazing potential as a rookie before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Watson has nice size, excellent speed and the potential to develop into a TE who can split the safeties and create defensive matchup problems up the middle. The Patriots will almost certainly move him around to gain significant matchup advantages with Watson paired up against smaller safeties or slower linebackers. Unfortunately, both players may be productive at different times which tends to hurt the fantasy stock of each guy. Any given week either one could be a top 10 player, but if you've owned Graham you know that he's just as capable of throwing up a goose egg as he is to catch 2 TDs. That's the bottom line with the Patriots offensive attack - they are versatile and everyone gets involved.

Defense: This is where the Patriots have the most serious question marks and gaps to fill. The Patriots lost Ty Law as a free agent even though he didn't contribute much last year. That was expected. What wasn't expected was the loss of linebackers Tedy Bruschi, who suffered a stroke in the offseason, and Ted Johnson, who retired just before training camp. The Patriots signed the former Pro Bowl LB Chad Brown and LB Monty Beisel in free agency. That should help at the ILB spots, but it's a tall order to ask these guys to replace Bruschi and Johnson. There's also the distinct possibility of Richard Seymour holding out and missing a good chunk of training camp seeking a new contract. Seymour is the team's best DL, but if he's out they have enough quality depth that they should be fine. The other area of concern is the secondary, particularly depth at corner. Asante Samuel and Randall Gay started for the Patriots in the Super Bowl and enter camp in the same capacity, but the team brought in veterans Duane Starks and Chad Scott to compete with them and Tyrone Poole for those spots. The Patriots should remain one of the top fantasy D/ST units but there's a good chance they could slip out of the top 5. Then again, they face a 1st time starter twice (Losman), Pennington twice (coming off shoulder surgery and playing in a new offensive system) and Frerotte/Feeley twice. Romeo Crennel may be missed, but Belichick is still in charge.

Special Teams: PK Adam Vinatieri is coming off his best year and was the top kicker in the NFL in 2004. He’s currently working under the parameters of the Franchise Player tag. His agent and the team are currently negotiating hoping to work out a long term deal. The Patriots have a myriad of options in the return game to sort through during preseason. On kickoffs incumbents WR Bethel Johnson, RB Kevin Faulk, and FB Patrick Pass are back. The Patriots also acquired former return specialists (but currently recovering from injuries) RB Chad Morton and WR Tim Dwight. The following have also been practicing kick returns: WR Eugene Baker, WR Brandon Childress, RB Cedric Cobbs, and CB Ellis Hobbs. Faulk, Dwight, Morton, Hobbs, and Johnson are among the punt return contenders, along with WR Troy Brown and CB Tyrone Poole.

Patriots Depth Chart
QB Tom Brady, Rohan Davey, Doug Flutie, Matt Cassell
RB Corey Dillon, Kevin Faulk (3RB), Cedric Cobbs, Kory Chapman, Chad Morton (KR/PR)
FB Patrick Pass (3RB), Kyle Eckel
WR David Givens, Deion Branch, Troy Brown (CB/PR), David Terrell, Tim Dwight (PR/KR), Bethel Johnson (KR), P.K. Sam, Brandon Childress, Cedric James, Ricky Bryant
TE Daniel Graham, Ben Watson, Christian Fauria (HB/TE), Jed Weaver, Andy Stokes
K Adam Vinatieri
DE Richard Seymour (DT), Ty Warren (DT), Jarvis Green, Marquise Hill, Rodney Bailey
NT Vince Wilfork
ILB Chad Brown (S/W), Monty Beisel, Larry Izzo, Dan Klecko, Ryan Claridge, Don Davis, Tedy Bruschi (inj)
OLB Willie McGinest (W/DE), Mike Vrabel (S), Rosevelt Colvin (W/DE), Tully Banta-Cain (S), Matt Chatham (S), Eric Alexander (W), Grant Steen (W), Wesly Mallard
CB Asante Samuel, Randall Gay, Duane Starks, Tyrone Poole, Chad Scott, Ellis Hobbs, Hank Poteat
S Rodney Harrison (SS), Eugene Wilson (FS/CB), Dexter Reid (FS), Antuan Edwards (FS), Guss Scott (SS), James Sanders (SS)

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New Orleans Saints

QB: Maybe the Saints are beginning to grow tired of Aaron Brooks frustrating inconsistent play. He's got a world of potential and seemingly untapped talent, but he continues to make boneheaded decisions far too frequently and it usually leads to key turnovers and ultimately losses for the Saints. Maybe that's why the Saints drafted Adrian McPherson? That is not to say that Brooks isn't a fine fantasy QB. By all accounts he's finished in the top 10 range for four years running, but there are games where he's brilliant and games where he's a mental midget on the field. For fantasy purposes, the simple fact of the matter is his season-to-season consistency. He seems like a virtual lock to throw for 3,500 yards, 20 to 25 or more TDs and around 15 INTs. He's also usually good for 2 to 4 rushing TDs and a couple hundreds yards as a bonus. Looking ahead at training camp there's a couple of key factors to watch for regarding Brooks. First, the Saints plan on streamlining, or "dumbing down" their playbook, in an effort to give Brooks more time to get plays into the huddle and make adjustments at the line, but also to simplify his reads and hopefully give him a better chance to make smarter decisions and reduce the bad mistakes. Brooks could have a big year as a result, or if the defense improves as much as coach Jim Haslett hopes, Brooks could be turning and handing the ball off to Deuce McAllister a LOT more.  We expect the Saints to run more this year, which could mean fewer fantasy stats in terms of yards and TDs for Brooks. Backing up Brooks is veteran Todd Bouman. He'll probably hold off the rookie McPherson for the job this year, but long-term McPherson could be the Saints starter of the future. He's the only guy in Florida high school history to be named Mr. Football and Mr. Basketball. In other words, McPherson's upside is ridiculous from an athletic standpoint. Brooks is about to turn 30, so McPherson could be a significant fantasy QB by 2007.

RB: Deuce McAllister was just rewarded with a new 7 year contract that virtually guarantees that he won't be playing for anyone but the Saints for a long, long time. McAllister has dropped weight and got himself into better condition during the offseason. With a simpler playbook, an improved defense and better conditioning, McAllister could be in prime position to have a career year. The Saints even improved their offensive line drafting Jammal Brown in the first round. McAllister has the whole package, too. He's big and strong enough to break tackles and run between the tackles effectively. He can also bounce it outside and outrun people to the end zone. He's a very capable receiver who was underutilized in that capacity last year. McAllister is one of the safest picks around the middle of the first round, and he's one of a few players who have the potential to be the #1 fantasy player at the end of the seson. But McAllister struggled last year with various injuries and it's caused a lot of folks to move him down their list a bit. If McAllister does miss a couple games again the Saints will turn to a combination of Antowain Smith and Aaron Stecker. Smith is the steady veteran who lacks speed and big play ability, but can consistently pound the ball between the tackles. Stecker is just the opposite. He's a good return man with great speed and he put together a couple big games in McAllister's absence last year.

WR: The Saints allowed Jerome Pathon to leave via free agency hoping 2nd year WR Devery Henderson is ready to take the next step and develop into a dangerous deep threat with game-changing speed. In his rookie season Henderson barely got off the sideline. He simply wasn't ready despite scoring on a couple long TD catches in the preseason. Keep an eye on him in the next month because if he looks like he's ready to contribute he could be a seriously good sleeper knowing the chance of Donte Stallworth starting 16 games is on the low side. If the Saints can put Stallworth and Henderson on the field together at the same time it could open up the entire offense and create a lot of room for their two stars to go to work - Joe Horn and Deuce McAllister. Horn remains at the top of his game and promises to be a top 10 fantasy WR again. Henderson will draw some strong competition from free agents Az-Zahir Hakim and Nate Poole for the WR3 spot. Hakim is a natural fit in the slot while Poole has shown promise in minicamps. Michael Lewis will make the team, but he's strictly a return man and a dynamic one at that. The biggest competition and fall out for fantasy purposes will be who wins the 3rd WR job between Devery Henderson, Hakim and Poole. We have to believe the coaching staff would like Henderson to be that guy, but if he's not ready Hakim is a nice insurance policy and a known commodity.

TE: Boo Williams will have to fight not only for his starting job, but potentially his roster spot. Williams disappointed last season. He was inconsistent and never really made much of an impact for the Saints or fantasy owners. Shad Meier was signed away from Tennessee to provide him some competition. Meier is a solid player, but he struggled staying on the field with the Titans. He could conceivably push Williams and beat him out for the starting position. Meier deserves a long look in training camp. If he begins to emerge then pencil him onto your short list of waiver wire candidates at TE. Ernie Conwell returns again, but he's lost his advantage as a receiver through a string of injuries and he's best utilized as a situational, part-time player. It's very possible only two of these three players make the final roster, so Williams needs to earn his stripes with a strong camp. Zach Hilton and Lamont Hall provide not only more competition but really create a squeeze on the top three guys. The coaching staff continues to be enamored by Hilton, though he's done very little on the stat sheet to date. Hilton or Hall could show flashes in exhibition games and make it even more difficult for the coaching staff to keep Boo around.

Defense: The Saints already have one of the league's best group of edge rushers. Their defensive line returns almost unchanged and figures to be a difference maker if the rest of the group can play better. The LB corps and secondary have been sore spots for years now, but the three starting LBs entering camp played well together down the stretch last year. They also drafted MLB Alfred Fincher to secure depth and recently signed veteran Ronald McKinnon. The much maligned secondary hopes to improve by adding FS/CB Dwight Smith from the Bucs and hoping CB Mike McKenzie plays better in his 2nd season in the Big Easy. Overall, don't expect miracles, but baby steps would be welcome. If the Saints can cover just a little bit better and their LB corps plays at least up to their potential, the Saints could emerge as a sleeper fantasy defense, but chances are they'll be around the middle of the pack to the bottom third again.

Special Teams: At age 41, PK John Carney obviously has plenty of experience, and his reliability hasn’t decreased with age. He’ll be watching the simplified offense during preseason to see if it can provide him with more scoring opportunities. Nate Fikse is currently on the roster as a camp leg to keep Carney fresh. WR Michael Lewis is one of the better KR/PR specialists in the NFL, ranking first in 2002, ninth in 2003, and sixth in 2004 among fantasy returners. The potential backups will jockey for position during camp. RB Aaron Stecker, WR Devery Henderson, and CB Keyou Craver will compete for kickoff returns. Craver, recently signed WR Az-Zahir Hakim, and WR Donte' Stallworth should compete for punt returns.

Saints Depth Chart
QB Aaron Brooks, Adrian McPherson, Todd Bouman, Kliff Kingsbury, Chris Finlen
RB Deuce McAllister, Antowain Smith, Aaron Stecker (KR)
FB Mike Karney, Fred McAfee, Nate Schurman, Jasen Isom
WR Joe Horn, Donte Stallworth (PR), Az-Zahir Hakim, Devery Henderson, Nate Poole, Talman Gardner, Michael Lewis (PR/KR), Brian Poli-Dixon, Chris Vance, Chase Lyman (IR)
TE Boo Williams, Shad Meier, Ernie Conwell, Zach Hilton, Lamont Hall, Mike Banks
K John Carney, Nate Fikse
DE Charles Grant, Darren Howard, Will Smith, Tony Bryant
DT Brian Young, Howard Green, Willie Whitehead, Rodney Leisle, Johnathan Sullivan, Jason Jefferson, Jimmy Verdon
MLB Courtney Watson, Alfred Fincher, Ronald McKinnon, Cie Grant (inj)
OLB Colby Bockwoldt (W), James Allen (S), Sedrick Hodge (S), Roger Knight (S), Levar Fisher (W), Terrence Melton (W)
CB Mike McKenzie, Fakhir Brown, Fred Thomas, Jason Craft, Jimmy Williams, Fred Booker, Keyou Craver (susp)
S Dwight Smith (FS), Jay Bellamy (SS), Josh Bullocks (FS), Mel Mitchell (SS), Steve Gleason (FS), Brent Hafford (FS)

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New York Giants

QB: Eli Manning's expected to make some big improvements this season with the Giants. Unlike last year, Manning heads into camp as the team's unquestioned starter meaning he'll have the benefit of the 1st team snaps and more time to develop rapport with his WR corps. The added practice time that he didn't have as a rookie and a dedicated offseason focused on improvement gives Manning an edge this year. He should improve in all areas of the game including the red zone and running the two minute drill when needed. Manning will also benefit from an improved offensive line and the addition of a major downfield threat that he lacked a year. Adding Plaxico Burress to the mix means Manning should have a super-sized target to build confidence in his ability to throw downfield and make more big plays. It should also open up things for Jeremy Shockey, Amani Toomer and Tiki Barber, too. Manning simply needs to be a diligent worker in training camp and make better decisions. The Giants don't have a safety net for him this year allowing Kurt Warner to depart as a free agent, which means that with the starting job comes the added pressure to succeed. As the #1 pick in the draft the pressure already comes with the job. But more importantly if Manning gets hurt the Giants don't have any proven players behind him. Jesse Palmer's claim to fame is being on the Bachelor not anything he's done on the field as a Giant. Tim Hasselbeck has been ok in limited action as a starter. Jared Lorenzen didn't even last through training camp a year ago, but he returns a svelte 45 lbs lighter and he could have a future with the Giants as a backup if he can keep up his conditioning and work hard in the preseason.

