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2010 Dynasty / Rookie Overview
by Joe Hebert
Restraint was the key word in observing the 2010 NFL Draft. I know a lot of Cleveland Browns fans and Buffalo Bills fans who were very disappointed that there team did not come away from the draft with a future starter at quarterback. However, I feel that both teams were correct to show restraint as after Sam Bradford came off the board with the first pick of the draft, there were no more franchise quarterbacks available. The other consideration is that as of this time, the 2011 quarterback class looks like it will be much stronger than this year’s one. Jake Locker, Andrew Luck and Ryan Mallett are among the names to know next year. Given that neither the Browns nor the Bills should drastically improve this year, they should both find themselves in a position to grab a much better quarterback next year than was available for them this year. Jacksonville and Washington could also be shopping for a quarterback in 2011. Keep in mind that hot prospects at this point won’t necessarily remain so come next year’s draft. At this point last year, Jevan Snead was projected by some to be a first-round pick. He went undrafted this year after a terrible season and an equally poor decision to leave school early.
You should keep the concept of restraint in mind as you draft for your dynasty team. Once the Top-5 rookie running backs come off the board, there’s no reason to immediately jump to the next level of talent as the potential for high returns is not great. Unless your league is totally running back crazy, you should be able to find some help near the bottom of the second (if not third) round and instead use that bottom of the first-round pick to secure a receiver, the lone franchise quarterback in this class, or perhaps a tight end if you need one badly.
One more quick peek at who might be in the 2011 draft shows that the top of the wide receiver class could be very good if the stellar underclassmen make the jump to the NFL. That list includes names such as A.J. Green, Michael Floyd and Julio Jones. If you can’t get Dez Bryant this year and are looking to add a stud receiver, you may want to target next year’s draft to grab a premium talent.
2010 Rookie Review
Sam Bradford was the first player off the board in this year’s draft and he is now a member of the St. Louis Rams. Bradford was easily the consensus best quarterback in this year’s draft though not its best player. Still, after passing on opportunities the past two seasons to add a franchise quarterback, the Rams finally pulled the trigger. Bradford does not have a true lead receiver to throw to, but the group of receivers currently in place is young and athletic. He’ll see the field this year and if he adjusts to the scheme in place, he should have a bright future. Bradford is by far the best quarterback in this class.
Jimmy Clausen was widely considered the most “pro-ready” of the quarterbacks in this class due to his exposure to the offense of Charlie Weiss at Notre Dame. In the days leading up to the draft, stories surfaced that Clausen would slide out of the top of Round 1 which became truth when he lasted until Carolina finally got on the clock in the middle of Round 2. Matt Moore is going to be this year’s starter which will allow Clausen to make the adjustment to the NFL and challenge for a job down the road. He’s not the lock to be the heir-apparent that many assume he is.
We can’t talk rookie quarterbacks this year without touching on Tim Tebow. The general consensus among scouts and general managers seemed to be that while Tebow has immaculate intangibles, his skill set suggested he was a project and therefore not worthy of a high pick in the draft. Going against conventional wisdom, Josh McDaniels jumped back into the first round of the draft to select Tebow. Although he possesses the work ethic to put in the effort needed to make the transition, I think there are too many issues to see him ever become more than an adequate NFL starter.
Overall, this was a very poor quarterback class. Looking deeper, a prospect I like as a sleeper is John Skelton who landed in Arizona. He has all the physical tools, so he’ll need to step up mentally. Jonathan Crompton shows some potential in San Diego though he’ll eventually need to escape the shadow of Philip Rivers. Mike Kafka in Philadelphia has the same issue as Crompton with Kevin Kolb ahead of him. Colt McCoy looks like a career backup in Cleveland to me.
The running back class this year offers just as many questions as answers and it definitely also has well-defined tiers. There is some potential here, but it’s hard to identify any locks for success.
Ryan Mathews seems to get as close as you can to being a lock from this class. The Chargers aggressively moved up to get the man they identified as LaDainian Tomlinson’s successor. Mathews will immediately assume a major role in the offense with Darren Sproles continuing on in the same support role he has played over the past couple of seasons. Surrounded by talent, Mathews should be a productive back from Day 1 of his career.
