To wrap up the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit, we’re going to take a look at some Rookies you need to be aware of for Fantasy purposes.

Quarterbacks

Mark Sanchez, New York Jets: The USC product has already been named the starter, but under Rex Ryan look for the J-E-T-S to lean heavily on Thomas Jones, Leon Washington and even Shonn Greene. That and a strong defense was a recipe for success in Baltimore last year, which is where Ryan served as defensive coordinator. Expect Sanchez to post modest totals, meaning he should only be selected in leagues where you’ll be carrying three quarterbacks.

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions: Stafford has completed just 12 of his 27 passes this preseason, though a banged up receiving corps hasn’t done him any favours. It seems unlikely he’ll unseat Daunte Culpepper as the team’s Week One starter, and even once he gets in the lineup, there isn’t a lot of high-end talent outside of Calvin Johnson. Bypass Stafford in single-year leagues.

The rest…

The only other true quarterback drafted in the first three rounds was Tampa Bay’s Josh Freeman, who remains in a three-way competition with Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich for the starting job. It’s hard to picture anyone in that group being better than a No. 3 Fantasy QB.

Running Backs

Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos: Moreno (knee) has carried the ball just three times this pre-season due to a sprained MCL. However, despite rumblings that Peyton Hillis might be the team’s Week One starter, Moreno remains the best bet in the Denver backfield. Given the team’s depth the rookie may not be a true featured back, but he’s still worth grabbing as a low-end No. 2 option.

Chris Wells, Arizona Cardinals: Much like Moreno, Wells (ankle) has been held back this pre-season by an injury and has yet to appear in a game. With Wells sidelined, Tim Hightower has looked pretty good (15 carries, 66 yards) and should at least split time with Wells this season. What is really working against both of them is Arizona’s deadly passing attack, which will certainly reduce the ground game to an afterthought some weeks. Draft Wells as a mid-level No. 3 Fantasy back.

Donald Brown, Indianapolis Colts: Brown has looked explosive in limited touches thus far, but unlike the two rookies listed above him, the UConn product has little chance of being the No. 1 back this year unless Joseph Addai were to be injured. Instead, expect the Colts to deploy a committee approach with Addai and Brown, similar to what they did in years past with Dominic Rhodes. As such, Brown is more of a fourth back or Flex candidate, though Addai owners would be wise to handcuff the two.

The rest…

Philadelphia’s LeSean McCoy has gotten plenty of work with Brian Westbrook (ankle) recovering from ankle surgery, and he’s looked good in the process. Unfortunately, the Eagles are loaded with impact players on offense, leaving McCoy primarily as a necessary handcuff for Westbrook owners. He’s also a strong No. 5 back on his own…San Francisco’s Glen Coffee leads the NFL in pre-season rushing (196 yards). That’s the good news. The bad news: Marcus Mason led the league in 2008. Yes, that Marcus Mason. Coffee has shown enough to be worth a late-round selection, just don’t expect him to see the field much as long as Frank Gore stays healthy…The New York Jets’ Shonn Greene has been banged up and is behind Jones and Washington on the depth chart, but he’s got enough potential to be selected as your fifth or sixth back in deeper leagues…Jacksonville’s Rashad Jennings is battling with Chauncey Washington to be the backup to Maurice Jones-Drew. While this may not sound like a great spot to be in, keep in mind Jones-Drew has never reached 200 carries in a season so his ability to hold up under a full-time workload is unproven. Jennings isn’t a name for standard leagues, but those in deep single-year or keeper formats might want to roll the dice.

Wide Receivers

Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers: Any breakdown of Crabtree must begin with his contract status, as the 10th overall pick continues to hold out because he feels he should be paid more than the seventh pick. Whatever. Even unsigned, Crabtree offers the most upside of any rookie receiver, though the longer he holds out the longer it may take to see it. He’s a risk/reward selection at this point and is someone only an owner with a strong top three receivers should consider. Just make sure your fifth receiver is a steady one.

Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings: Perhaps the most intriguing rookie this season, Harvin is expected to line up all over the field, including serving in the club’s new Wildcat formation. He has speed to burn and is a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball. That being said, Harvin’s durability is a red flag, which combined with his less-than-stellar work as a route runner make him a bit of a risk. Some may fall in love with his potential and reach for him on draft day. Don’t be that guy. If he’s around in the latter rounds, though, by all means make him your fourth receiver.

Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles: Maclin should push Reggie Brown to be the team’s third receiver, but as noted with McCoy, Philly has a lot of options offensively. Maclin’s value is no greater than that of a low-end No. 5 or quality No. 6 receiver, though those that count special teams yardage should keep on him to see if his fumbling issues subside enough to earn him a regular role as the Eagle return man.

Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants: There are a ton of young wideouts in Gotham, but Nicks might have the most upside of the bunch. He’s physically mature at 6’1”, 215 pounds, and should still be available in the final round of most standard drafts. He’d be a great flier at that point.

The rest…

Oakland’s Darrius Heyward-Bey was the first wideout taken, but he went into a bad situation. The Raiders have a quality triumvirate of tailbacks, which should be the focal point of the offense, while JaMarcus Russell continues to struggle with his consistency from one practice to the next. Heyward-Bey isn’t an option in standard leagues and is no more than a borderline sixth or seventh Fantasy receiver…Cleveland’s Brian Robiskie has been improving as camp wears on and remains in contention for the starting job opposite Braylon Edwards. It’s debatable how much value that post would afford, however, leaving Robiskie as a mediocre sixth wideout at this point.