RB: The biggest question that every fantasy owner wants answered going into camp is what will Tom Coughlin do when the Giants get near the goal line? Tiki Barber is 30 years old and doesn't have the ideal size or strength to be used in that capacity along with being a featured back touching the ball 25+ times a game. Yet it hasn't stopped Tiki from being productive in that area in the past couple years. Barber scored 15 TDs last year and 38 over the last three years. In 2003 he dipped downward to 7 scores with 5 coming on receptions. In five seasons as the Giants featured back (including his first two when he shared the ball with Ron Dayne) Barber has 54 TDs. It's hard to predict a precipitous fall in that area for Barber, but the Giants drafted behemoth RB Brandon Jacobs with an eye towards him filling that goal line role. Even if Jacobs vultures some TDs, Barber remains a strong bet to produce 1,600 to 2,000 total yards and he's still a decent #1 fantasy back, if not a stellar #2. Watch the Giants exhibition games and tendencies near the goal line. If Jacobs proves to be the goal line runner that Dayne wasn't, then Barber's value could slide a bit. The other backs are Mike Cloud, a veteran holdover, and Derrick Ward, a second year back with some potential but little experience.

WR: By signing Plaxico Burress the Giants significantly improved their starting lineup. For fantasy purposes everyone automatically assumes Burress will emerge as the team #1 fantasy WR. As a result the veteran Amani Toomer, a player who turns 31 but has 5 consecutive 1,000 yards seasons under his belt up until last year, is flying underneath the radar as a strong middle to late round sleeper. Toomer's never been a big red zone threat but he's consistently caught 5 to 8 TDs over a 6 year stretch. For all of Burress' hoopla he's really not been much of a red zone threat either scoring no more than 7 TDs but no less than 4 TDs in his 4 years as a starter. The biggest contribution Burress is likely to make is as a deep threat. He should be able to use his 6' 5" frame to shield defenders and secure the football. Toomer is much more likely to be open on intermediate or short passing routes so it shouldn't come as a surprise if he catches more passes than Burress and produces similar yardage and TD totals. Of course the main detractor to both WRs is the likelihood that Tiki Barber and Jeremy Shockey will catch 50+ calls each.

TE: Shockey could easily become the team's top target in the red zone and on third downs. Shockey didn't work out with the team during the offseason but did reportedly work as hard as he's ever worked down in Miami with his former "U" teammates. Shockey simply needs to stay healthy. If he can do that he's very likely to be among the top 3 to 5 fantasy TEs again and become Eli Manning's top red zone target. The Giants don’t figure to use many other receivers unless Burress or Toomer get hurt.  Jamaar Taylor has promising size and speed, but entering his 2nd year it's questionable whether he can make any contributions or not. David Tyree is a Pro Bowl special teams demon, but he's not as likely to become a significant part of the Giants offense unless there's a rash of injuries to Willie Ponder, Taylor or Tim Carter. Ponder and Taylor are probably the front-runners in the competition for the team 3rd WR spot. If Tim Carter could stay healthy long enough to lace up his shoes, he would deserve some consideration, too.

Defense: The Giants defense took some major hits in 2004. With Michael Strahan, Shaun Williams, Gibril Wilson, Barrett Green and other players injured they simply did all they could to stop the bleeding. Osi Umenyiora emerged as a viable pass rusher opposite Strahan and the team drafted DE Justin Tuck to add depth and an insurance policy against injuries taking their toll again. The team hopes DT William Joseph will develop, too. MLB Antonio Pierce was signed via free agency to start and the Giants hope to get more production from their returning pair of corners Will Allen and William Peterson. Both are decent in coverage, but neither has proven to be much of a ball hawk. The Giants defense might not have much value in '05, but there's always a chance. If the D-line stays healthy and plays well everything else becomes a tad easier, but Strahan is getting up in age and the interior of the line looks questionable. If they regress as a unit, then look for more pressure and potentially more stats for Eli Manning and the Giants offense.

Special Teams: The Giants acquired former Falcon free agent PK Jay Feely this off-season. David Kimball is still trying to land a job as a kickoff specialist; however it won’t be with the Giants since that is also one of Feely’s strengths. Kickoff returns will probably once again be a committee affair, featuring WR Willie Ponder, RB Derrick Ward, and RB Michael Cloud. SS Diamond Ferri and RB Lamont Brightful should also see some practice time during preseason. After a lackluster 2004, WR Mark Jones’ hold on the punt return position is tenuous at best. He’ll be challenged by CB Curtis DeLoatch, Ponder, and Brightful. Tom Coughlin said he’ll even give WR Amani Toomer a look.

Giants Depth Chart
QB Eli Manning, Jesse Palmer, Tim Hasselbeck, Jared Lorenzen
RB Tiki Barber (3RB), Brandon Jacobs, Mike Cloud, Derrick Ward (KR), Ryan Grant
FB Jim Finn, Luke Lawton
WR Amani Toomer, Plaxico Burress, Jamaar Taylor, Willie Ponder (KR), David Tyree, Tim Carter, Mark Jones (PR), Ataveus Cash, Brandon Smith
TE Jeremy Shockey, Vishante Shiancoe, Chris Luzar, Victor Sesay, Darius Williams, Wade Fletcher
K Jay Feely, David Kimball
DE Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Raheem Orr, Eric Moore, Brett Eddins
DT Fred Robbins, William Joseph, Damane Duckett, Kendrick Clancy, Davern Williams, Kenderick Allen, Ahmad Childress
MLB Antonio Pierce (W/M), Kevin Lewis
OLB Carlos Emmons (S), Barrett Green (W), Reggie Torbor (S), Nick Greisen (W) (RFA), Jim Maxwell (S), T.J. Hollowell (W), Derrick Wake
CB Will Allen, William Peterson, Corey Webster, Frank Walker, Curtis Deloatch, Lamont Brightful, Art Thomas, Michael Bragg
S Gibril Wilson (FS), Shaun Williams (SS), Brent Alexander (SS), Curry Burns (FS), Jack Brewer (FS), James Butler

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New York Jets

QB: Training camp is upon us and it's still a bit unclear just how ready Chad Pennington will be throwing on a daily basis. His rehabilitated shoulder has shown steady improvement in the past few weeks, we wouldn't be surprised if the Jets take it slow with him and not give him a real test until the 3rd or 4th exhibition game when starters typically get more playing time. The Jets are counting heavily on him to help them take the next step in 2005. Pennington will be playing in a new offensive system as offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger joins the team after previous stints with Tennessee and Denver. Pennington will also welcome a former teammate back into the fold. Laveranues Coles is back for a 2nd go with the Jets after playing a couple of season in Washington. Other factors that may effect Pennington include the loss of RT Kareem McKenzie. Adrian Jones is being counted on to replace McKenzie but don't be surprised if there's a drop in the offensive line's play this year. Pennington may utilize his TEs more frequently than in year's past, too. Heimerdinger is well known for getting TEs or H-backs involved in the short passing game, but he's also apt to take more chances deep and open up the offense compared to his predecessor Paul Hackett. That may work for or against Pennington, who doesn't throw a great deep ball or have a lot of zip on his passes. On the other hand, Pennington is accurate and consistent with good touch on the short and intermediate timing routes. Keep an eye on how he looks in 'Dinger's offense as he gets more game action as the preseason rolls along. If Pennington's shoulder isn't sound or he suffers another injury, the Jets should be slightly better off having Jay Fiedler as the backup. Fiedler is what he is - a veteran QB who probably won't win you many games on his own good play, but he can provide steady play and keep the offense going in Pennington's absence.

RB: There are few backs in league history that have withstood the test of time like Curtis Martin. At the ripe age of 31 Martin led the league in rushing with 1,697 yards carrying the football an astounding 371 times. He appeared to be slowing down in recent seasons only to regain the extra hop in his step in '04 and prove just how valuable he is to the Jets offense. Heading into training camp this year it'll be interesting to see how much works Herman Edwards gives Martin. He may be more apt to play Derrick Blaylock (signed from the Chiefs) or rookie Cedric Houston (6th round pick) to see how well they can fit into the offense. One thing is for sure - it's almost a guarantee that Martin won't be able to handle another 371 carry season and stay healthy for 16 games. Rarely, if ever, has a RB handled that type of a load in consecutive seasons much less a back who will be 32 years old - usually an age where the flashing light starts blinking and screaming "caveat emptor". But we're not talking about just any back here. We're talking about Curtis Martin. Since LaMont Jordan left via free agency, Derrick Blaylock would be the primary back if Martin is out for any length of time. Rookie Cedric Houston may be a sleeper down the road, especially if he can control a thyroid condition that caused his draft stock to slip into the 6th round.

WR: Laveranues Coles is back and should lead the team in receptions, yards and perhaps TDs, though he's never been much of a red zone target or threat. That honor could come from Justin McCareins or the venerable flashlight himself - Wayne Chrebet. Despite concussion problems and being undersized, Chrebet remains in the picture. He's still arguably the toughest WR on the roster and his sure hands and reliability on third downs keep him employed. He'll be pushed hard by Jerricho Cotchery for the 3rd WR job in camp. Jonathan Carter figures to be the team's 4th WR where he can use his great speed to be a downfield threat and stretch the field. Cotchery deserves a long look and could emerge as a starter in 2006. He adds good size and hands but needs to keep working on the rest of his game before he's going to supplant Chrebet and earn a more significant role. As for the starters, Coles and McCareins are solid. Coles is no longer the speed merchant he was coming out of Florida State having struggled with turf toe problems for the better part of the last two seasons. He's developed into a solid possession WR but if he could get back to the same level he played at before leaving the Jets, then Pennington and Coles will be a great QB to WR combo. McCareins is one of the hardest working players on the team. He's a solid #2 and he could improve in 2005 with Coles playing on the other side.

TE: The Jets acquired Doug Jolley from the Raiders to pair with holdover Chris Baker, who backed up Anthony Becht for the past several years. Jolley and Baker both figure to get more targets than the Jets TEs did in previous seasons. Jolley could reprise sort of a Frank Wycheck role and he could be a breakthrough fantasy TE capable of catching 35 passes. If not, Baker could become an even bigger sleeper if Jolley stumbles or gets hurt. Rookie Joel Dreesen is similar to Jolley, a classic H-back type of TE who is better utilized as a receiver than an in-line blocker. He could push for playing time immediately or emerge down the road in Heimerdinger's system.

Defense: The Jets defense made big strides in 2004 with the addition of super rookie LB Jonathan Vilma and the emergence of DT Dewayne Robertson. If John Abraham holds out the defense will take a hit, but if he's on the field the Jets defense could among the elite groups in 2005. The Jets have a solid pass rush, but only if Abraham is in the mix. Their LB corps is full of talent and their secondary might be on the verge of becoming a positive influence instead of a potential weakness. Donnie Abraham retired, but the Jets have reportedly offered free agent CB Ty Law a lucrative contract offer to join the team. David Barrett is solid and Justin Miller was drafted to add youth, talent and depth. Additionally, 2nd year corner Derrick Straight should be better and the Jets acquired Pete Hunter as another insurance policy and additional depth. If this unit stays healthy, adds Ty Law and gets a full season out of John Abraham they could easily be a top 10 fantasy defense especially playing Buffalo (Losman) and Miami (Frerotte/Feeley) twice each.

Special Teams: As a kicker drafted in the second round and a player for a large media market team, Mike Nugent will be under intense scrutiny this preseason (and all year for that matter). He has looked impressive early on in camp. "He can onside kick. He's accurate. He's athletic. He's been very good,” said Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff. The Jets also used the draft to procure a KR/PR specialist. CB Justin Miller steps into the role after excelling at Clemson. WR Jerricho Cotchery, RB Derrick Blaylock, and WR Jonathan Carter are a trio of capable backups on kickoff returns. WR Justin McCareins and Carter will handle backup punt return duties. Although it doesn’t have much fantasy impact, Australian punter Ben Graham has been turning heads in camp.