Jahvid Best displayed an amazing skill set in college and his speed and quickness caused the Lions to trade back into the first round to insure he would be able to assist their offense. Best has been promised that he will be given the opportunity to be Detroit’s every-down back and they have not held anything back from him so far at team activities. With Kevin Smith around to help do the heavy lifting, Best can be effective if that offense takes the next step.
The first running back taken in this year’s draft was C.J. Spiller. The fact that this exciting player landed in Buffalo is like draping a super-model in a long raincoat as it’s going to be difficult to find the beauty in this selection. Spiller was chosen by the Bills to be a playmaker though the offense lacks the basics (quarterback and offensive line) for him to be very successful. Those who grab Spiller will need to cross their fingers and toes that the team steps up and gets the surrounding talent necessary to allow Spiller to fulfill his potential.
Ben Tate and Montario Hardesty comprise the next tier of running backs. Both are being given the opportunity to have significant roles in their respective offenses. Both backs are blessed with size and speed and have the potential to be very solid contributors right away. Both should be complemented by speed/receiving backs to ease their workload.
Looking deeper, the first player that jumps out from a name perspective is Toby Gerhardt. He’s going to assist Adrian Peterson in Minnesota and his value at this point is as a handcuff. James Starks is an intriguing back who landed in Green Bay where he’ll be given the opportunity to slowly build a case to get touches in the offense. Deji Karim is explosive but is looking at Maurice Jones-Drew ahead of him. On the power side of the house, Jonathan Dwyer landed in Pittsburgh, Anthony Dixon landed in San Francisco and LeGarrette Blount is in Tennessee. All could contribute right away though none of them appear to be more than short-yardage backs at this point. Those in PPR leagues will want to note the names Joe McKnight with the Jets and Shawnbrey McNeal with the Chargers as both look to be the future third-down backs on their team. Lonyae Miller is the super-sleeper of this class after backing up Ryan Mathews in school and now landing on the team with the deepest running back group in the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys.
For the second year in a row, the wide receiver group had one person in the upper tier. This year, that player was Dez Bryant. Of the three elite receiving prospects to enter the NFL over the past several years, I rank Bryant in the middle. He sits above Michael Crabtree and below Calvin Johnson. Unlike both of those players however, Bryant walks into an offense that is already operating at an elite level. By not needing to be the immediate focus of the offense, he will have the opportunity to be productive right away as defenses will not be keying on him. That said, I expect him to become the lead receiver in Dallas very soon and with all that talent around him, that is going to mean exceptional Fantasy production.
In spite of Bryant being the obvious choice as the top receiver in this class, Josh McDaniels, again, stuck his neck out and instead chose Demaryius Thomas as the first receiver off the board. Thomas has the size, speed and strength to become a major weapon in Denver, but he is extremely raw due to having come from a run-based offense that only used the pass when defenses were crowding the line. Thomas is a project, but his potential is very high. Arrelious Benn is another receiver whose production suffered in a collegiate offense that did not use him properly. Now in Tampa Bay, he is being given a shot to start immediately as the team looks to become much younger. Benn has NFL-ready skills and frame to succeed. Golden Tate does not have the size that any of the receivers listed above him have, but his after-the-catch running skills are at the top of this class. In order for him to succeed, he’ll need to be used much as Percy Harvin was last year with the Vikings. I do worry about the long-term quarterback situation in Seattle.
Mike Williams is the ultimate boom/bust pick in the 2010 draft. Like fellow rookie Arrelious Benn, Williams will be given the opportunity to start in Tampa Bay. His talent is undeniable, but his character concerns are serious. Eric Decker slid in the NFL Draft due to a Lisfranc fracture which has been making him a great value pick in Fantasy drafts as well. Don’t sleep on this Bronco. Taylor Price may also be a sleeper as it looks like he could be the next New England deep threat after Randy Moss moves on. Brandon LaFell was drafted to start opposite of Steve Smith in Carolina, but fellow rookie Armanti Edwards has been the talk of camp from the slot position. Damian Williams heads to Tennessee where he’ll battle for touches in a conservative offense. Dexter McCluster is going to have a hard time acclimating to being a slot receiver with the Chiefs…I’d rather have Mardy Gilyard in St. Louis who also plays that role. Jordan Shipley can’t meet the expectations some have heaped his way in Cincinnati, so don’t over-value him.