Tight Ends

Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions: A quad injury has slowed Pettigrew in the preseason, but the starting job is still his. With limited options outside of Johnson, Pettigrew could be the target of a lot of underneath and check down routes. Consider him an interesting sleeper as a No. 2 tight end in point-per-reception formats.

Chase Coffman, Cincinnati Bengals: Coffman posted huge numbers in college and has a great pedigree (his father, Paul Coffman, was an NFL tight end). Unfortunately, the tight end position has never been featured in Cincinnati with Carson Palmer at the helm, and Coffman is still behind Ben Utecht on the depth chart. At best he’d earn a roster spot if someone the caliber of Antonio Gates or Tony Gonzalez was your starter and you wanted to draft purely on potential in the final round.

BY DEREK JONES and ANDY GOLDSTEIN

In order to guide you through Draft Day, the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit continues by providing you with comprehensive customizable cheat sheets for quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers.

For those of you wondering, “hey, where are the tight ends, defenses, and kickers?” my colleague Andy Goldstein taught me a few very valuable lessons:

1. Kickers don’t matter until the end of the draft.
2. Tight ends are overvalued. Once you get past Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten and Antonio Gates, the position is a wash.
3. Defenses are wildly overrated. Trying to guess the performance of defenses on a weekly basis isn’t easy and which teams represent the league’s best constantly changes from year to year. Thus, using mid-round picks on them is useless in my opinion.

Thus, let’s start it off with an explanation on how we arrived at these numbers.

Rankings: Andy and I compiled rankings for 40 quarterbacks, 60 running backs and 80 wide receivers. Following those initial lists, we teamed up to produce a fair and perhaps somewhat shocking list of positional rankings (hint: quarterbacks usually don’t finish at the position’s top spot in Fantasy points two years in a row). Upon examining these, some may be a bit skeptical over the lack of reaction towards pre-season success from players. It’s not a true indicator for success considering it is backups versus other backups for a majority of these games.

Tier: Each position was assigned a tier number, which is used to help separate the men from the boys and the great from the good, so to speak. Ranging from 1 to 20, players with a 1 should be considered cornerstone players while those with anything in double digits should not be considered a top level player.

ADP (10-team league & 12 team league): ADP refers to average draft position, a phenomenon that tracks where players are drafted on average, in part based on their overall rank, after a series of mock drafts have been conducted utilizing specific scoring systems. For example, if you see that Randy Moss has an ADP of 2.03, it simply means that his average draft position is the second round’s third pick. The ADP component was used under standard scoring systems.

Auction: The last column measures how much money one should spend on a player under auction only rules. The prices are based on the premise that the player would be the first one selected during the draft. Interestingly enough, auction drafts allow any player to be chosen for auction at any point. In leagues such as this, teams may be given a cap to work under. In the process, their chances of building a superpower team are greatly compromised.

Also, these sheets will provide you with plenty of room to diss fellow owners, take notes on the opposition, or just simply monitor your player’s health. Overall, these sheets will get you up and running for 2009 Fantasy drafts throughout the country.

Get your cheat sheets here:
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers

The 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit rages on as today we look at key players who have changed uniforms this season and what the Fantasy impact of these moves will be.

How many times do you suppose I stopped and started this article? Thanks to the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles, I’ve flip-flopped on this story more than Br…oh, never mind.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the names you need to know that are in different places in 2009.

NFC

Brett Favre, QB, Minnesota Vikings: I can’t explain how little Fantasy impact this has right out of the gate. Look at Favre as being in that Jake Delhomme/Chad Pennington/Jason Campbell range in the 20s. Why the low rating, you ask? Consider Favre’s final four games of the season versus those of now teammate Tarvaris Jackson.

Favre: 75 of 132, 56 per cent, 764 yards, two TDs, eight INTs, 53.3 rating

Jackson: 57 of 89, 64 per cent, 740 yards, eight TDs, one INT, 115.3 rating

I’m not suggesting that Jackson is a better quarterback than Favre. However, No. 4 is going to be 40 in October and is likely to wear down again towards season’s end as those numbers from last season might suggest. Does that sound like a headache you need throughout the season? He’s a Fantasy backup, period. Alright, too much Favre talk. I’m spent.

Jay Cutler, QB, Chicago Bears: Before one hops onto the Cutler Express, consider the following. Our conquering hero from Minnesota (Favre) led the NFL in interceptions last season. Second place in that dubious category belonged to Cutler with 18.

While his decision making isn’t the best, his biggest problem will be the lack of weapons. Devin Hester, Earl Bennett and Rashied Davis are just a few of his receiving options. Boldin, Fitzgerald and Breaston, they are not.

After Cutler threw for over 4,500 yards last season, expect that number to come down significantly thanks to him having fewer receiving options and having to play in one of the tougher weather sites in the NFL.

Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia Eagles: Living in the land of green and silver, mass hysteria ensued upon the announcement of Vick’s signing during the Eagles-Patriots pre-season tilt. Andy Reid says that Vick is coming as a quarterback but that’s clearly a smokescreen for the hodgepodge of the Wildcat.