Jets Depth Chart
QB Chad Pennington (inj), Jay Fiedler, Brooks Bollinger
RB Curtis Martin, Derrick Blaylock, Cedric Houston, Josh Davis, Delvin Joyce, Little John Flowers, Vick King
FB Jerald Sewell, B.J. Askew
WR Laveranues Coles, Justin McCareins, Wayne Chrebet, Jonathan Carter, Jerricho Cotchery, Chas Gessner, Harry Williams, Brock Ralph, Terrence Stubbs
TE Doug Jolley, Chris Baker, Joel Dreesen, Matt Chila
K Mike Nugent
DE John Abraham (W) (UFA-F), Shaun Ellis, Bryan Thomas, Trevor Johnson, Radell Lockhart, Joey Evans
DT Dewayne Robertson (DE), Lance Legree (NT), Sione Pouha, James Reed, Alan Harper, Tim McGill (NT)
MLB Jonathan Vilma, Barry Gardner, Kenyatta Wright
OLB Eric Barton (W/J), Victor Hobson (S), Mark Brown (S), Darrell McClover (W/J), Eric Mahl
CB David Barrett, Justin Miller, Derrick Straight, Ray Mickens, Pete Hunter, Darrien Johnson, Andrew Davison, Roosevelt Williams, Brandon Haw
S Erik Coleman (FS), Rashad Washington (SS), Jon McGraw (FS), Oliver Celestin, Kerry Rhodes (FS), Andre Maddox (SS), Derek Pagel, James Taylor

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Oakland Raiders

QB: Kerry Collins enters this season as the unquestioned starter with perhaps the league's most dangerous set of receivers. The addition of Randy Moss could single-handedly bump Kerry Collins into the realm of top 10 fantasy QBs. Talk about the Randy Ratio all you want, but that's the only thing you really need to know about what type of effect Moss has on a team. Collins will still suffer from the same problems that have plagued his entire career: his tendency to throw into coverage, inability to elude the pass rush and turning over the football. If the Raiders intend on having a vertical attack with deep pass route, let's hope the Raiders young line is up to the task because Collins isn't the kind of QB to make plays on his own. In fact, if he's under pressure having Moss can only help so much. It's more likely the Raiders line will improve and those problems will be more easily overlooked when he's throwing bombs to Randy Moss, Jerry Porter and Ronald Curry. Collins should also benefit from an improved running game. LaMont Jordan might be as much of an impact player to the Raiders as Moss. The combination of the two should be profound, especially if the defense isn't quite ready to actually stop anyone. The Raiders play in a super talented offensive division that consists of Denver, KC and San Diego, so the need for the Raiders to throw the ball will be significant. Collins seems like a great candidate to outperform last year's production, but his value is tempered by the fact that many folks are over-inflating the Moss value and selecting him too early. Collins could be a difference maker in many leagues, but the impact isn't as great if you take him 2 or 3 rounds earlier than you need to. If Collins goes down the Raiders would turn to Marques Tuiasosopo or possibly even their third round pick Andrew Walter, a big guy with a live arm who is coming off injuries that limited his performance in college. Walter needs to develop if he's going to be a pro QB, but his size and talents seem like a natural fit and the Raiders could groom him into an eventual starter. Tuiasosopo figures to be the primary backup going into training camp. He suffered a season-ending injury the last opportunity he had to start. He's healthy again and brings good athleticism, running skills and relative experience. Watch how these two guys perform in the preseason because Collins could get hurt making one of these guys a waiver wire diamond in the rough.

RB: It's every fantasy owners hope that the arrival of LaMont Jordan means an end to any notion of a RB by committee. Jordan has everything you look for in a back. He's got good size, decent speed, power to run inside and the ability to get outside as well. He's a decent receiver and good in short yardage situations. Oh yeah, and he doesn't have a lot of mileage but a lot of experience on his resume. Playing behind the Raiders young but improving offensive line in Norv Turner's offense means Jordan has the potential to be a great fantasy back, not just a good one. Keep an eye on Jordan's production in the preseason. He should be utilized in every facet of the game this year with the only real worry being Zack Crockett taking the goal line carries occasionally. Justin Fargas is in his third season with the Raiders having never made an impact despite his good speed and athleticism. He's constantly hurt and would likely struggle to make the roster if the Raiders had any other viable options on the roster. Jordan is expected to get a lot of touches this year and if he stays healthy, he could sneak into the top 15 fantasy backs. The risk is the Raiders defense is awful, so the Raiders may not run the ball a lot (like last year).  Additionally their  young offensive line may not be ready to power a strong running game. Norv Turner has traditionally had a consistently good ground game in his previous coaching stops. The Raiders hand picked Jordan so we expect him to be successful in this offense.

WR: Randy Moss brings an awful lot to the table as a player. Unfortunately, he also brings a lot of baggage and the scrutiny of the media and press. Moss will add to the team's bottom line without question, but with that notoriety comes other fallout as well. Al Davis is used to it though, so this seems like a match made in heaven. Moss has a strong-armed QB to get him the rock and a couple of worthy players to keep defenses from focusing too much energy on him. Single cover Jerry Porter and most defenses will have problems there. Leave Ronald Curry alone in the slot and there is going to be problems. Leave Randy in single coverage and you DEFINITELY have problems there. The thing to watch in training camp is how the Raiders perform in the red zone throwing the football. Collins has traditionally been weak in that area. That might affect Moss more than anyone since he's always been a red zone maven. It probably will be a case where Moss helps Collins improve his red zone efficiency while Collins may limit Moss to a slight degree. Don't be surprised if Porter and Curry become more open in the red zone and more productive either. Beyond the top three spots,  Doug Gabriel, Alvis Whitted, Carlos Francis and Johnnie Morant will battle for the final roster spots. Francis is small but extremely fast and coming off an ACL tear that ended his rookie season. Morant is a big receiver with some potential but he didn't make any contributions as a rookie. Gabriel earned some playing time last year offering some size and speed, but he's still developing and needs to improve and become more consistent.

TE: The Raiders dealt Doug Jolley to the Jets freeing up the starting job for 2nd year Courtney Anderson. Teyo Johnson will compete for the job as well. Teyo has  reportedly lost 10 or more pounds to get in better shape and push for a starting job. Anderson broke into the lineup as a rookie before suffering a season ending knee injury. He is probably the best player in terms of being able to both block and get open and catch passes. Johnson is a gifted receiver but he's not a good blocker. Josh Norman is a steady backup for depth and Ricky Dudley re-signed after playing in Tampa for several years. He's not likely to offer much at this point, but he's a reasonable backup. Anderson is a sleeper, but so is Johnson, as each player is capable of being a nuisance to defenses in the deep middle. With Moss, Porter, Curry and Jordan to worry about one of these TEs could become a solid fantasy contributor constantly facing single coverage against a smaller safety or linebacker.

Defense: This is the biggest question mark on the team. Last year they couldn't stop anyone. They played matador defense. Ole! In their second year under Rob Ryan they're reportedly grasping things a lot better. If minicamps and glowing coach-speak are any indication then their front seven will improve and their secondary will be fine despite dealing Philip Buchanon. Stuart Schweigert appears poised to breakthrough at the safety position while there will be adequate pressure on Nnamdi Asomugha to hold up in coverage opposite Charles Woodson. The biggest problem last year was stopping the run and getting after the QB. They did neither very well. They signed Derrick Burgess to play DE and added former Falcons DT Ed Jasper to help against the run. The Raiders have some talent on their defensive line but they might not have the right personnel to do what they want with this scheme. Their linebackers fall into the same category and they dealt Napoleon Harris to obtain Randy Moss. Don't expect this unit to be a great fantasy producer in 2005, but if they improve and the coach-speak we're hearing looks like reality in exhibition games then bump them up into the sleeper category for draft day.

Special Teams: We know that Sebastian Janikowski can kick. The only question is can he avoid off the field distractions once again this year. Last year was the first that he didn’t have a run in with the law since 1997. WR Doug Gabriel has led the team in KRs the last two years and is the frontrunner again this year. WR Carlos Francis, RB Justin Fargas, and CB Fabian Washington will attempt to unseat him. RB Lamont Jordan is a last resort at KR since he should be quite busy on offense. The departure of Philip Buchanon leaves an opening at the punt returner position. The contenders are Gabriel, Francis, Washington, CB Stanford Routt and possibly WR Ronald Curry and CB Charles Woodson.

Raiders Depth Chart
QB Kerry Collins, Marques Tuiasosopo, Andrew Walter, David Rivers, Brent Engmann
RB Lamont Jordan, Justin Fargas, DeJuan Green
FB Zack Crockett (SD), Chris Hetherington
WR Randy Moss, Jerry Porter, Ron Curry (PR), Doug Gabriel, Alvis Whitted, Johnnie Morant, Carlos Francis, John Stone
TE Courtney Anderson, Teyo Johnson, Josh Norman, Ricky Dudley
K Sebastian Janikowski
DE Derrick Burgess, Bobby Hamilton, Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, Grant Irons, Mark Word
DT Ted Washington (NT), Warren Sapp, Ed Jasper, Tommy Kelly, Anttaj Hawthorne, Terdell Sands (NT), Kenny Smith, Lorn Mayers
MLB Danny Clark, Tim Johnson, Kirk Morrison, Jay Foreman, Maugaula Tuitele
OLB Sam Williams (S), Tyler Brayton, Marquis Smith (W), DeLawrence Grant, Edward Thomas (S), Ryan Riddle
CB Charles Woodson, Nnamdi Asomugha, Fabian Washington, Renaldo Hill, Denard Walker, Stanford Routt, Brock Williams
S Stuart Schweigert (FS), Derrick Gibson (SS), Marques Anderson (SS/FS), Jarrod Cooper (FS), Keyon Nash (FS), Kevin Curtis (FS)

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Philadelphia Eagles

QB:  Donovan McNabb enters camp primed to once again be one of the top 3 or 4 fantasy QBs in the league. However, much of his value hinges on whatever happens with Terrell Owens. McNabb with Owens nearly guarantees performance as a top 3 fantasy QB.  McNabb without Owens means he could still be a top 3 QB, but he could also be merely a good fantasy QB in the top 10 range. Regardless, Donnie Mack is the heart and soul of the Eagles team and the undisputed leader in the huddle - puking or not. If McNabb were to get hurt again it looks like the Eagles may turn to recently signed Mike McMahon. And that might be a huge mistake. McMahon couldn't throw the ball into the ocean if he were standing on the beach. He's a very good runner as a QB goes but he's extremely inaccurate and frequently makes bad decisions. Koy Detmer and Andy Hall are still on the roster and will provide McMahon some much needed competition.

RB: Brian Westbrook enters camp playing under the 1 year contract tender offer. The Eagles and Westbrook appear to be working towards a long term contract, but there doesn't seem to be anything happening soon on that front. Westbrook looked like he'd report to camp but the situation bears watching as he’s still not with his teammates. Westbrook figures to lose some touches this year especially if the Eagles want to keep him healthy and fresh for another Super Bowl run. That means Correll Buckhalter, back again from a torn ACL, is the first back in line to inherit a decent amount of carries. Buckhalter just might reprise his role in the previously used three-headed monster with Staley and Westbrook. Buckhalter could be useful for 10 or more carries a game, but if he's not up to the task look for third round pick Ryan Moats to get a shot. Moats is a player to watch in game. He's small and versatile like Westbrook. Reno Mahe returns and he'll also compete with Moats for a backup spot. Mahe, Moats and Westbrook are like the three amigos in that all three can catch the ball well but none seem to be big enough to be a true feature back.

WR: What happens with the Eagles WR corps entirely depends on whatever Terrell Owens is thinking or feeling like at the given moment. Owens reported to camp, but he won't be happy until he gets a new contract. We'll see how this goes down, but it doesn't have the sound of something that ends well. Who knows? Maybe once in camp and the whole thing will blow over, but it's extremely doubtful. Opposite Owens will probably be Todd Pinkston again. Pinkston's hold on the job would seem to be tenuous at best. Greg Lewis is a promising young receiver who signed a contract extension and figures to stick around a while. Lewis seems like a natural fit in the slot. He's dependable on the short underneath routes and adds good speed to the group. Reggie Brown was drafted in the 2nd round to push Pinkston and hopefully supplant him. Brown has some playmaking skills and offers good size. There's a small chance Brown could emerge in training camp as a potential starter, but much depends on how he, Pinkston and Lewis perform in the preseason games. Another player on the bubble is Billy McMullen. He's a big possession receiver who isn't able to gain separation in the NFL and he's simply not developing as the team hoped he would.

TE: L.J. Smith looks like he's ready to emerge as a strong fantasy sleeper. Chad Lewis is still retired for the moment leaving Smith as the unquestioned starter with nobody proven behind him. If the Eagles don't make any roster moves during camp look for James Whalen in training camp as a possible deep sleeper. Whalen has always been able to catch the football and get open, but he's never been much of anything else. He's the only other player with any real experience here, so if Smith gets hurt the Eagles are in trouble and may be forced to use more spread formations.