When looking for super-sleepers at this position, my methodology is to take a shot at the size/speed guys and hope they develop. Sometimes you win (Vincent Jackson) and sometimes you lose (Paul Williams), but at least you know you are taking a shot at someone with the physical skills to be very good if the light goes on. The players who fit this description from this class include Carlton Mitchell with Cleveland, Marcus Easley with Buffalo, David Gettis with Carolina and Blair White with Indianapolis.
For the second year in a row, the tight end class has some potential in it and when you talk about potential, that discussion begins with Jimmy Graham. On a New Orleans team that has more than enough weapons to keep Drew Brees happy for a while, the Saints took a shot at greatness with the selection of Graham. Nowhere near a finished product, Graham is still transitioning from basketball to football. He was the talk of the OTA and mini-camp sessions this summer. Nobody has more potential from this class than Graham.
Jermaine Gresham was the first tight end off the board when he went to Cincinnati. Coming off an ACL injury, Graham has been extremely impressive according to Carson Palmer and others in the organization. Traditionally the tight end has never been a key point in the offensive scheme of the Bengals, so one has to wonder how much he’ll be used going forward. Both Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez were selected by New England. Another offense that does not typically use their tight end much, one has to wonder if that is being reconsidered as Randy Moss nears the end of his time with the Patriots. Of the two, the Patriots seem to like splitting out Hernandez more for inclusion in the passing game. Baltimore is another team that drafted two tight ends in Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson. The better hands of Pitta have given him an early advantage over the faster Dickson. Tony Moeaki landed in Kansas City and has become a team favorite immediately. Consider him the sleeper from this class.
Dynasty Team Analysis
Buffalo – The Bills do not have their quarterback of the future, or even the present, on their roster unless Trent Edwards somehow turns his career around. Because of that, no quarterback on the current roster has a defined spot this year or role going forward. Look for the team to address this during next year’s offseason. C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson are a nice running back combination with Marshawn Lynch looking like he will be contributing to another team soon. Lee Evans is a mainstay at receiver while the team is looking for James Hardy or rookie Marcus Easley to develop and claim the other spot. At tight end, the Bills hopes the athletic Shawn Nelson can grab the job and run with it.
Miami – The Dolphins believe that Chad Henne is their franchise quarterback and have already placed him in that role, so they want a solid veteran presence to play behind him. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are a great combination at running back, but both are nearing the end of the line and I don’t see their next lead back on the roster at this time. Brandon Marshall is now in place as their WR1 and Brian Hartline showed a lot of promise to grab the spot opposite him. Tight end is not a position the team is happy with and they will continue to look for someone to play that role.
New England – Tom Brady remains the franchise quarterback for the Patriots, but the team keeps dabbling in late-round backup quarterbacks to either trade them for higher picks or look for Brady’s eventual successor. New England has not had a franchise running back in a long time and that seems fine by management. Randy Moss could be in his last year with the team while Wes Welker is coming off a major knee injury. This is creating an opportunity for Julian Edelman and Brandon Tate to state their cases as the receivers of the future. Tight end has never been that critical to the team’s success, but the drafting of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez this year might be an indication that this is about to change.
New York Jets – Mark Sanchez will continue his on-the-job training this year as the franchise quarterback. His youth allows the Jets some flexibility with how they dole out the roles behind him. Shonn Greene looks like the next bell-cow back for the team while Joe McKnight will do his best to become the new third-down back after LaDainian Tomlinson moves on. Jerricho Cotchery holds down the possession receiver job while Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes will battle to see who stays around in 2011 and beyond with Holmes being the likely favorite. Dustin Keller is a fine receiving tight end who needs to improve his blocking to get on the field more.
Baltimore – Joe Flacco is still growing at quarterback which is a great sign as they won’t be looking for another starter for quite some time. The acquisition of Marc Bulger shows a lack of commitment to Troy Smith behind him. Ray Rice is locked in as the team’s primary back but the contract of Willis McGahee may mean that this is his final year with the team. Anquan Boldin joined the team to become the new primary receiver while Derrick Mason is likely suiting up for the final year of his career which will be a concern unless Donte Stallworth can step up. Todd Heap will hold down the tight end slot for one more year while the team develops Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta to replace him.