Does Vick have real Fantasy value? Not really. Trying to evaluate Fantasy value based off five to 10 plays he’s going to run is very difficult. If anything, he’s likely to drag guys down (i.e., Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook). In other words, he’s the Red Bull of Fantasy guys — supplying quick energy, but leaving you relatively empty after the sugar rush subsides. As far as his quarterback prospects, he might be worth a flier if you take McNabb. Otherwise, don’t even try it.

Derrick Ward, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A part of the Giants’ Earth, Wind & Fire backfield, Ward proved to be a capable back. After running for 1,025 yards in ’08, he moved onto Tampa, who could use a shot in the arm in the backfield.

Ward not only brings his well rounded running style, but with the injury history of the Tampa backfield, he’s likely to see action early and often. Consider him one of the true sleepers of 2009.

Tony Gonzalez, TE, Atlanta Falcons: Another year removed from the Alge Crumpler era, Atlanta decided to help out its passing game by acquiring the future Hall of Fame tight end from Kansas City. He was targeted 155 times last season, far and away the highest mark for a tight end. Roddy White and Michael Turner are the big guns in Atlanta offense, but don’t expect Gonzalez to be merely a showpiece. He is still likely one of the first three tight ends to go off the board.

Other key names to watch in the NFC:

T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, Seattle Seahawks: Here’s hoping Seattle finally has a receiver that doesn’t get injured. He should play well with a revitalized Matt Hasselbeck.

Brandon Jones, WR, San Francisco 49ers: As long as he stays out with a shoulder injury, the 49ers don’t have a lot of bargaining power with rookie receiver Michael Crabtree.

Kellen Winslow, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The change of scenery will not help unless the oft-injured Winslow stays healthy.

AFC

Kyle Orton, QB, Denver Broncos: As a part of the deal that sent Cutler to Chicago, Orton comes in for new head coach Josh McDaniels to lead a Denver offense that finished second in yards per game in 2008.

However, all of those Orton for Fantasy sleeper campaigns might want to hold off the enthusiasm. The new Bronco signal caller was certainly asleep last weekend in San Francisco when he fired three interceptions. Granted, it’s only preseason, but Orton’s accuracy was never confused with that of Troy Aikman at his zenith.

Since Denver could be in chase mode a great deal in ’09, Orton potentially has value as a spot starter. Tread carefully, though. His inconsistent play could land him on the bench and behind backup Chris Simms.

Terrell Owens, WR, Buffalo Bills: Here’s a look at Owens in his last two stops during the first season — 2004, with Philadelphia, 77 receptions, 1,200 yards, 14 TDs; 2006, with Dallas, 85 receptions, 1,180 yards, 13 TDs.

Certainly, that’s impressive considering that Drew Bledsoe and Tony Romo combined on Owens’ first year in Dallas. Another change in scenery and quarterbacks should give Owens the fresh start he needs, correct? Not necessarily. Owens will turn 36 in December and is steadily declining.

Since his first year in Dallas, the mercurial receiver has seen his reception total drop every year.
Age, along with weather and circumstances are more contributing factors as to why Owens is no longer a significant Fantasy threat. Another matter that will hinder him is quarterback. Regardless of what he thought of Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and Romo personally, all three were competent Pro Bowl quarterbacks. I’m not sure Trent Edwards is quite ready for prime time. No longer an elite option, consider Owens as a number two receiver on Fantasy rosters.

Matt Cassel, QB, Kansas City Chiefs: Few players and coaches that have left New England turn out well. Cassel, who filled in admirably for the Patriots by guiding them to an 11-5 record, has only 15 career starts and just signed a big contract.

While he still needs to prove himself, he’s missing a few key components in Kansas City including a future Hall of Famer at receiver (Randy Moss), one of the league’s premier number two receivers (Wes Welker), and a future Hall of Fame head coach (Bill Belichick).

Examining the Chief roster, only Dwayne Bowe provides a significant pass-catching threat now that Gonzalez is in Atlanta. Cassel is still an up and coming quarterback who needs a lot more seasoning. He should be considered a back-up option on Fantasy rosters.

Other new faces to watch in the AFC:

Laveranues Coles, WR, Cincinnati Bengals: He will not produce numbers similar to the departed Houshmandzadeh, but will offer a good compliment to Chad OchoCinco.

Fred Taylor, RB, New England Patriots: I’m not sure how much gas he has left in the tank, but playing for New England should allow him to punch a few in the endzone.

L.J. Smith, TE, Baltimore Ravens: Smith underachieved in Philly, but may find the field thanks to the ailing tight end Todd Heap.

Torry Holt, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars: Without playing a down, he is already the third greatest receiver in Jaguar history.

Now that we’re done all the team previews, the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit will switch gears and get into the meat of the kit. Today, Buck provides his sleeper picks for the upcoming season.

Quarterbacks

Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals: Before an arm injury limited him to just four games last season, Palmer had tossed at least 26 touchdown passes in four straight seasons. His wing looks fine, but a minor high ankle sprain might slow him down a bit in the preseason. Nonetheless, Palmer could be primed for a fine comeback in 2009. Although top target T.J. Houshmandzadeh is no longer in town, former Jets’ regular Laveranues Coles is a dependable receiver who can make the tough catch in traffic, while former police blotter regular Chris Henry looks as if he has cleaned up his act and could become a solid red-zone target again. Chad Ochocinco is still around, and hopefully he’ll contribute more than the patetico 540 yards and four touchdowns he managed in ’08. At this point, Palmer makes a great “1/1a” quarterback in a “play the matchups” kind of Fantasy strategy, but if things fall into place he could become your every-week starter by season’s end.