Defense: The Eagles defense took a big hit when Jerome McDougle was shot in the abdomen in his car in Florida. He's recovering now, but the Eagles were hoping their former 1st round pick would finally be ready to turn the corner and emerge as a viable starter opposite the freak Jevon Kearse. Look for ND Kalu and Hugh Douglas to once again play more than they should. Another big concern is DT Corey Simon. If he reports to camp and plays under the 1 year franchise tag offer it's all good, but if he balks or holds out the Eagles defensive line takes another big hit. Luckily, the Eagles have pretty good depth at both positions, but they would prefer to have their best players, too. The LB corps remains mostly intact and their secondary, too. Look for another strong defensive effort from the Eagles in 2005, probably somewhere between the top 5 and top 10.

Special Teams: PK David Akers has the second best kicker scoring streak in the NFL (in the top ten for five consecutive years). Jimmy Kibble is in camp to help keep Akers from getting over worked. CB Roderick Hood will take over the top KR position, since J.R. Reed suffered a severe leg injury during an offseason fence climbing accident. Candidates for backups include RB Correll Buckhalter, RB Bruce Perry, CB Dexter Wynn, and/or RB Reno Mahe. Dexter Wynn is the frontrunner to return punts after a decent second half in 2004. Reno Mahe was the starter at the beginning of last year and will provide backup this year. RB Brian Westbrook is the most talented PR on the team; however the Eagles will probably once gain save him for offense and the playoffs.

Eagles Depth Chart
QB Donovan McNabb, Mike McMahon, Koy Detmer, Andy Hall
RB Brian Westbrook (3RB), Correll Buckhalter, Ryan Moats, Reno Mahe (3RB/PR), Bruce Perry, Eric McCoo
FB Josh Parry, John Ritchie, Thomas Tapeh
WR Terrell Owens, Todd Pinkston, Greg Lewis, Reggie Brown, Billy McMullen, Justin Jenkins, Robert Redd, Carlos Perez, Isaac West, Chauncey Stovall, Grant Adams, Jared Jones, Jason Peebler
TE L.J. Smith, James Whalen, Mike Bartrum (LS), Steven Spach, Andy Thorn
K David Akers
DE Jevon Kearse, Jerome McDougle, Ndukwe Kalu, Hugh Douglas, Jamaal Green, Trent Cole
DT Corey Simon, Darwin Walker, Sam Rayburn, Mike Patterson, Hollis Thomas, Paul Grasmanis, Norman Heuer, Keyonta Marshall
MLB Jeremiah Trotter, Mike Labinjo, David Bergeron
OLB Dhani Jones (S), Mark Simoneau (W/M), Keith Adams (W), Matt McCoy, Jason Short (S)
CB Lito Sheppard, Sheldon Brown, Roderick Hood (KR), Matt Ware, Dexter Wynn
S Brian Dawkins (FS), Michael Lewis (SS), J.R. Reed (FS) (KR) (inj), Quintin Mikell (SS), Sean Considine (FS)

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Pittsburgh Steelers

QB: Ben Roethlisberger outperformed everybody's expectations last year. He did a tremendous job despite playing with a limited playbook and not fully knowing how to read an NFL defense properly. Big Ben enters this year having lost his #1 target for the deep ball in Plaxico Burress to free agency while his other top target (Hines Ward) holds out for a contract extension. Neither of these things bode well for Ben in 2005.  Additionally, the Steelers prefer to be a run first, play defense style of team. But if the Steelers defense regresses at all and/or the offensive line doesn't maintain it's level of play, there will be much more pressure on Ben to carry the offense. Watch him in training camp to see how he progresses. Teams will throw more blitzes at him this year and he'll need to respond favorably and adjust or he'll continue to see the same thing every week. If the Steelers are forced into passing situations more often than last year then it will be more difficult for the team to protect him. It's important for Ben to take the next step, see the field better and know what to do in those situations better. Backing up Roethlisberger is the Steelers’ previous starter Tommy Maddox. He's a great backup to have considering he's started and ran the same offense they are using now. Behind Maddox is Charlie Batch and Brian St. Pierre. Batch would seem to have the upper hand if he's healthy, but St. Pierre is younger and fits the mold of a #3 perhaps a little better.

RB: The Steelers had one of the top running games in the NFL a year ago. For that to continue there are two things the Steelers need to have happen in 2005. First, the offensive line must continue to play at a high level despite losing both starters on the right side of the line. Second, the combination of Duce Staley and Jerome Bettis must not only stay healthy but be productive. If the line play falters it makes it more difficult for the backs to produce at the same level. Duce Staley enters camp as the starter - the same as last year. When healthy, Staley remains an effective runner with great balance and elusiveness, but with limited speed. Staley is 30 years old and Bettis is 32. The Steelers will use training camp to see if Willie Parker might be able to handle a bigger workload if injuries strike. He performed very well last year in the last week of the season. He is the fastest back in the stable and has some big play potential. The rest of his game is under development. Verron Haynes can play fullback or running back. He served as a third down back last year and gives the team a bigger option who can run well between the tackles and provide good depth. The Steelers appear to be well stocked, but keep an eye on Parker during training camp. If he breaks off some long TD runs add him to your short list of players who could emerge mid-season and produce starter-quality numbers.

WR: Hines Ward isn't in training camp yet. Ward and the Steelers seemed to be close to a contract extension, but Ward turned down an offer that would have made him the highest paid Steeler, but not among the highest paid WRs in the league - his stated goal. This situation needs to get resolved for the Steelers offense to get off on the right foot this year. Ward is a huge part of what the Steelers do and if he misses significant time in camp it could have adverse effects on the entire offense. Ward has great hands, is tenacious as a run blocker and is an excellent red zone weapon. Opposite Ward is one of the training camp's best battles between Antwaan Randle-El and Cedrick Wilson, signed as a free agent from the 49ers. Our money is firmly on Randle-El to win this job. Randle-El should be on everyone's short list of players capable of breaking out in 2005. He could be a legitimate fantasy starter (WR3) but he'll need to beat out Wilson to get a chance. Even if Randle-El is used in the slot he still may be highly productive working against nickel corners. Wilson showed flashes in San Francisco, but he failed to distinguish himself among a fairly poor group of WRs last year. On the flipside, actually having a good QB throwing the ball to him might make a big difference, too.

The Steelers passing attack will certainly look different without Plaxico Burress. Someone will be utilized in the same role which is designed to get deep and make big plays down the field. Randle-El has the ability to get open but both he and Wilson lack the size to be a consistently great deep ball targets.  Rookie Fred Gibson is a player to watch in camp. The team will surely try to see what he can do as a deep threat in exhibition games. Gibson has the size and speed to develop into a starter by 2006, but he could also earn some playing time as a rookie if he outplays Lee Mays in the preseason. Mays remains in the hunt, too. He's got better size than either Wilson or Randle-El, but lacks the polish and seemed to hit the wall in his development last year.

TE: The other big change that might come this year or soon after will involve the usage of TE Heath Miller, the team's first round pick. It's hard to expect great things immediately from Miller as most TEs take some time to develop and few become immediate fantasy weapons. But Miller is highly regarded and was widely viewed as the best of his rookie class. He was the Cavaliers leading receiver and a good red zone target. He could emerge behind current starter Jerame Tuman and give Roethlisberger an excellent target on third downs and in the red zone either this year or next. Watch his development in camp and whether the Steelers make a concerted effort to get him the ball.

Defense: The main concern with the Steelers defense is their ability to cover. They are already stout against the run as their front seven is anchored by NT Casey Hampton (returning from injury) and a talented group of LBs including James Farrior and Joey Porter. Deshea Townsend and Ricardo Colclough should start at corner but keep an eye on rookie Bryant McFadden. Troy Polamalu emerged as a game-changing player from the strong safety position a year ago and he figures to anchor the secondary for years to come. The Steelers promise to be a top fantasy defense once again.

Special Teams: PK Jeff Reed will get to continue demonstrating his ability to kick in Heinz Field, after the Steelers rewarded him with a new five-year contract during the offseason. The primary camp battle to watch for special teams is actually at wide receiver. Antwaan Randle El and Cedrick Wilson will compete to replace Plaxico Burress at the WR2 spot. Both are capable return men (Randle-El more so on punts and Wilson more so on kickoffs). Whoever “loses” the wide receiver competition will probably see more time on returns. CB Ricardo Colclough is also a contender for both KRs and PRs. CB Ike Taylor and rookie WR Fred Gibson will get some practice on kickoff returns to provide backup.

Steelers Depth Chart
QB Ben Roethlisberger, Tommy Maddox, Charlie Batch, Brian St. Pierre
RB Duce Staley (3RB), Jerome Bettis (SD), Verron Haynes (3RB/FB), Willie Parker, Noah Herron, John Kuhn
FB Dan Kreider, Darryl Kennedy, Travis Wilson, Zach Tuiasosopo
WR Hines Ward, Antwaan Randle-El (PR/KR), Cedrick Wilson, Lee Mays (KR), Fred Gibson, Zamir Cobb, Sean Morey, Walter Young, Sam Simmons, Chris Collins, Tavaris Capers, Jake Verstraete, Nate Washington
TE Heath Miller, Jerame Tuman, Matt Kranchick, Walter Rasby, Matt Cushing, Marco Battaglia, John Frieser
K Jeff Reed
DE Kimo von Oelhoffen, Aaron Smith, Travis Kirschke, Brett Keisel, Grant Bowman, Bob Dzvonick, Shaun Nua
NT Casey Hampton, Chris Hoke, Eric Taylor
ILB James Farrior, Larry Foote, Clint Kriewaldt, Dedrick Roper
OLB Joey Porter, Clark Haggans, Alonzo Jackson, James Harrison, Rian Wallace, Matt Farrior
CB Deshea Townsend, Ricardo Colclough, Willie Williams, Bryant McFadden, Ike Taylor, Chidi Iwuoma, Vontez Duff
S Troy Polamalu (SS), Chris Hope (FS), Tyrone Carter (CB), Mike Logan (SS/FS), Russell Stuvaints (SS), Ron Israel (SS)

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St. Louis Rams

QB: One of the biggest concerns Marc Bulger has every year is how well the Rams offensive line will protect him. The Rams drafted Alex Barron in the first round this year to replace problem child Kyle Turley at right tackle. At left tackle Pro Bowler Orlando Pace will be available at the opening of training camp for the first time in years. That bodes well for Bulger who has missed some time in previous years because of injury. Bulger has improved steadily since taking over the reigns from Kurt Warner. He appears to have finally earned Mike Martz's trust. Bulger throws with a nice touch and really seems to be settling into the Rams offense nicely. He's got a great chance to be a top 5 fantasy QB and almost certainly will be among the top 10. Because Bulger has missed games in the past the Rams will pay special attention to their young QBs in training camp. 2nd year QB Jeff Smoker will battle rookie Ryan Fitzpatrick for the third string job - and it's been noted that Fitzpatrick has impressed Martz with his ability to quickly learn and grasp the Rams offense. Yet don't be surprised if both QBs make the roster and Jamie Martin is cut. Martin is a veteran in Martz's system but doesn't offer the upside or youth that the other two guys bring to the table. Martin has been cut and re-signed numerous times in the past so Martz may use that as a possible option once again if he really likes Fitzpatrick's potential and Smoker's progress.

RB: Marshall Faulk is moving aside this year to make way for the Rams first round pick a year ago and future stud Steven Jackson. Jackson, like Faulk, is a dual threat. He's a versatile receiver and a dangerous, punishing runner between the tackles with a great combination of size and speed. Part of Jackson's development has been learning to be patient and not overrun the play. Jackson has all of the tools to emerge as an elite fantasy back either this season or in the future. Just how much of an impact he makes will depend heavily on the role Marshall Faulk plays and if Jackson can stay healthy for a 16 game slate. Faulk figures to remain involved in the offense and could still play a significant role getting around 10 carries and a several looks as a slot receiver each game. That would limit Jackson's touches and put an artificial cap on his fantasy potential. If Faulk doesn't stay healthy, Jackson could blossom into a fantasy monster. Watch what role Faulk seems to be taking on during the preseason because it will ultimately determine how much Jackson breaks out. Backing up those two is Arlen Harris, who was forced into action a couple years ago and performed reasonably well given the situation.