Cincinnati – If the Bengals are worried about quarterback Carson Palmer’s elbow, they didn’t show it in this year’s offseason as Jordan Palmer still holds the clipboard for his brother. Cedric Benson is playing for a contract this year, so he’ll want to be healthy and productive. The team sees Bernard Scott as change-of-pace back, so he is not the heir-apparent if Benson leaves. At 32 years of age, Chad Ochocinco seems to spend more time each offseason in non-football endeavors. The team added Antonio Bryant to play opposite of him. Jerome Simpson is getting a final opportunity to contribute to the team, but he must beat out Matt Jones for that roster spot. Jermaine Gresham was drafted in the first round to be the team’s long-term answer at tight end.
Cleveland – Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace are stop-gaps at quarterback while Colt McCoy is likely not the answer either. Look for the Browns to continue to search for their franchise quarterback. The combination of Jerome Harrison and rookie Montario Hardesty could be a combination that is successful for a while at running back. Mohamed Massaquoi has a nice future at receiver while Brian Robiskie and rookie Carlton Mitchell have opportunities to carve out roles for themselves going forward. Ben Watson has always had a lot of talent at tight end though it never translated well to the field. He’ll have the opportunity to try to work on that this year.
Pittsburgh – As talented as Ben Roethlisberger is, he’s going to need to get his personal life sorted out if he wants to remain the Steelers’ franchise quarterback. For as high as the team said they were on Dennis Dixon, when Roethlisberger was suspended by the league this year, they did not take long at all to go out and get Byron Leftwich to run the show until Roethlisberger returns. Rashard Mendenhall really came on last year at running back and is a franchise back, but it does look like he’ll be giving up short yardage and goal line work to Jonathan Dwyer. Hines Ward continues to age like a fine wine while Mike Wallace steps into the job on the opposite side of the field this year. Antwaan Randle El will keep the slot position warm until rookie Emmanuel Sanders is ready. Whether it’s blocking or receiving, Heath Miller is up to the task at tight end.
Tennessee – Just when it looked like Vince Young had taken a leap forward in maturity, he goes and gets in trouble with the law. This is a huge year for Young to prove that he can maintain the growth from last season and continue to move forward. Chris Simms is in the bullpen if needed, but he’s got his own issues. Chris Johnson provides incredible production at running back with Javon Ringer having the opportunity to be the primary backup this year. Kenny Britt is the No. 1 receiver on the team while Nate Washington adds good speed and rookie Damian Williams looks like the future WR2. Jared Cook has amazing physical skills at tight end, but so far the second-year player has not been consistent enough to get on the field.
Houston – After initially looking like the Texans overpaid for Matt Schaub, it’s now clear that they got a bargain. Schaub is bordering on being an elite quarterback in the league. Dan Orlovsky does not give the coaching staff warm fuzzies as Schaub’s backup. Ben Tate will have the opportunity to be the primary back going forward, but Arian Foster played well in that role last year and Steve Slaton looks set to be a factor again this year. Andre Johnson is the most dominant receiver in the game while Jacoby Jones and Kevin Walter provide excellent support with the team challenging Jones in particular to step up this year. Owen Daniels is a stud at tight end, but the team’s constant infatuation with tight ends continues in part due to Daniels’ history of knee injuries.
Indianapolis – Peyton Manning is a fixture at quarterback and remains the standard as a thinking-man’s quarterback. The fact that the team let Jim Sorgi go and kept Curtis Painter is the first sign that the Colts are starting to think about what they will do when the day comes that Manning is no longer there. Joseph Addai is in the final year of his contract which could very well be his final year as a Colt. Donald Brown seems to be next in line though the team could add a bigger back down the road to help. Reggie Wayne will look to rebound from a poor finish to last season but remains Manning’s primary target. Pierre Garcon’s speed and the savvy of Austin Collie are not good news for Anthony Gonzalez who is still working his way back from last year’s knee injury. Dallas Clark remains a favorite weapon at tight end.