Trent Edwards, Buffalo Bills: Edwards started the 2008 season like a house afire…and ended up just like that burning house: a smoking pile of embers. Through the first half of the season, though, Edwards averaged 216 yards passing per game, with a completion percentage of 68…but he only managed six touchdown tosses. The lack of a reliable red zone target undoubtedly contributed to Edwards’ second-half collapse – but that has all changed now that Terrell Owens is in town. T.O. should team with incumbent wideout Lee Evans (63-1,017-3 last year) to give Buffalo one of the league’s better receiving tandems, and Evans should benefit from the double teams his eminent teammate will undoubtedly draw. Don’t count on Edwards as your Fantasy starter just yet, but he’s a great backup – with the upside to post starter’s numbers this season.

Running Backs

Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens: The Raven backfield situation is a bit murky, but with injury-risk Willis McGahee looking to be on the downside of his career, the time may be now for Rice to become a Fantasy staple. The second-year back had a rather bland rookie season, but he did display good receiving skills out of the backfield. Rice has been taking a lot of snaps with the first team in practice, so he figures to see plenty of touches in the early going. A caveat with Rice – and for that matter McGahee – is that fullback LeRon McClain has shown that he is a very capable fill-in tailback, rushing for 902 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. While Rice may lose some goal-line opportunities to the 260-pound McClain, he should garner enough touches to be Fantasy-relevant from the get-go – especially in PPR leagues – and he could be a solid starter if McGahee again goes down with an injury.

Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals: At the beginning of last season, Benson looked to be on his way out of professional football – another casualty of the woeful 2005 NFL Draft class, which had more busts than…on second thought, let’s just leave that one on the table, okay? Not so fast, though. When the Bengals’ need was dire, Benson stepped in and looked a bit like his old self – his old University of Texas self, that is – averaging 76 rushing yards per game over the second half of the season. This year, he looks like a man on a mission; he’s in shape and going full-bore at practice. He doesn’t face much competition for reps in the Bengal backfield, so Benson could be a major Fantasy contributor early in the season. His line is suspect, and his quarterback is recovering from a serious arm injury, but Benson has the opportunity to put up some nice numbers in 2009 – especially when the match up is right. Draft him as a flex or No. 3 running back for now, but don’t be surprised if Benson finds his way into your Fantasy lineup sooner rather than later.

Wide Receivers

Ronald Curry, St. Louis Rams: The Rams will be without No. 1 wideout (and ubiquitous Fantasy sleeper) Donnie Avery for the first two regular season games after he suffered a stress fracture in his left foot during a scrimmage. Enter Curry – who is by far the most experienced and accomplished of the remaining Ram wideouts. You’ve heard of the “Who’s Who” list; the Rams’ corps of wideouts is more of a “Who?” list. Curry posted a decent 55-717-4 line for the woeful Raiders back in 2007, and the eighth-year vet stands to become the No. 1 aerial target in St. Louis come Week One. If Curry is able to spice up the lackluster Ram passing attack, he could be a bona fide No. 3 Fantasy wideout even after Avery returns. If you grab Avery in your draft (and he may be a nice value pick at this point) be prepared to snag Curry later on…then keep whichever of them becomes The Man in St. Loo.

Limas Sweed, Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers are searching for a deep threat to replace the departed Nate Washington, and Sweed looks like he could be that guy – and more. The 6′4″ Sweed isn’t the greatest of route runners, but his size and speed create all kinds of match-up problems for opposing secondaries. He hauled in a 45-yard reception in the Steelers’ first pre-season game, and more should be in store as the big kid adjusts to regular playing time. There are some downsides to Sweed: he has yet to win Ben Roethlisberger’s trust in the red zone (or any zone for that matter) and his sub par blocking may limit his playing time. If your league rewards long distance touchdowns, though, Sweed is well worth a late-round look as a reserve wideout – with the upside to become a starter if either Hines Ward or Santonio Holmes succumbs to injury.

Chaz Schilens, Oakland Raiders: With top draft pick Darius Heyward-Bey battling hamstring problems early in camp, Schilens has emerged as Oakland’s top wideout – and he may just keep that distinction after DHB returns. Schilens has the kind of size (6′4″, 225) that could make him an inviting red zone target for quarterback JaMarcus Russell – especially if defenses are draped all over Russell’s favourite 2008 target, tight end Zach Miller. As your draft winds down, consider taking a flier on Schilens, and if he winds up on the waiver wire be prepared to grab him if he has a breakout game.