WR: Torry Holt is arguably one of the safest picks at wide receiver in the early rounds. He's grown into the Rams go-to receiver in the red zone, deep balls and on third down and other crucial situations. Few corners can stick with Holt. He runs excellent routes with great speed, quickness and cutting. Another top 5 WR season looks very probable for Holt. Isaac Bruce continues to play at a high level and while he's shown some signs of slowing down in recent years he remains a very productive No. 2 WR. He had a scare during the offseason with an irregular heart beat but has since been cleared to resume playing. If Bruce falters any, look for Kevin Curtis who is waiting in the wings. The Rams No. 3 WR showed signs of developing into a breakout player last year. Curtis and Shaun McDonald both have developed into solid options as the 3rd and 4th receivers, but Curtis seems more likely to emerge as a viable starter. Both have excellent speed and quickness, but Curtis has better size, too. Dane Looker remains on the team and he'll compete with rookie Dante Ridgeway for what might be the last roster spot. Ridgeway has impressed the coaches in recent workouts and could develop into a solid player if the Rams are patient with him. Mike Furrey made the switch from WR to safety.

TE: There's competition among the tight ends this year. Brandon Manumaleuna has been displaced by Roland Williams, who rejoins the team after a couple years. Jerome Collins was drafted in the fifth round and he should get some attention in training camp. Collins might be the best athlete of the group, but will probably take time before he earns a significant role. Down the road, Collins could be a fantasy contributor.

Defense: The Rams defense struggled badly last year. They couldn't stop the run and they struggled against the pass. They desperately need their front four to improve and play consistently at the point of attack. Tony Hargrove might emerge as a solid pass rusher opposite Leonard Little, but the Rams really need Jimmy Kennedy and/or Damione Lewis to live up to their potential as first round picks. Chris Claiborne was signed to start at MLB while Dexter Coakley was added to start at SLB. The front office hopes the infusion of new blood will help their ailing LB corps. WLB Pisa Tinoisamoa was tried at safety briefly in minicamps but was quickly switched back to the weak-side LB. The Rams secondary is a potential trouble spot, too. Adam Archuleta didn't play well last year and is being asked to play free safety, which doesn't play to his strengths. This experiment may not last long. Archuleta will start regardless, but whoever starts opposite him will almost certainly be lacking in experience. Don't expect much out of this group, but they have a potentially decent pass rush and if they can establish that on a consistent basis the other stuff comes a bit easier.

Special Teams: After the 2004 Rams special teams qualified as one of the worst ever, Mike Martz finally acknowledged during the offseason that this facet of the game probably deserves a little attention. PK Jeff Wilkins should have the easiest time rebounding, since he’s done it before. He’ll be spelled during preseason by Remy Hamilton. The competition for the kickoff return spot will include primarily RB Arlen Harris and RB Aveion Cason along with CB Terry Fair, WR Dane Looker, FS Mike Furrey, and possibly RB Steven Jackson. The competition for the punt return spot will include primarily WR Shaun McDonald and CB DeJuan Groce along with Dane Looker and Terry Fair.

Rams Depth Chart
QB Marc Bulger, Jamie Martin, Jeff Smoker, Russ Michna, Ryan Fitzpatrick
RB Steven Jackson, Marshall Faulk, Arlen Harris (KR), Aveion Cason
FB Joey Goodspeed, Madison Hedgecock, Dusty McGrorty (HB)
WR Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Kevin Curtis, Shaun McDonald (PR), Dane Looker, Dante Ridgeway, Michael Coleman, Dominic Robinson, Brandon Middleton, Jeremy Carter, Dominique Thompson
TE Roland Williams, Brandon Manumaleuna (TE/FB), Jerome Collins, Erik Jensen
K Jeff Wilkins, Remy Hamilton
DE Leonard Little, Tony Hargrove, Tyoka Jackson, Vontrell Jamison, Brandon Green, Clifford Dukes
DT Ryan Pickett (NT), Jimmy Kennedy, Brian Howard, Damione Lewis (NT), Jeremy Calahan
MLB Chris Claiborne, Robert Thomas (S), Trev Faulk
OLB Dexter Coakley (S), Pisa Tinoisamoa (W), Brandon Chillar (W), Drew Wahlroos (S), Jeremy Loyd (S), Louis Ayeni (S)
CB Jerametrius Butler, Travis Fisher, DeJuan Groce (inj), Ronald Bartell, Kevin Garrett, Tod McBride, Terry Fair, Corey Ivy, Dwight Anderson, Duvol Thompson
S Adam Archuleta (FS/SS), Oshiomogho Atogwe (FS), Jerome Carter (SS), Michael Stone (FS), Michael Hawthorne (FS/CB), Mike Furrey (FS)

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San Diego Chargers

QB: Drew Brees signed the one year tender and will be a free agent after the season again. He's firmly entrenched as the starter following his magical season in which he emerged as a Pro Bowl caliber QB throwing 27 TDs and just 7 interceptions. Brees needs to have another strong season if the Chargers are going to the playoffs again. Waiting in the wings is 2nd year QB Philip Rivers. The Chargers are obviously grooming him as their future and current franchise QB, but Brees played so well that they balked at turning over the reigns to Rivers without a little more seasoning. If Brees gets hurt, Rivers has the talent surrounding him to be a productive QB. Cleo Lemon is the team's third stringer now that Flutie is gone. Lemon could earn the backup role down the road when Brees leaves, so it's in the team's best interest to give him plenty of looks in camp.

RB: Tomlinson has been so good over the last few years that it's inconceivable to expect anything but another 2,000 combined yards and 15+ TDs. In his first four years as a Charger Tomlinson has a combined 398, 451, 413 and 392 touches (rushing attempts + receptions). Talk about a work horse, Tomlinson is approaching record setting levels when it comes to durability and versatility. The key to everything the Chargers do begins with Tomlinson. Developing a strong group of backs to provide depth and insurance is a must for the Chargers. Jesse Chatman emerged as a capable backup last year but he was recently cut after ballooning to 250 pounds. That leaves the backup duties to Michael Turner, Darren Sproles and possibly Andrew Pinnock. Turner is the back with perhaps the best potential to develop into a starter, though Sproles is a special player in his own right. The all-time leading rusher from Kansas State is small, but incredibly fast, deceptive and elusive. He's got a little Barry Sanders in him. The Chargers are already looking for special ways to get Sproles involved in the offense along with Tomlinson. Sproles will probably debut on special teams, maybe get some third down work and see what happens from there. Pinnock is a big back who can pound the ball between the tackles and also play a little fullback. Fullback Lorenzo Neal returns as the linchpin in the Chargers ground attack.

WR: One starting spot goes to Keenan McCardell, who enters his first training camp with the Chargers. McCardell is 34 now but still the clear No. 1 going into camp. The Chargers invested a second round pick on 6' 5" WR Vincent Jackson who scored 37 TDs while averaging 20 yards per catch in college. Jackson impressed the coaching staff in minicamps and has the size/speed combination to develop into a special player down the road, but he's got a lot to learn as a rookie in the NFL. The competition will probably boil down to Reche Caldwell and Eric Parker. If Caldwell is healthy after suffering a knee injury last year, he'll probably win the job. He showed significant improvement last year before getting hurt and could be a great compliment to McCardell as a deep threat and big play receiver. Parker also has big play ability despite his wiry build. Osgood is probably the best red zone target of the group - at least until Jackson learns the ropes. Osgood is a little slow, but he's a huge target and will see action in three and four WR sets. 

TE: The Chargers are set at the TE position with young Antonio Gates. Gates is currently holding out of camp until he signs a long term contract. The two sides are negotiating and this shouldn't be an ugly situation at all. Gates worked out with the team during the offseason and this is expected to get worked out quickly. Gates broke the NFL record for TEs with 13 TDs in 2004. He's the Chargers’ top receiving threat and I a monster in the redzone. Gates is effective all over the field and particular on deep routes. He's an excellent athlete and creates a huge matchup problem for just about every defense in the league. Backing up Gates are Justin Peele and Ryan Krause. Peele is a decent short-yardage target but doesn't play much. Krause is sort of a WR/TE tweener. If Gates gets hurt, Krause may be a better fantasy option and potential replacement as opposed to Peele.

Defense: Wade Phillips brought the 3-4 scheme to the Chargers and immediately got better results. The Chargers forced 33 turnovers a year ago and played more aggressively as a unit. The Chargers continued to strengthen their defense in the draft by selecting DL Luis Castillo and OLB/DE Shawne Merriman. Merriman is a holdout candidate and appears to be getting off on the wrong foot with the club. He needs to get into camp if he's going make any difference this year. Castillo could be the team's NT of the future. He's incredibly fast, strong and agile for a man his size and will begin playing the end position in the 3-4. Donnie Edwards is the star of the show and continues to be among the best LBs in the game. The secondary is young but quickly improving. Quentin Jammer is physical, he needs to show he can be a trusted cover guy as well. Sammy Davis will push Drayton Florence for the other corner spot. Bhawoh Jue was signed from the Packers to play free safety, but he'll need to beat out Jerry Wilson first. The Chargers improved their depth and added to their ability to make plays. The Chargers look like a middle of the road fantasy defense, but if their front seven come to together and Merriman improves the pass rush, they could be a top 10 unit.

Special Teams: PK Nate Kaeding does not appear to have any lingering trauma from his missed FG in the overtime playoff loss to the Jets. He’s the only kicker in camp but is not worried about getting overworked courtesy of JUGS (the machine used by the Chargers to punt or kick the ball in many drills). Rookie RB Darren Sproles from Kansas State is the early frontrunner to serve as KR/PR specialist. He was drafted for that role and looked very good in minicamp. His competition on kickoff returns will come from CB Drayton Florence, RB Michael Turner, and rookie WR Vincent Jackson. Punt return competitors include Florence, Jackson, and WR Eric Parker.

Chargers Depth Chart
QB Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Cleo Lemon, Craig Ochs, Chris Rix
RB LaDainian Tomlinson, Michael Turner, Darren Sproles (KR), Ahmad Galloway, Cal Murray, Antoineo Harris, Lydell Ross, Ray Perkins
FB Lorenzo Neal, Andrew Pinnock, Matt Pagel, Matthew Tant
WR Keenan McCardell, Eric Parker, Reche Caldwell, Kassim Osgood, Vincent Jackson, Ruvell Martin, Malcolm Floyd, Willie Quinnie, Carl Morris
TE Antonio Gates, Justin Peele, Ryan Krause, Cody McCarty
K Nate Kaeding
DE Igor Olshansky, Jacques Cesaire, Luis Castillo (NT), Adrian Dingle, DeQuincy Scott, Dave Ball, Robert Pollard, Adell Duckett
NT Jamal Williams, Ryon Bingham
ILB Donnie Edwards, Randall Godfrey, Stephen Cooper, Carlos Polk (IR)
OLB Steve Foley (W), Ben Leber (S), Shawne Merriman, Shaun Phillips (S), Matt Wilhelm (W), Jonathan Pollard
CB Quentin Jammer, Drayton Florence, Sammy Davis, Jamar Fletcher, Jonathan Cox, Abraham Elimimian, Gabe Franklin, Markus Curry
S Terrence Kiel (SS), Bhawoh Jue (FS), Jerry Wilson (FS), Hanik Milligan (FS), Clinton Hart (SS), Robb Butler (SS)

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San Francisco 49ers

QB: One of new coach Mike Nolan's first moves was drafting Alex Smith with the 1st overall pick in the draft. Smith will compete with last year's starter Tim Rattay for the starting job. Ken Dorsey may also get into the competition, as he supposedly showed improvement in the offseason program. More realistically, Dorsey and Cody Pickett will compete for the 3rd spot. Pickett is bigger and has more upside from a physical perspective but Dorsey has the edge in terms of experience. Smith will end up starting for the team sooner or later this year. Rattay has never been able to stay healthy and Smith is simply a better player physically. Smith will take time to develop as he played in the shotgun so it shouldn't be a surprise if Rattay wins the job in camp, but loses it due to injury or ineffectiveness.

RB: Kevan Barlow was a disaster a year ago. He was supposed to emerge from the shadow of Garrison Hearst and blossom into one of the league's top young backs. Instead he averaged 3.4 yards per carry behind an offensive line that gave him few opportunities and a largely anemic passing attack. There were a lot of negative factors working against Barlow last year, but the team hopes some of those have been alleviated. The offensive line was bolstered by signing free agent Jonas Jennings to play left tackle and moving Kwame Harris over to right tackle where the team hopes he'll be more effective. Barlow has the ability to be a good back in the league. He's shown it in previous stints, but he needs improved play from the line up front and better quarterbacking to keep defenses honest. Just in case Barlow doesn't pan out the team used a 3rd round pick on Frank Gore, who was setback by two severe knee injuries while playing at the "U". Keep in mind that Gore once started over Clinton Portis. He showed flashes of regaining his big play ability as a senior. Gore can catch the football, but has to prove he can be durable again. Maurice Hicks is a holdover who will compete with Gore for the backup spot. Terry Jackson returns again to provide versatility and depth at both positions. If Barlow stumbles out of the gate again this year, look for the team to give Gore every chance to run away with the job.