Jacksonville – The team has been extremely patient with David Garrard at quarterback, but odds are both his future and the future of head coach Jack Del Rio are riding on this season’s performance. Luke McCown is the current backup but he’s not the next starter if the team can help it. Maurice Jones-Drew continues to be a scoring machine and the focal point of the offense. Rashad Jennings is the current backup but rookie Deji Karim is turning heads so far in camp. Mike Simms-Walker is capable of solid stats, but he seems incapable of staying healthy. Mike Thomas will play opposite of him unless he melts down this summer. The Jags like Zach Miller to become their move tight end while Marcedes Lewis may be de-emphasized in the passing game.
Denver – Kyle Orton continues to hold down the fort at quarterback for the Broncos. Clearly Josh McDaniels felt that Tim Tebow was a future franchise quarterback and worth a first-round draft pick, but you don’t need a big room to gather those who are like-minded on that topic. It looks like the plan for Brady Quinn is to develop him and then trade him away for more than they gave up acquiring him. Knowshon Moreno is the franchise back who should benefit from the new power blocking scheme. Correll Buckhalter returns to be his primary support. Eddie Royal should be a long-term contributor at receiver, but Jabar Gaffney is holding a spot only until first-rounder Demaryius Thomas is ready for the show. A sleeper to know that could push Royal to the slot is rookie Eric Decker. Richard Quinn was a bust as a second-round tight end selection last year, but that position does not catch many balls in this offense.
Kansas City – After a less than impressive first year as the Chief’s quarterback, Matt Cassel returns to try and build upon that effort. Brodie Croyle stands ready behind him, but he’s not where the team wants to go as a long-term solution if they need to bail on Cassel. Jamaal Charles lit up the league over the second half of the season last year and looks to be the primary back for a good while to come. Thomas Jones arrived to offer short-yardage assistance which will hurt the value of Charles to some degree in scoring leagues. Dwayne Bowe looks much more committed this offseason which is a good thing. Chris Chambers did a nice job providing the team with big plays after arriving from San Diego. The Chiefs spent a second-round pick on Dexter McCluster to play the slot, but I’m no fan of that selection; Jerheme Urban may be a better fit in that role. Rookie tight end Tony Moeaki immediately becomes the best receiving option at that position for the team.
Oakland – The Raiders said goodbye to JaMarcus Russell and hello to Jason Campbell at quarterback. Considering their other option was Bruce Gradkowski, this was a good move. Michael Bush and Darren McFadden will seek out their roles in a backfield that is less crowded this year after the release of Justin Fargas. Chaz Schilens is trying to get healthy to take advantage of the new quarterback while sophomores Darrius Heyward-Bey and Louis Murphy will be working on not dropping so many passes. The early talk from camp is that Heyward-Bey has made tremendous strides, but we’ll see. Zach Miller finally has a quarterback who will look to use the under-rated tight end to his best advantage.
San Diego – Philip Rivers is the lynchpin of this offense while the team will groom rookie Jonathan Crompton to replace Billy Volek as Rivers’ understudy. With LaDainian Tomlinson gone, the Chargers traded up in the first round of the draft to get the services of Ryan Mathews. Mathews will immediately assume the role of lead back while Darren Sproles stays for likely his final year to be the change-of-pace back. Shawnbrey McNeal looks to be Sproles’ eventual successor. Vincent Jackson, caught in both a suspension and possible hold-out situation, is the clear primary receiver. Malcom Floyd holds down the other spot with room to improve the depth behind them. Antonio Gates remains a stud even though he continues to be bothered with injury concerns.
Dallas – Tony Romo is still getting better and owns the quarterback position. Stephen McGee is being groomed to be his backup. The Cowboys have three very talented backs in Felix Jones, Tashard Choice and Marion Barber, but they might consider moving forward without Barber in 2011 which would boost the value of Choice. Miles Austin and rookie Dez Bryant form a devastating combination at receiver which should push Roy Williams out the door soon. Kevin Ogletree is making noise to be the WR3. Jason Witten is a great tight end while talented Martellus Bennett slid backwards last year.