Josh Morgan, San Francisco 49ers: Every day that San Francisco’s top draft pick Michael Crabtree resides on the nation’s unemployment roll, Morgan’s stock drifts higher and higher. The second-year wideout scored three times on his 20 receptions a season ago and averaged a respectable 16 yards per catch. The current No. 1 wideout in San Fran is Isaac Bruce, but he’ll turn 37 this season, and is clearly nearing the end of his fine career. The opportunity is there for the athletic Morgan to stake his claim as the 49ers’ wideout of the future, and even if that doesn’t happen, he should still see plenty of looks even after Crabtree finally inks a deal and makes it onto the field. Crabtree’s holdout looks like it could be a long one, so bump Morgan up your sleeper board a few notches, as he could easily lead ‘Niner wideouts in yardage and/or touchdowns this season. Don’t look for week-in-week-out consistency from Morgan, but his big-play potential (and Crabtree’s holdout) makes him worth drafting as your No. 4 Fantasy wideout.

Tight Ends

Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles: The departure of L.J. Smith (37-298-3 in 13 games last season) opens the door for Celek, who was very impressive in last year’s playoffs – snagging 19 receptions for 151 yards and three touchdowns. The 24-year-old Celek has been very sharp in camp, and the Eagles have made it quite clear that he’ll play a large role in their offense this season. Don’t worry about Celek’s pedestrian 27-318-1 line of a year ago: He is a talented receiver who has the ability to get down the field, and to make something good happen after he gets the ball. If he wins Donovan McNabb’s red-zone trust early on, Celek could post numbers worthy of Fantasy starter status in 2009.

IDP

Jermaine Phillips, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs plan to move Phillips to Derrick Brooks’ old digs at weak side linebacker, and if the former safety can make the transition, his tackle numbers should skyrocket in 2009. Brooks – who was a Tampa Bay icon before his release – amassed more than 100 total tackles in 12 straight seasons, while intercepting 24 passes, recording 12.5 sacks and scoring seven touchdowns over that period. While Phillips probably won’t achieve those totals, he is a solid defender who racked up 109 tackles of his own back in 2006. Phillips is injury-prone, but his move to the Will ‘backer spot (and rare DB/LB position eligibility) makes him a risk worth taking as you fill out your Fantasy roster.

The 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit continues today with the final team preview. Next up, we’ve got customizable cheat sheets, rookies, sleepers and a column about new faces in new places. With images of Michael Vick crying in prison, let’s review the Washington Redskins, who will look to get back to playing winning football in 2009.

What Went Right

The Jim Zorn era got off to a fast start in 2008, with the team managing victories in six of its first eight games. The team was winning close games and Zorn was playing the part of riverboat gambler. With that 6-2 start came expectations that were never realized last year, but the team did have some bright spots. RB Clinton Portis continued on his path to Canton as he rushed for nearly 1,500 yards to go along with nine rushing touchdowns. Tight end Chris Cooley caught a ton of balls (83), but only managed to get in the end zone once. Wide out Santana Moss had a decent year with over 1,000 yards receiving and six scores. Outside of the three mentioned, the team had no other viable Fantasy starters. The defense was stellar, but did not create turnovers or score defensive touchdowns. Rookie defensive back Chris Horton was a giant bright spot for the ‘Skins as he anchored the strong safety position at close to a Pro Bowl level.

What Went Wrong

About halfway through the season, injuries and lack of depth on the offensive line finally caught up to the Redskins. The line was not providing adequate time for the offense to execute, which shortened the playbook and made the team plain, predictable, and ineffective. What started as such a promising season, ended in disappointment and no playoff berth. Overall, 8-8 was not too bad for a rookie head coach in a pressure-packed market, but considering the Redskins made the playoffs the season before, 2008 was a letdown.

Off-season Outlook

The Redskins made arguably the biggest off-season splash when the signed stud defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. He is known for causing havoc and severely disrupting what opposing offenses are trying to accomplish. The team also released aging veterans Jason Taylor, Marcus Washington and Shawn Springs, all of whom did not produce to expected levels last season.

I think it is well known in the Washington media that this is a make or break year for Coach Zorn. If the team does not show improvements (on the field and in the standings), owner Dan Snyder will make a coaching change next offseason.

Draft Outlook

Without a second- or fourth-round draft pick this year, the Redskins must have been happy when pass rushing specialist DE/LB Brian Orakpo fell to them at No. 12 overall. He will immediately see the field, most likely as a pass rushing linebacker. With their third-round pick, the Redskins selected Kevin Barnes, who hopes to prove himself as an NFL caliber cornerback during camp. The ‘Skins filled out the rest of their draft with two linebackers, a tight end, and a wide receiver who all will have little to no impact in the foreseeable future.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Jason Campbell is the clear cut starter in DC, but this could be his last year if he does not step up his game. He is a free agent after this season and the Redskins have made it clear that they are not sold on him as their long-term quarterback. Campbell is not a top 15 Fantasy quarterback and should not be relied upon as such. He may turn into a nice waiver wire pickup this year if he finally picks up his passing numbers. The back-up job is being battled out during camp, but it looks like the position belongs to sophomore Colt Brennan. He showed flashes last preseason and he looks forward to showing the team brass that he is the real deal.

Running Backs

If healthy, you can pencil in Portis for 1,300 yards and close to 10 scores, although Washington may try to reduce his workload in an attempt to keep him fresh throughout the season. If Portis goes down, backup Ladell Betts becomes an immediate Fantasy pickup, as he has shown in the past to be a reliable ball carrier who can make some plays.