WR: The 49ers WR corps is about as wide open as any team in the league. It's also arguably lacking more talent than any other WR corps in the league. The 49ers head into camp with Arnaz Battle and Brandon Lloyd atop the depth charts. Lloyd was a starter last year and outperformed the rest of the 49ers’ WRs. He lacks strength off the line and sometimes gets engulfed by physical corners but he still manages to make big plays and produce highlight reel catches. Battle enters camp as the starter at the "X" position, which is meant to be the team's No. 1 WR. Battle lacks experience but has the size and athletic ability to develop into a good player. He was formerly a QB at Notre Dame before switching to WR. Battle can also contribute as a return man on punts and kicks. The 49ers signed veteran Johnnie Morton to add an experienced player to the group. Morton's close to the end of his career and he may not have much to offer other than playing a supportive role and help mentor the team's young receivers. It wouldn't make sense for the team to bring in Morton as a starter and block one of their promising young receivers from developing. The player with the high expectations might be Rashaun Woods. He was selected in the first round a year ago but did little his rookie season. He lacks ideal speed, but has good quickness and hands. The team hopes he emerges in camp as one of the top three WRs or pushes Lloyd for his starting job. P.J. Fleck is a really small, fragile looking receiver, but he's quick and the team likes him as a potential slot receiver. Rasheed Marshall and Marcus Maxwell were drafted this year. Marshall is a prospect worth watching, too. He played QB at Marshall and has the raw athletic ability and elusiveness to eventually develop into a good player. Derrick Hamilton shows promise but he'll miss the season due to injury.

TE: The 49ers leading receiver a year ago was TE Eric Johnson. He was a beast earlier in the season when it seemed like the 49ers only offensive weapon was him. Johnson can be an incredibly productive receiver, blocks well enough to not be a liability, and figures to once again be a focus in the short passing game. But with a rookie QB and a new offensive system, there's plenty of risk associated to Johnson. He's not among the safest picks in the top 10 TEs and he does have a history of back problems and other injuries. Aaron Walker is a decent blocker as a backup and has pretty good hands. Walker will get some competition from Doug Ziegler and Patrick Estes in camp. Billy Bajema was drafted in the 7th round to add further competition for this group. Bajema and Ziegler are more natural receivers than Estes, but all three will get a chance to prove their worth in the preseason.

Defense: Last year the 49ers defense lost their best player Julian Peterson to injury and everything went downhill from there. Andre Carter wasn't fully healthy and Ahmed Plummer missed almost the whole season as well. The 49ers defense was among the worst in the league. They hope switching to a 3-4 defense will allow them to get more of their better athletes onto the field. Carter will move to an OLB position and the team signed DE Marques Douglas - as he followed Nolan from the Ravens to the bay. The 49ers secondary is suspect even if Plummer is healthy. Mike Rumph will probably switch to FS after not showing he can be a steady corner. If the team can stay healthier this year they have a chance to be average, but it's more likely they'll struggle in their first year under Nolan. Until their offense takes flight under their rookie QB it will be difficult for the defense to be anything better than average.

Special Teams: Unless lightning strikes a third time for PK Joe Nedney, he’ll be the starting kicker on opening day. He appears to be fully recovered from last year’s injury and has been frequently putting the ball in the endzone on kickoffs during practice. PK Kirk Yliniemi is in camp once again after showing some potential last year. WR Arnaz Battle, RB Maurice Hicks, and WR Jason McAddley are the primary competitors for the kickoff return spot. Battle and rookie WR Rasheed Marshall are the leading candidates for punt returner, although both started off the first day of practice poorly by fumbling. Battle’s chance at return work will improve if he slides down the WR depth chart.

49ers Depth Chart
QB Tim Rattay, Alex Smith, Ken Dorsey, Cody Pickett
RB Kevan Barlow, Frank Gore, Maurice Hicks, Terry Jackson, Bobby Purify
FB Fred Beasley, Brian Johnson, Steve Bush
WR Arnaz Battle (KR/PR), Brandon Lloyd, Johnnie Morton, Rashaun Woods, Rasheed Marshall, P.J. Fleck, Marcus Maxwell, Jason McAddley, Fred Amey, Javin Hunter, Derrick Hamilton (inj)
TE Eric Johnson, Aaron Walker, Doug Ziegler, Patrick Estes, Billy Bajema
K Joe Nedney, Kirk Yliniemi, Chance Long
DE Bryant Young, Marques Douglas, Chris Cooper, Tony Brown, Corey Smith, Tony Ficklin
NT Anthony Adams, Isaac Sapoaga, Ronald Fields
ILB Derek Smith, Jeff Ulbrich, Richard Seigler, Saleem Rasheed (S), Max Yates
OLB Julian Peterson (S), Jamie Winborn, Andre Carter, Brandon Moore (S), Andrew Williams, Raymond Wells
CB Ahmed Plummer (inj), Mike Rumph (FS), Shawntae Spencer, Joselio Hanson, Willie Middlebrooks (FS), Derrick Johnson, Daven Holly, Rayshun Reed, Mike Adams, Allan Amundson, Randee Drew
S Tony Parrish (SS), Dwaine Carpenter (FS), Keith Lewis (SS), Arnold Parker (FS)

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Seattle Seahawks

QB: Matt Hasselbeck is the starter and leader of the offense. He's developed into a consistent top 10 fantasy QB, but suffered some injuries and a setback last year. He still has a great offensive line providing protection and one of the league's top running backs to keep defenses at bay, but the Seahawks need to find a suitable No. 2 WR opposite Darrell Jackson since Koren Robinson was cut loose. Hasselbeck needs to develop more consistency and continue to improve in clutch situations. He's accurate and fairly mobile in the pocket, but he could have a more difficult time if Robinson's absence is harder to fill than expected. Seneca Wallace might be the only backup QB in the league with a chance to return punts, too. Wallace is a great athletic talent who has a chance to move up into the No. 2 role now that Trent Dilfer is gone. The Seahawks also drafted David Greene out of Georgia in the 3rd round. Greene may be best characterized by stating that he may not be the most physically blessed QB prospect, but he sure knows how to win. Greene has looked good in minicamps and he'll have a chance to win the backup job if he shows more promise in the preseason than Wallace. 

RB: Shaun Alexander signed his franchise player tag one year tender. The Seahawks offensive line looks like it will once again be among the best in the business making Alexander an awfully good looking option again in 2005. Alexander lost the rushing title by one yard finishing with 1,696 yards and 20 TDs. He'll be playing for a contract again this season. Alexander, like Tomlinson, is a workhorse. In his four seasons as the Seahawks featured back he's touched the ball 353, 354, 368 and 376 times. Notice the slight upward trend? If he can stay healthy, Alexander is a rock solid bet to finish among the top 3 to 5 fantasy backs again in 2005. He's one of the few players with a legitimate chance to be the top fantasy player overall. He's scored an amazingly consistent 16, 18, 16 and 20 TDs, too. If Alexander ever does suffer an injury the team would turn to Maurice Morris and/or Kerry Carter. Morris is a good receiver and can make people miss but he's not ideal in terms of strength and might not be as consistent running between the tackles in extended action. Carter is a bigger back with good all-around skills, but is more active on specials teams at this point. Look for the both players to get extensive action in the preseason along with undrafted rookie free agent Jesse Lumsden. Lumsden broke all sorts of records coming out of Canada and has a chance to make the roster if he shows well in training camp.

WR: The loss of Koren Robinson means Darrell Jackson is now the unquestioned No. 1 WR on the team. Jackson is likely to see may double teams this year, but with few other options at WR we expect he will still get his catches and yards. If somebody emerges at the 2nd and 3rd spots then Jackson and Hasselbeck will both be happy people. Jerome Pathon and Joe Jurevicius were signed as free agents to bolster their depth. Pathon is quick and elusive, but better as a slot WR and not as effective starting on the outside. Jurevicius has also been more of a slot or 4th WR in the past and doesn't have much starting experience to duel upon. Bobby Engram is capable and has filled in as a starter before throughout his career. The key for Engram is staying healthy. The same goes for Jurevicius and to a lesser extent Pathon. The sleeper in the group is young Jerheme Urban. Keep an eye on him for any signs of production in the preseason. Alex Bannister broke his collarbone and will be out a while, but could be back for the early part of the season.  The team may still look to add a veteran WR as the season approaches.

TE: Jerramy Stevens finally seems poised to breakthrough as the Seahawks starting tight end. It didn't hurt when Itula Mili ate himself out of the competition. Mili re-signed but it doesn't look like he'll be much more than a backup this year. Maybe the light finally went on for Stevens. He appears to be in better shape and practicing with more consistency. The coaching staff is happy with his progress and improved dedication. He's got all the physical tools that he needs to be a potential top 10 fantasy TE. Put him at the top of the sleeper list and potential breakout players in 2005. Ryan Hannam is the third string TE who is more of an H-back type lacking strength as a blocker but having some potential as a receiver.

Defense: The Seahawks have a lot of new faces on their defense. They said good bye to their leading sacker Chike Okeafor and tried replacing him with free agent Bryce Fisher. Both players had 8.5 sacks a year ago, so maybe it will be a wash. The Seahawks are looking for big improvement from DT Marcus Tubbs. He could push for a starting job and improve the team's run defense. Jamie Sharper comes to Seattle after being cut by Houston. Sharper upgrades the Seahawks LB corps after losing Chad Brown and Anthony Simmons. The biggest loss was CB Ken Lucas, but the Seahawks moved to shore up that loss by signing Kelly Herndon and Andre Dyson. The Seahawks safety tandem looks quite promising. Hamlin is still getting better and Michael Boulware showed a lot of potential as a rookie. Boulware can play in the box and has a flare for forcing turnovers and creating big plays. The top battle in camp will be Niko Koutouvides, a 2004 4th rounder, competing with 2nd round pick Lofa Tatupu for the MLB job. Tatupu will get every chance in camp to win the job as a rookie. The Seahawks have some decent talent, but their front seven remains a little suspect. If they improve at the point of attack they could be a solid backup defense and occasional starter, but otherwise they're more likely to be middle of the pack to the lower tier of fantasy defenses.

Special Teams: After a decent 2003 rookie year, PK Josh Brown emerged as one of the better kickers in the NFL last year (92.0% on field goals). Rumors from minicamp this year are that he’s improved his distance on kickoffs. RB Maurice Morris is the incumbent primary kickoff returner, although his spot is not cast in stone. RB Kerry Carter, WR Jerome Pathon, RB Marquis Weeks, FB Mack Strong, and WR Taco Wallace could all get a look in preseason. WR Bobby Engram is the primary punt returner, although that role could decrease if his offensive role increases with Koren Robinson gone. Other PR guys include Maurice Morris, QB Seneca Wallace, CB Kris Richard, and Taco Wallace.

Seahawks Depth Chart
QB Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, David Greene, Gibran Hamdan
RB Shaun Alexander, Maurice Morris (3RB/KR), Kerry Carter (FB), Jesse Lumsden, Marquis Weeks
FB Mack Strong, Tony Jackson, Leonard Weaver
WR Darrell Jackson, Bobby Engram, Joe Jurevicius, Jerome Pathon, Jerheme Urban, Alex Bannister (inj), Jason Willis, Taco Wallace, D.J. Hackett
TE Jerramy Stevens, Itula Mili, Ryan Hannam, Caleen Powell
K Josh Brown
DE Grant Wistrom, Bryce Fisher, Antonio Cochran, Kevin Emanuel, Joe Tafoya, Otis Leverette, Christian Mohr
DT Rashad Moore, Cedric Woodard, Marcus Tubbs, Chartric Darby, Rocky Bernard, Ron Smith, Craig Terrill
MLB Niko Koutouvides, Lofa Tatupu, Terrence Robinson
OLB Jamie Sharper (S), D.D. Lewis (W), Solomon Bates (W), Kevin Bentley (S), Isaiah Kacyvenski (S), Leroy Hill, Tracy White (W), Jeb Heckuba, Cornelius Wortham
CB Marcus Trufant, Kelly Herndon, Andre Dyson, Kris Richard, Jordan Babineaux
S Michael Boulware (SS), Ken Hamlin (FS), Terreal Bierria (SS), Marquand Manuel (FS), Omare Lowe (FS), Jammal Brimmer (SS)

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

QB: Brian Griese was rewarded with a nice contract and is the team's starting QB. He is coming off a solid season in which he became the starter in week six and never looked back. Griese went on to throw 20 TDs against 12 INTs with a 97.5 passer rating. He completed an excellent 69.3% of his passes despite working with a rookie receiver and a lot of injured receivers. Chris Simms is the backup. He's a good young player who still has some upside and potential to start at some point. Luke McCown was acquired via trade with Cleveland and he's the likely clipboard holder. The team hopes McCown or Simms will show off their potential in exhibition duty. Simms could lurk as a sleeper in the event Griese gets hurt.