New York Giants – Eli Manning is entrenched as the quarterback while the team continues to look for players they can develop behind him. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw are coming off injuries and complement each other well. Andre Brown was a potential franchise back who suffered an Achilles injury last year that will likely take away that potential. In Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith, the Giants offer an excellent starting tandem at receiver. Mario Manningham offers big plays as the WR3 while huge second-year man Ramses Barden is showing signs of development this offseason. Kevin Boss continues to be the tight end as Travis Beckum hasn’t yet fit in with the offense.
Philadelphia – Kevin Kolb finally gets his chance to run the offense this year while Michael Vick provides a veteran presence until Mike Kafka can take over the QB2 role. LeSean McCoy is the primary back going forward and he’ll be assisted by Mike Bell. Charles Scott could earn Bell’s job at some point soon. In DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, the team has excellent, young receivers. Jason Avant offers solid talent behind them. The emergence of Brent Celek at tight end has allowed Cornelius Ingram to not be rushed onto the field.
Washington – The acquisition of Donovan McNabb to lead the team and a poor 2010 rookie quarterback class means that the Redskins still need to find their quarterback of the future. Clinton Portis is writing the denouement portion of his story in the NFL with only question marks behind him, so the future at running back is also unknown though it is worth noting that Mike Shanahan has not yet given up on Ryan Torain and he has Larry Johnson around as well. Santana Moss, Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly form an intriguing group of receivers that need to step up. With Chris Cooley and Fred Davis at tight end, this is the team’s deepest skill position.
Chicago – The Bears invested a lot in Jay Cutler who has undeniable skills, but will Martz maximize that potential and will he be around long enough to develop a prospect behind him as well? Matt Forte is a good all-around back, but he can’t overcome the lack of an offensive line. Chester Taylor will have a short-term impact on Forte’s numbers. Devin Aromashodu and Johnnie Knox look like dangerous receivers while Devin Hester continues to develop. Though they lack name recognition, the Martz system will generate numbers for them. Greg Olsen has a nice receiving skill set, but that’s not what tight ends do in the Martz system.
Detroit – The Lions seem satisfied that Matthew Stafford is the franchise quarterback they’ve been looking for and the early returns suggest they are correct. Kevin Smith did a nice job with a limited skill set, but Jahvid Best can be an electric playmaker at running back. Should Smith fully recover from his ACL injury, they would make a nice duo. Calvin Johnson is an elite talent at receiver while Nate Burleson plays the WR2 role to perfection. The team needs to develop more talent behind them. Tony Scheffler immediately becomes the primary pass catcher at tight end while Brandon Pettigrew has a more complete skill set.
Green Bay – Aaron Rodgers is arguably the No. 1 dynasty quarterback when you factor in his age and talent along with the age and talent of the skill positions around him. The team will continue to try and develop quarterbacks behind him. Ryan Grant seems to come under fire every year and re-emerge with his role intact the following one. The latest challenge is rookie James Starks whose development will be intriguing. Greg Jennings has the skills and work ethic to be an elite receiver. Donald Driver finally showed a small sign of aging with knee surgeries on both knees this offseason. That means the talented duo of James Jones and Jordy Nelson could soon be moving up in the pecking order. Jermichael Finley is an amazing athlete at tight end who showed what he can do in the second half of the 2009 season.
Minnesota – Brett Favre solved the team’s quarterback issues last year, but the odds of him playing beyond 2010 seem unlikely. I would not put a lot of credence into Tarvaris Jackson being the answer down the road. Adrian Peterson is the real deal while Toby Gerhart is power back who will give Peterson breathers more than truly supplement him. The potential of Sidney Rice was realized last year by staying healthy and having Favre throwing the ball to him. Percy Harvin does his damage closer to the line of scrimmage which gives him the better chance of being effective when Favre retires…again. Visanthe Shiancoe uses his skills well but once his current contract expires after the 2011 season; look for the team to go another direction at this position.
Atlanta – Matt Ryan is in a key year as the team needs to see him move forward to be totally comfortable with him as their franchise quarterback. Odds are he’ll do just that. Michael Turner should get past the age 30 downhill trend that running backs traditionally go through due to lack of work early in his career, but that’s not to say that injuries won’t continue to be an issue for him. Roddy White is a solid receiver and while Michael Jenkins and Harry Douglas both have something to offer, the team could use an upgrade at WR2. Tony Gonzalez is back for what is likely his final NFL season with nobody on the roster set to replace him.