Wide Receivers

Going into the season, the wide receiving corps is one of the huge question marks on the team. Second-year guys Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas need to justify their second round billing by stepping into the role of No. 2-type receivers to take some pressure off the oft double teamed Moss. I like Thomas as a sleeper this year, especially because of his leaping ability potentially transforming into touchdown-producing situations. Antwaan Randle El should return to being a slot/third wide out because he is not talented enough or big enough to be a secondary wide receiver lining up outside.

Tight Ends

Everyone knows who Cooley is by now, but watch out for TE2 Fred Davis. He is a second-year guy out of USC who won the Mackey Award as the best tight end in college. He is super athletic and has decent hands. Davis was a bit of a knucklehead last season, but he seems to be more focused and ready to produce this year. Cooley is still a great Fantasy option, but Davis may start stealing some of his catches.

Defense/Special Teams

The Redskin defensive unit has the potential to be great this year, but in the past they have lacked the big game-changing plays that translate into Fantasy points. Possibly, with the addition of Haynesworth and the re-signing of DeAngelo Hall, more big plays will come this season. I would take a shot at the ‘Skins this year as my Fantasy defense as they should be cheap and reliable.

While busts are great to look at, fondle, bury your head into and generally bask in the presence of, absolutely no one wants to draft any busts for their Fantasy football team. But don’t sweat it, the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit is here to help you avoid those kinds of busts.

Tony Romo

Romo and the phrase “quiet offseason” does not seem to go together; if it’s not dealing with a playoff loss, the public is trapped with information on who he is dating. Is it Jessica Simpson or the 43-year-old Michelle Johnson from Blame It On Rio? This offseason featured another breakup for Romo but this time with Terrell Owens. Whenever the braggadocios receiver leaves a spot, his former team is not the same for quite some time.

Just ask the 49ers. Owens was the last receiver to break the 1,000-yard plateau there back in ’03. The Eagles finally seem to be equipped with respectable receivers after struggling to find guys to fill the void. Expect Dallas to have a similar problem and Romo is likely to suffer the consequences.

Over the past two seasons with Owens in tow, Romo totaled 62 touchdown passes and 13 300-yard passing games. Regardless of what you think of T.O. as a person or player, it’s clear that when he exits, he is not easy to replace. Don’t look for Roy E. Williams to fill the void. Don’t be surprised if Romo’s numbers decline without Owens to bail him out.

Michael Turner

Any veteran of Fantasy football has heard of the “Curse of 370” which was started a few years ago by the folks at Football Outsiders. For the uninformed, it states that backs that carry 370 times or more during the regular season are often ripe for injury the following season. With the exception of the immortals (Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, LaDainian Tomlinson, Eric Dickerson), most backs see to a sharp decline in productivity in the season following a 370-carry year.

Turner carried 376 times in ’08, which was a bit surprising considering it was his first year as a full-time starter and Atlanta has a respectable backup in Jerious Norwood. Instead of using his assets, head coach Mike Smith pounded and pounded and pounded some more with Turner. There was no coincidence that after carrying 25 times for 208 yards versus the 2-14 Rams in the regular season’s final game that the 27-year-old laid in egg against the Cardinals during the first round of the playoffs.

After rushing for nearly 1,700 yards and 17 touchdowns, Turner will experience a drop in his numbers in 2009 — you can take that to the bank.

Brian Westbrook

Much of the pre-season talk regarding Westbrook has featured the word “hobbled” in front of his name, which is never a good sign. He is recovering from right ankle surgery and should be ready by the regular season’s beginning. However, as 30 beckons for Westbrook on September 2, he is trying to buck the all too familiar trend of running backs petering out at that age. Personal history is already against him. He has never played an entire season. As backs age, staying healthy becomes increasingly less likely.

Just consider that the surgery stems from an ankle injury Westbrook suffered all the way back in Week Three last season during an Eagle victory over eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh. Once the mileage stacks up on backs, getting over ailments is not such an easy chore.

He is a gamer and will be out there, but don’t expect him to reach levels of years past. The Philly passing attack is a bit more talented and the club drafted Pitt’s LeSean McCoy, who will be a factor this season at some point. In all, Westbrook’s prime is gone and his days of being a top 10 back are likely to finish up this season.

Roddy White

Any time a player has a big year and then decides to hold out during the following season, the outcome can be negative. White, who has two straight 1,200-yard seasons to his credit, is in the middle of holding and is apparently looking for “Larry Fitzgerald money.”

As White does this, he is missing out on conditioning and reps in training camp. Plus, he is not doing any favours for his second-year quarterback, Matt Ryan. The Falcons made the playoffs last season and now it appears the trappings of success are becoming a problem for White.

Atlanta lost receiver Harry Douglas early in camp to a torn ACL, thus putting just a bit more pressure on White to produce. This injury, combined with opponents not going to sleep on a previously dreadful franchise, will make White’s road to glory far more difficult in 2009.

Antonio Bryant

While Jeff Garcia is not going to the Hall of Fame, it is a lot easier catching passes from him than doing so from either Byron Leftwich, rookie Josh Freeman, or Josh McCown. Leftwich should get the nod to start, but he is not as effective a passer as Garcia. That is likely to have an impact on Bryant, despite new head coach Raheem Morris saying he wants to take a less conservative approach offensively.

Last season, Bryant posted career-best numbers in receptions (83), yards (1,248), and touchdowns (seven). Also, he had three 100-yard performances in a row over the season’s final four games. Those numbers will be difficult to repeat, though, with the changes in personnel Tampa has undergone.