RB: Carnell Williams signed just in time to get in a full training camp. He'll put a lot of pressure on incumbent Michael Pittman, but it's highly probable that both players will get a lot of touches this year. Pittman played well last year but Williams has a chance to be special. Williams may be able to supplant Pittman as the team's starter in training camp but it won't be easy. Pittman is a polished receiver and the team would be foolish not to continue to utilize those talents. What could hurt Pittman further is a healthy Charlie Garner, who is still trying to get back to 100% following a knee injury last season. Garner could put the squeeze on Pittman as a third down back as both players are excellent receivers out of the backfield. Other players who will be competing for roles are Mike Alstott and Rick Razzano. Alstott has never been a great lead blocker, but the team loves the way Razzano hits people. He could put a pinch on Alstott’s roster spot. Fighting for the last roster spot will be Ernest Graham, Ian Smart and Derek Watson. Watson was signed after a good workout for minicamps and is holding onto a spot thus far. Graham seems to have the edge here as he has some experience with the team and knows Gruden's offense by now.

WR: As a rookie Michael Clayton was absolutely superb. He played like a seasoned Pro Bowler from start to finish. He's a big receiver who gives Griese a great target over the middle, underneath or going deep. He should continue to develop and shine as a 2nd year receiver. Gruden's always been known as a very WR friendly offensive coach. If Joey Galloway can stay healthy he could be a serious sleeper. He's expected to start opposite Clayton. Ike Hilliard was signed to be the team's 3rd (slot) receiver, but he'll compete with Edell Shepherd and probably even rookie project Larry Brackins. Hilliard could be a nice find if he, like Galloway, can just stay healthy. Brackins is a huge prep star who went the JUCO route like Joe Horn before making it to the NFL. Gruden raved about his physical skills, but warned he's awfully raw and needs a lot of coaching and work. He's a player who could develop into a starter opposite Clayton giving the Bucs a powerful 1-2 punch down the road. He's been slowed by a hamstring injury going into camp and might be placed on the PUP list until he's ready to practice. As a rookie lacking experience he can't afford to miss practice and needs every snap he can get.

TE: The Bucs revamped their TE position signing veteran Anthony Becht and drafting the athletic Alex Smith out of Stanford in the 3rd round. Smith turned some heads in minicamps and there no reason why he couldn't make a significant contribution as a rookie. Smith is a better receiver than Becht, but Becht has the upper hand in blocking. Gruden likes to use two TE sets and Smith projects to be the perfect pass-catching player to match up with Becht.  Dave Moore, Nate Lawrie and Will Heller round out the rest of the group. Moore just sticks around for long-snapping these days. Lawrie and Heller will likely fight for the last roster spot.

Defense: The Bucs defense took a hit with the losses of S Dwight Smith, LB Ian Gold and DT Chartric Darby. The Bucs will try to replace Smith with former Bucs starter S Dexter Jackson or second year safety Will Allen. Replacing Gold at strong-side backer will be a competition amongst Jeff Gooch, the starter on paper right now, Ryan Nece and Marquis Cooper. Barrett Ruud was drafted to push and supplant Shelton Quarles at MLB. Derrick Brooks, Simeon Rice, Anthony McFarland and Ronde Barber continue to make up the talented core and nucleus of the defense. The Bucs may not be an elite fantasy defense anymore, but they still have solid pass rush and the knack for making big plays and forcing turnovers. They should once again be a solid starter in most leagues.

Special Teams: PKs Matt Bryant and Todd France will compete during the preseason for the kicking job for the Bucs. Bryant is the early leader, as evidenced by a public endorsement from none other than head coach Jon Gruden. CB Torrie Cox should resume his as the main kickoff returner. RB Earnest Graham and RB Ian Smart will compete for the primary backup spot. WR Joey Galloway should once again see the most action on punt returns, although several others could factor into the mix. Ian Smart, rookie RB Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, former NYG WR Ike Hilliard, and WR Michael Clayton are all possibilities.

Buccaneers Depth Chart
QB Brian Griese, Chris Simms, Luke McCown
RB Cadillac Williams, Michael Pittman (3RB), Charlie Garner (inj), Ernest Graham, Ian Smart, Derek Watson
FB Mike Alstott, Jameel Cook, Rick Razzano
WR Michael Clayton, Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard, Edell Shepherd, Larry Brackins, Parris Warren, J.R. Russell, Adrian Madise, DeAndrew Rubin, Derek McCoy
TE Anthony Becht, Alex Smith, Dave Moore, Nate Lawrie, Will Heller
K Matt Bryant, Todd France
DE Simeon Rice, Greg Spires, Dewayne White (DT), Josh Savage
DT Anthony McFarland, Ellis Wyms, Chris Hovan, Anthony Bryant, Damian Gregory, Jon Bradley, Bryan Save, Delbert Cowsette, Lynn McGruder
MLB Shelton Quarles, Barrett Ruud
OLB Derrick Brooks (W), Jeff Gooch (S), Ryan Nece (W), Marquis Cooper (S), Josh Buhl (W), Jermaine Taylor (W), Byron Hardmon, Matt Grootegoed
CB Ronde Barber, Brian Kelly, Torrie Cox, Juran Bolden, Ronyell Whitaker, Blue Adams, Kevin Arbet
S Jermaine Phillips (SS), Will Allen (FS), Dexter Jackson (FS), Donte Nicholson (SS), John Howell (FS), Kalvin Pearson (SS), Eli Ward (FS), Hamza Abdullah (SS)

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Tennessee Titans

QB: Steve McNair remains the leader of the Titans huddle and clubhouse. He's struggled to stay healthy in recent years leading to the emergence of backup Billy Volek. Volek showed the league he's a very capable QB and certainly could be counted on in a starting capacity. Feeling healthy again, McNair likes the refreshing attitude new offensive coordinator Norm Chow adds to the mix. McNair grew frustrated with former OC Mike Heimerdinger, in part because of the coach's reluctance to incorporate rookie TE Ben Troupe more into the offense. McNair is now 32 years old and as recently as this offseason was contemplating retirement following the string of injuries that have sidelined him following his MVP season in 2003. In better shape now, McNair says he feels great and appears ready to bounce back, but he'll have plenty of obstacles to overcome if he's to lead the Titans anywhere near the playoffs in 2005. For starters, the offensive line lost RT Fred Miller and the team will likely be integrating a rookie, 2nd round pick Michael Roos, into the lineup at right guard. The rest of the line looks fairly solid anchored by 34 year old Brad Hopkins, a fixture at left tackle, but missed 5 games a year ago.  The key for everything McNair and the Titans offense plans to do is predicated on this group staying healthy and playing at a high level. For McNair's part, he'll also rely heavily on an inexperienced, unproven group of receivers. WR Drew Bennett is the only established player. The Titans are counting heavily on Tyrone Calico to return from a serious knee injury and regain the form that made them drool over his potential and game-breaking ability in training camp last year. The Titans have a trio of rookie WRs who will be counted on heavily to start, if Calico isn't ready, and play in 3 and 4 WR sets. The Titans defense may turn out to be ok, but on paper there's an awful lot of turnover and question marks that need to be addressed. They've struggled against the pass during the past few years and losing their top cover corner probably won't help address that concern. If the Titans defense doesn't improve McNair's arm will once again be counted on heavily to keep the Titans competitive and win some shootouts.

If McNair falls prey to yet another injury the Titans are once again in great shape. Billy Volek is one of the better backups in the league. He emerged last year as a waiver wire gem and carried a lot of teams over the hump and deep into the playoffs by producing gaudy numbers as a starter. He's not the runner that McNair is/was, but he's accurate, protects the football well and gets rid of the ball quickly. Volek wants to be a starter before too long and the Titans hope they can keep him in the corral until McNair retires giving them a seamless transition with the hope of no setbacks that are typical of such a change. Competing for the third spot are Shane Boyd, Gino Guidugli and Jason White. Marcus Randall played QB in college, but will be tried at defensive back in camp.

RB: The story of the Titans training camp centers around the Titans acquisition of former Bills RB Travis Henry. The long rumored trade finally materialized. Henry not only gives the Titans added insurance for the oft-injured/talented Chris Brown, but he should also push Brown for the starting job.  Travis Henry may cut into his carries and force more of a committee approach. Henry has also struggled with nagging injuries throughout his career, too. Playing both backs may give Jeff Fisher just the right mix to fuel a good ground attack, but more importantly keep both backs on the field and healthy. Brown is recovering from a broken hand suffered in minicamp. He was extremely productive when healthy last year consistently showing the burst and playmaking ability to get to the corner and also breakthrough the front seven and into the secondary on a consistent basis. He averaged a staggering 4.9 yds/carry before being ultimately limited and sidelined with a painful turf toe and hamstring injuries that combined to force him out of 5 games. Henry's addition is crucial considering the Titans didn't bring back veteran Antowain Smith or the versatile Robert Holcomb. Henry is a good receiver who runs with a low pad level and good balance. He'll break tackles and get the tough yards. It's not out of the question that Henry could become the team's short yardage and goal line choice. Henry's struggled at times holding onto the football, so he'll need to keep that under control or Jeff Fisher will be forced to turn to one of his less proven but younger backs including rookie Damien Nash (5th round), Jarrett Payton or undrafted rookie Walter Reyes. Payton played well in Europe and seems dedicated towards making a difference, but his skill set doesn't set him apart from the other backs much, but you have to admire his work ethic and dedication towards improvement. Nash hurt his knee during minicamp and may not be ready during camp, but he's a dark horse who could emerge this year possibly as a quality change-of-pace back. More likely, Brown and Henry will carry the bulk of the running load with Brown being the lead back and Henry possibly eating into his 3rd down and goal line duties. How these two co-exist and what roles they assume will be the central story to the Titans training camp, especially for fantasy purposes.

WR: Drew Bennett is the only proven player among this group. He had a breakout year in 2005 and will need to prove to everyone that he can go it alone without having Derrick Mason opposite him drawing coverage away. Bennett has great size, good hands but average speed. He's a converted QB who's really developed into a playmaker for the Titans. He can get open downfield and does a decent job running shorter and intermediate routes, but he hasn't done it facing double teams yet, so his development into a true No. 1 receiver will be a key to the Titans passing attack in 2005. It would help Bennett and McNair tremendous if Tyrone Calico emerges as a bon-a-fide starter and playmaker, too. Calico was all set to make a splash last year before getting pulled down from behind running a reverse in a preseason game. Jeff Fisher is still probably kicking himself for making that call in an exhibition game, but injuries do happen. Calico is blessed with great size, super speed and good strength. He was considered a project as a rookie, but really caught McNair's fancy a year ago and if he's regained his speed and confidence following knee surgery, then he could really be a difference maker and potentially the Titans best WR. If Calico isn't up to the challenge the Titans will turn towards their three rookies - Courtney Roby, Brandon Jones and Roydell Williams. It's difficult to expect much from any of these guys, but Jones has turned a lot of heads in minicamps and will be a primary focus of all fantasy footballers during the preseason. Jones has good size and body control, but more importantly he seems willing to go over the middle and go after the ball - a quality that is certain to endear himself to McNair and Volek. Roby gives the team excellent speed and he can run after the catch while Williams looks like a potentially good possession receiver who can get open quickly. How well these three play when the pads go on and defenders get more physical will be a tell-tale sign. It's very possible that one could breakthrough by mid-season or earlier, but if Calico answers the bell and puts together a strong preseason, the need for these three to produce will be lessened and they will be worked into the rotation in 3 and 4 WR sets.

TE: The Titans pair of TEs promise to get a lot of targets again this year. Mike Heimerdinger made the tight end position an emphasis of the passing game the past year. He's gone now, but Norm Chow probably won't mess with the offense that much to move away from an area of the team's strength. Chow is known as a creative coordinator but he's also said he'll be sure to tailor the offense to suit the team's best players and keep them involved. That means you can bet that  he'll frequently utilize Erron Kinney and 2nd year star in the making Ben Troupe. Troupe appears ready to blossom into a big-time playmaker at the tight end position after coming on strong in the 2nd half of 2004. Kinney enters the year as the entrenched starter. He also is a capable receiver. With the WR corps having a lot of inexperience and question marks look for Chow to get the most out of these two guys. He'll move Troupe around to gain matchup advantages against LBs and safeties and Kinney will also do some damage in the team's double TE sets. For this to happen though Troupe needs to get back on the field after undergoing foot surgery. He's expected to miss training camp, but is expected to be ready for the start of the season and just might be able to get on the field for the last exhibition game. As such, Kinney should start the season as a strong sleeper and may be consistent producer. As the season progress look for Troupe to develop into a top flight TE who is capable of crashing the top 10 and possibly even higher. If either of these two get hurt the Titans are thin with only rookie Bo Scaife providing depth. He's viewed as more of a H-back but he could be fairly reliable with good hands and the ability to get open underneath on short passing routes.