Carolina – Matt Moore will get the opportunity to prove that he can quarterback as well as he did at the close of last season. Jimmy Clausen was passed on twice by several teams with extremely poor quarterback situations before being selected by Carolina and he has yet to pass Hunter Cantwell on the depth chart. Don’t let that fact escape you when you consider how good of a prospect he is. Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams return to destroy run defenses though Williams is in the last year of his contract. Steve Smith still leads the receivers though the team is expecting big things from rookies Brandon LaFell and Armanti Edwards. Tight end is shared by Gary Barnidge and Donte Rosario which kills both men’s Fantasy production.
New Orleans – Drew Brees is an elite Fantasy quarterback which allows the team to continue to search for projects behind him that they can develop. Pierre Thomas possesses a good deal of talent but the team doesn’t trust him physically to carry the load. Reggie Bush was a PPR monster early in his career but has lately developed a nice nose for the goal line. Marques Colston holds down the WR1 distinction but seems to find time every season where he disappears and battles his confidence. Robert Meachem is finally living up to his draft status while Devery Henderson and Lance Moore are solid backups. Jeremy Shockey looks to be in decline which prompted the team to draft Jimmy Graham who has immense potential but is still very raw.
Tampa Bay – Josh Freeman showed enough during his rookie year for the team to feel comfortable putting the ball in his hands going forward. Josh Johnson is an intriguing prospect behind him and the Bucs signed Jevan Snead as an undrafted rookie free agent after he looked like a potential first-round draft pick a year ago. The Bucs share carries among Carnell Williams, Derrick Ward and Earnest Graham. All are solid NFL contributors, but none of them are special at this point in their careers. The team is rebuilding at receiver with rookies Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams favored to start this year. Both are very talented. Reggie Brown provides insurance. Kellen Winslow will remain dangerous at tight end until his knees make that impossible.
Arizona – Matt Leinart walks into the role Kurt Warner held though neither Leinart nor the Cardinals appear to be ready for that. Derek Anderson is the panic-button option while strong-armed John Skelton will be brought along behind them. Chris Wells should flourish in a more balanced attack while Tim Hightower will continue to find ways to get touches. Larry Fitzgerald remains a great talent at receiver. Steve Breaston needs to continue to work to stay on the field because Early Doucet is pushing hard behind him. Ben Patrick is not the long-term solution at tight end.
San Francisco – Alex Smith looked decent last year at quarterback and will have the opportunity to cement his position this year playing in the same offense. Nate Davis has talent behind him but also has a greater learning curve. Frank Gore is an extremely talented running back who may get some assistance this year from rookie Anthony Dixon in short-yardage situations. Michael Crabtree gets the chance to concentrate on football this offseason while Josh Morgan starts at receiver opposite him. Ted Ginn is around to provide the occasional deep threat. Vernon Davis found the sweet spot between athleticism and production at tight end and will continue to walk that line as best he can.
Seattle – Matt Hasselbeck is still the premier quarterback talent on the roster. The Seahawks went out and acquired Charlie Whitehurst to be their quarterback of the future but they may regret that. Justin Forsett and Leon Washington possess a lot talent, but neither is cut out to be a primary running back in the NFL. T.J. Houshmandzadeh can still be productive at receiver. The team is also high on speedsters Deon Butler and rookie Golden Tate, but neither of these are a true WR1. John Carlson can be an effective tight end when he gets the opportunity to run routes.
St. Louis – Sam Bradford should find himself taking over the offense at some point this season though it likely won’t be at the beginning of the year. As the No. 1 overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft, the gig belongs to Bradford for at least the next four years. Steven Jackson remains an elite back though there is little behind him. The Rams have a nice group of receiving talent in Donnie Avery, Laurent Robinson, Brandon Gibson and Mardy Gilyard, but none of them are cut out to be a team’s lead receiver. Daniel Fells is feeling some pressure at tight end from rookie Michael Hoomanawanui though both have limited ceilings.
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