And the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit rages on with yet another team preview (there’s just one more team to go). We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). While we wonder if the Carolina Panthers can take the next step and actually parlay their regular season success into some post-season wins, it’s definitely starting to appear that Ben Roethlisberger is going to be vindicated in the sexual assault case against him.

What Went Right

Carolina finished atop the NFC South division with a stellar record of 12-4, including a perfect 8-0 mark at home. The Panthers brandish one of the NFL’s most potent rushing attacks, and their 2008 per-game average of 152.3 yards was good for third in the league. Tailback DeAngelo Williams led the way with 1,515 rushing yards and a league-best 20 total touchdowns. After serving a two-game suspension to open the season, wideout Steve Smith topped all NFL receivers by averaging 101.5 receiving yards per game over his last 14 contests. On the defensive side of the ball, middle linebacker Jon Beason led the league with 110 solo tackles, while defensive end Julius Peppers racked up a fifth-best total of 14.5 sacks.

What Went Wrong

Remember that perfect home record Carolina posted during the regular season? It – and the Panthers’ Super Bowl aspirations – came crashing to earth on January 10, when Carolina suffered a 33-13 thrashing at the hands (beaks?) of the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Divisional playoffs. Panther quarterback Jake Delhomme committed six turnovers in the nightmarish loss, leaving many to wonder whether he has the right stuff to take his team all the way to pay dirt. The Panther passing game finished a rather lackluster 19th in the league last year, while Delhomme’s 15 TD passes was only 17th-best among NFL signal callers.

Off-season Outlook

The Panthers largely played a pat hand in the offseason, with the team returning 21 of its 22 starters from the ’08 squad. Peppers signed a lucrative franchise tender, and all those Benjamins just might help him to play in Happy Mode this season – whilst eating up a huge chunk of Carolina’s salary cap allotment.

Draft Outlook

The Panthers did not have a No. 1 draft pick this season, but when defensive end Everette Brown fell to the second round, the Cats were quick to pounce. Brown is an athletic (if a bit smallish) pass rushing specialist who could give Carolina an impressive bookend for Peppers this season. Sixteen picks later, the Panthers nabbed Sherrod Martin, a safety with solid cover skills who should boost the team’s nickel and dime packages almost immediately.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Delhomme once again didn’t come close to achieving the kind of numbers he did back in the ’04 and ’05 seasons, but at least the nine-year veteran played all 16 games for the first time since 2006. Game number 17 was a killer, though, as he tossed five interceptions in the Panthers’ crushing loss to Arizona. While he’s not as bad as that game made him appear, Delhomme is not an elite passer by any means – and with the Panthers boasting one of the league’s best rushing attacks, it would seem highly unlikely that Delhomme will surpass 3,500 yards or 20 touchdowns in 2009. Those numbers relegate him to a Fantasy backup in most formats, and that’s exactly how you should treat him on draft day.

Running Backs

It’s hard to believe now, but Williams didn’t score his first touchdown nor garner a 100-yard rushing game until Week Five of last season. D-Will exploded in the second half, though, averaging 124 rushing yards and scoring 15 touchdowns over his last eight games. While it’s tempting to think of him as the top back in Fantasy, remember that he’ll almost certainly share carries with Jonathan Stewart again in 2009 – and he’s not much of a receiver out of the backfield. Nonetheless, Williams is still a great pick in the middle-to-latter part of the first round.

And what of Stewart – who ran for 836 yards and scored 10 times in ’08? He is currently nursing a gimpy Achilles’ tendon, but that injury only figures to limit him in practice for the short term. Stewart should find a place in every Fantasy league this season, mainly as a third back or flex option. Needless to say, if you draft Williams, Stewart is an indispensable handcuff pick later on.

Receivers

Smith is Delhomme’s top target; you know it, I know it, and every defensive back in the land knows it. Whenever Smith steps on the field, he draws more attention than Kim Kardashian at a frat house kegger – but the diminutive wideout still finds a way to rack up the yardage. Smith has never been an elite red-zone option, and that fact alone keeps him from being a top five Fantasy wideout. Look for Smith towards the end of Round Two in most Fantasy drafts.

Lanky Muhsin Muhammad lines up opposite Smith, and Mooshie quietly posted some serviceable numbers last season: 923 receiving yards and five touchdowns. He is 36 years old, however, and the time may have come for Dwayne Jarrett to stake his claim to a starting spot in the Carolina lineup. Whoever wins the job is probably worth a late round look as your third or fourth Fantasy wideout, but don’t expect more than a few spot starts during the course of the season.

Tight Ends

Yes, Virginia, the Panthers do have a tight end…but he’s often disguised as an extra tackle. Carolina does not employ its tight end a great deal in the passing game, so it set the Fantasy world on its collective ear when Dante Rosario snagged seven receptions for 96 yards and a touch in Week One last season. Rosario slumped just a bit thereafter, managing just 11 catches for 113 yards the rest of the way. Jeff King nabbed 46 receptions in 2007, but slipped to just 21-195-1 last season. Rosario has some upside, but he’s no more than a speculative pick in deeper leagues at this point.