Defense: Ironically, the Titans defense may be one of the biggest factors for many of the players' fantasy success in 2005. If they regress even further after a poor showing in 2004, McNair, Bennett, Calico, Troupe and Kinney could all big in for potentially big seasons. If they improve more than most people expect then it could be a boon for Chris Brown and/or Travis Henry. Jeff Fisher certainly prefers to run the football, control the clock and play stout defense. Easier said than done though. The Titans defensive line will hold the key to everything. They have a bunch of young players with no proven ability to get after the QB. They have four DEs vying for the two starting jobs. The coaching staff is hopeful that Bo Schobel and Antwan Odom will break through. Free agent Kyle Vanden Bosch has been a pleasant surprise in the offseason program with his hard work and consistent hustle. Albert Haynesworth anchors the run defense. If he can stay healthy and on top of this game everyone else's job will be a little easier. The LB corps is led by Pro Bowler Keith Bulluck, a three down machine with an extra gear. He is a sideline to sideline menace and a true playmaker. The Titans will count on Brad Kassell man the middle, but Rocky Calmus returns from injury and will put some pressure on him to keep the starting job.

The biggest addition comes in the secondary. The Titans used their 1st round pick on PacMan Jones. They may have their hands full here. Jones has already had a couple brushes with Johnny Law. If he can stay out of trouble and work hard in camp, the Titans are hopeful he can be a difference maker, a legitimate cover corner and guy who can take it to the house whenever he touches the football. Andre Woolfolk showed progress in his first two years, but now the pressure is on him to take over the other starting job. If Woolfolk and Jones are up to the task, the Titans defense may surprise a lot of folks. Their safeties could be a strong suit for the defense especially if Tank Williams is healthy and ready to start after a season-ending knee injury. He's not quite there yet, but hopes to be ready for the regular season. Don't expect a top 10 finish this year. There's simply too much youth and inexperience, but Fisher is known for his defensive coaching and he could bring this unit together to at least be a middle of the pack fantasy defense. If not, it will be a long season filled with McNair and quite possibly Volek throwing the ball more than the team would like to see.

Special Teams: The Titans plan to give both kickers, Ola Kimrin and Rob Bironas, equal opportunities throughout preseason. One of the reasons both were signed is their strong leg for kickoffs, although neither was apparent in early practices. Rookie Adam "Pacman" Jones is the likely candidate for KR/PR specialist, assuming he can work himself out of the doghouse. CB Michael "Rabbit" Waddell, rookie WR Courtney Roby, and FB Troy Fleming are other contenders for kickoff return duties. Michael Waddell and rookie WR Brandon Jones will also factor into the punt return equation.

Titans Depth Chart
QB Steve McNair, Billy Volek, Shane Boyd, Gino Guidugli, Jason White
RB Chris Brown (inj),  Travis Henry, Damien Nash (inj), Jarrett Payton, Walter Reyes, Ray Jackson, Joe Smith
FB Troy Fleming (3RB), Robert Douglas
WR Drew Bennett, Tyrone Calico (inj), Brandon Jones, Roydell Williams, Courtney Roby, Vincent Cartwright, Chris Bush
TE Erron Kinney, Ben Troupe (inj), Bo Scaife, Ben Hall
K Ola Kimrin, Rob Bironas
DE Antwan Odom, Travis LaBoy, Bo Schobel, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Shawn Johnson, Derrick Strong
DT Albert Haynesworth, Randy Starks, Rien Long, Jared Clauss, Marcus White
MLB Brad Kassell, Rocky Calmus, Robert Reynolds (S)
OLB Keith Bulluck (W), Peter Sirmon (S) (inj), Rocky Boiman (S) (inj), Cody Spencer (W)
CB Andre Woolfolk, Pacman Jones, Tony Beckham, Rich Gardner, Michael Waddell, Reynaldo Hill
S Lamont Thompson (FS), Tank Williams (SS) (inj), Donnie Nickey (SS), Justin Sandy (SS), Vincent Fuller (FS), Norman LeJeune (FS), Sam Massey (FS), Marcus Randall

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Washington Redskins

QB: The Redskins enter year two of the Joe Gibbs regime with almost as many questions as they had last year. The QB position appeared to be settled last year but Mark Brunell simply didn't have much left in the tank.  Patrick Ramsey is the starter this year, but he needs to prove once and for all that he can be the team's leader. His job is fairly secure for now, but if he doesn't continue to improve and make better decisions with the football then Gibbs could quickly turn to the QB they view as their future - rookie first round pick Jason Campbell. Campbell has drawn comparisons to a young Doug Williams and his role model growing up was Steve McNair. It's hard to expect much out of Campbell if he's thrown into the fire as a rookie, but it's plausible the Redskins could do just that if Ramsey stumbles out of the gate or regresses at any point during the season. Ramsey isn't very mobile, but he's got a gun for an arm. His biggest problem has been not getting rid of the ball quick enough.  It wouldn't be as big of a problem if he were more agile in the pocket, but he's not. Ramsey still could develop into a solid player if he pulls a Drew Brees this year, but it's clear the coaching staff doesn't have a great amount of confidence that he'll turn the corner and be a reliable, long-term answer. That's why they invested so heavily in Campbell, despite having other pressing needs on the team. Campbell also isn't very mobile, but he can throw on the run and move around in the pocket. He's accurate and will get a lot of snaps in training camp as the coaches try to develop him and help him learn how to read NFL defense and adjust to the speed of the game. Brunell looks like he might slide down to the 3rd spot if Campbell plays well in exhibition duty. Brunell is simply holding onto a paycheck at this point. If Ramsey gets hurt, it's almost a foregone conclusion the team would go with Campbell and not Brunell.

RB: As many people expected Clinton Portis wasn't nearly as effective running for the Redskins as he was for the Broncos. In two season in Denver, Portis became one of the league's elite, young RBs averaging well over 5 yard per carry. However, in his first full season in Washington Portis saw his average drop below 4 yards per carry - sort of the Mendoza line for RB production in the NFL. Portis was on the record stating he wasn't as comfortable playing in the Redskins scheme. In his return to the NFL Gibbs took some heat for running a mostly lethargic offense that seemed dated and didn't get the most out of Portis and his game-breaking home run ability. That may change in 2005, but everyone will be looking for signs that this is not just coach speak in training camp. The Redskins are said to be implementing the stretch play that Portis was so effective with in Denver. It allowed Portis to slide and pick his hole to maximize his burst, cutting and ability to get into a defense's second level more consistently. The Redskins will be simplifying the playbook, too. Reducing the amount of motion, shifting and change their blocking schemes should theoretically help Portis become more effective. The offensive line has to improve, but they'll get Jon Jansen back from injury and the addition of OL coach Joe Bugel might pay dividends as well. For Portis to bounce back with a strong year, Ramsey also needs to improve. Otherwise he could be facing more eight man fronts defensively and that's just not something that bodes well for a speed merchant like Portis who thrives on getting the ball in the open field. Providing insurance behind Portis is the bigger Ladell Betts. The former Hawkeye RB gives the team a solid receiver out of the backfield who has been worked into the rotation on third downs and occasionally in the red zone as a short yardage guy. The Redskins will utilize Betts more this year giving him a slightly larger role to help keep Portis fresh and healthy later in games. Rock Cartwright returns to provide depth and versatility, but he'll be pushed for a roster spot by rookie Nehemiah Broughton. Both players are tweeners who can play FB or RB, but in Gibb's system the team doesn't use a full back traditionally, so both players need to show they can perform with the rock and catch passes out of the backfield.

WR: On the eve of training camp the Redskins finally bid farewell to WR Rod Gardner, the team's first round pick a few years back. Gardner faded badly last year and it was a foregone conclusion he'd be playing elsewhere this season. Gardner was dealt to Carolina, passed his physical and is no longer in the picture. Replacing Gardner is free agent WR David Patten, who would like to be the team's go-to receiver despite his small stature. Patten has been an explosive playmaker in the past few years for the Patriots, but he's never been asked to be a go-to receiver or be a full-time starter. The problem with having Patten on one side and Santana Moss on the other is the team doesn't have a big, physical receiver to contrast these two smaller, quicker players. Moss and Patten both are capable players who can make plays downfield, but with both players having the same style then it could be difficult for Ramsey to get rid of the ball quicker. The team hopes WR Tyler Jacobs breaks through this year. Jacobs will compete with veterans James Thrash, Darnerian McCants and Kevin Dyson for the last few roster spots. It's questionable if any one of these receivers can improve the Redskins passing game. McCants might not make the roster and Dyson was out of the league last year. Thrash doesn't have much to offer as a starter, so the pressure will be on Jacobs to take the next step and develop into a solid slot WR at the very least. If this group underachieves again in 2005 the Redskins offense is in a world of hurt and that will spill over and affect Clinton Portis as well.

TE: The Redskins seem fairly set at TE. The team's best red zone target just might be second year H-back Chris Cooley, who emerged as a trusted receiver with good hands around the goal line last year. He and Mike Sellers will be the most active players here, but both play more of the H-back role as opposed to a traditional TE. That job falls to Robert Royal and Jabari Holloway. Neither player has been particularly effective, but Royal could still develop into a decent starter, but probably not much of a fantasy factor. Cooley is the guy to grab as a fantasy backup and certifiable sleeper.

Defense: The Redskins are watching the Sean Taylor saga closely after his recent run-in with the law. Taylor was widely viewed as a can't miss prospect. If you go strictly by his play on the field that assessment is dead-on. However, Taylor's behavior off the field has been anything but mature. He's been in and out of Joe Gibb's doghouse since he was drafted and now faces a potentially career-killing three year prison sentence for his skirmish in Miami that involves him allegedly brandishing a gun and assaulting another person after one of his ATVs was stolen. The whole thing doesn't bode well for the Redskins defense. If it passes over, Taylor could still face a penalty handed down by the league, but it's still to early to predict what might happen here. Another primary concern is the health of LaVar Arrington. For the Redskins to have any playoff aspirations they desperately need both Arrington and Taylor on the field. They lost MLB Antonio Pierce to free agency and will try to replace him with holdover Lemar Marshall and possibly Warrick Holdman. Michael Barrow has been offered to other teams, but he'll probably be cut soon. The secondary got some big help with first round pick Carlos Rogers. Rogers is an excellent prospect who could give the team a huge playmaker who can cover and provide good run support opposite the veteran Shawn Springs. The Redskins surprised many folks last year with one of the league's stingiest defenses. They should once again be solid on that side of the ball, but if Arrington isn't healthy or can't stay on the field and Taylor serves time, this whole thing could unravel quickly.

Special Teams: The word out of Washington is that PK John Hall is healthy again and should reclaim the starting kicker job. The Redskins kept Jeff Chandler as insurance however, meaning either they’re very cautious or their not convinced Hall is fully recovered. Antonio Brown started as a dark horse for the kickoff return job; however after a strong showing during camps so far, he may now be the frontrunner. RB Ladell Betts and WR James Thrash are the primary competition. Brown could also be the primary punt returner. One question to monitor during camp is how much the team will be willing to use WR Santana Moss on punt returns, and whether he can return to his form of several years ago. James Thrash will serve as a backup.

Redskins Depth Chart
QB Patrick Ramsey, Mark Brunell, Jason Campbell, Zack Mills
RB Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts (3RB), Rock Cartwright (FB), Nehemiah Broughton (FB), John Simon, Dahrran Diedrick, Jonathan Combs (FB/HB)
HB Chris Cooley (HB), Mike Sellers (HB), Manuel White (FB)
WR Santana Moss (PR), David Patten, Taylor Jacobs, James Thrash (PR), Darnerien McCants, Kevin Dyson, Antonio Brown, Tiger Jones
TE Robert Royal, Jabari Holloway
K John Hall. Jeff Chandler
DE Philip Daniels, Renaldo Wynn, Ron Warner, Demetric Evans, Ryan Boschetti, Melvin Williams
DT Cornelius Griffin, Brandon Noble (NT), Joe Salave'a, Cedric Killings
MLB Lemar Marshall (S/W), Robert McCune, Warrick Holdman, Brian Allen, Brandon Barnes, Clifton Smith
OLB LaVar Arrington (W), Marcus Washington (S), Chris Clemons (S), Jared Newberry, Khary Campbell (S), Devin Lemons (W), Joe Tuipala (S)
CB Shawn Springs, Carlos Rogers (inj), Walt Harris, Artrell Hawkins, Ade Jimoh, Rufus Brown, Eric Joyce, Garnell Wilds, James Bethea
S Sean Taylor (FS), Matt Bowen (SS), Ryan Clark (SS), Pierson Prioleau (FS), Omar Stoutmire, Tony Dixon

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