Defense/Special Teams

The Panthers’ once-fearsome defense was only serviceable last season, finishing in the middle of the pack in most defensive categories. A big worry heading into the 2009 campaign is the loss of run-stuffing nose tackle Ma’ake Kemoeatu, who will miss the season due to a torn Achilles’ tendon. Carolina was only 20th against the run last year, and the loss of Kemoeatu may make the Panthers easy pickings for a ground-pounding offense. They only 16th against the pass last year, so plenty of high-scoring games could be in the offing for the ’09 season. Expect the Carolina defense to go undrafted in most Fantasy leagues this season – though middle ‘backer Beason is an IDP beast.

Kick returner Mark Jones was lost to free agency, and Ryne Robinson is the front-runner to handle kickoff return duties this season. Whether Robinson or a newcomer wins the position, remember that the Panthers are typically one of the league’s worst kick return units, so don’t set your bar too high.

Place kicker John Kasay went undrafted in most Fantasy leagues last year, then proceeded to cobble together his best season in over a decade. He could definitely do it again, but there is also a risk that he’ll revert to the same form that produced only three triple-digit scoring seasons in his previous nine campaigns. Proceed with caution, and know that Kasay’s Week 16 (AKA Fantasy Championship Week) game is against the New York Giants at the Meadowlands (and the Evil Wind that oft swirls therein).

When we originally released our Minnesota Vikings Team Preview last week as part of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit, it was written under the assumption that in 2009, Brett Favre would become the greatest purple-wearing creature since Barney.

Now that we know that all the off-season wooing will not result in a consummation of this proposed marriage, the football landscape has changed dramatically in Minny.

With this in mind, Herija has rewritten much of the Vikings’ Team Preview, so we thought we better draw our readers’ attention back to this for clarification now that the Favre fantasy is over.

Without further ado, here’s our revised Minnesota Vikings Team Preview.

We’re back with more of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit with yet another team preview (we’re nearly done now, with just a couple of
teams to go). We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). While we wonder if the St. Louis Rams bottomed out in 2008 — much as we wondered if they had bottomed out in 2007 — how about Larry Fitzgerald suggesting his own team was “mediocre” last season?

What Went Right

(Crickets chirping…..still chirping….still chirping…..still chirping…still chirping)

What Went Wrong

After Week One, it was pretty clear that along with the Chiefs and Lions, the Rams were going to redefine bad football. While the Lions forged ahead as the worst of the bunch, the 2-14 Rams gave them plenty of competition. Marc Bulger and the Rams offense finished tied for 30th in points scored, averaging a measly 14 points per game; and only the Lions allowed more points per game than the Charmin-like Ram defense (29 per contest). St. Louis trailed early and often and it dragged the offense into the toilet.

Off-season Outlook

The Rams made a change at the top by bringing in former Giant defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo as their new head coach. The Rams also shed plenty of age in the personnel department. Torry Holt, one of the last links to the Greatest Show on Turf Rams, was released; the same fate met former All-Pro offensive tackle Orlando Pace; and other vets such as quarterback Trent Green, safety Corey Chavous and receiver Drew Bennett were let go. The message was simple: out with the old and in with the new.

Draft Outlook

St. Louis’ offensive line has been an abomination over the past few seasons. In ‘08, they allowed 45 sacks — amongst the worst in the NFL. Thus, it was an easy choice to select offensive tackle Jason Smith. The D received much of the attention during the draft as the Rams went with defense for its next three selections including former Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis in Round Two.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Bulger’s career is becoming a broken record over the past few years. Someone on the offense gets injured, leading to the unit’s (his especially) complete meltdown. While Bulger made 15 of 16 starts, he didn’t get much done because of offensive line problems and the decline of Holt. For the second straight year, he posted a passer rating barely above 70. He has peaked as a quarterback. At 32 years old with an injury- riddled past, don’t look for him to emerge as Fantasy star at this point of his career. Clearly, he is a backup on Fantasy rosters. Oh yeah, and Kyle Boller is his backup. I’m sure that made your toes curl.

Running Backs

Steven Jackson is what you might call a cursed back. He’s the guy that has the phrase “if everything goes right…” attached to him and for good reason. If offensive linemen aren’t hurt, he’s injured. If he’s not injured, then the quarterback is injured. If everyone is healthy, then the team is trailing by four touchdowns. While Jackson is still young (26), he needs to stay on the field. He has missed eight starts over the last two seasons combined and for all of the Fantasy fuss over him, he just has one season over 1,100 yards to his credit. He possesses tremendous upside and could be a top five guy if everything goes right. Don’t worry, though, it wont. Consider Jackson a second rounder.

Receivers

Name the Ram receivers right now. Do it. You can’t? Well, that’s acceptable considering their top three guys could be Donnie Avery, Keenan Burton and Laurent Robinson. The team acquired former Raider Ronald Curry to add some of the speed and veteran presence they’ll miss with the departure of Holt. Avery is most likely to produce right away in his second year and easily owns the best Fantasy value of any Ram receivers. He can be a deep threat, but with the team employing a variation of the West Coast offense, getting throws downfield might be tricky. This group will be a work in progress. Outside of Avery, don’t expect much from the rest of the bunch.

Tight Ends

Despite the receiver woes, Randy McMichael does offer the Rams a decent pass catching tight end. He is by no means Jason Witten, but he’ll get opportunities in the red zone and probably snag a few touchdowns during the season. Keep him as a second string tight end. Meanwhile, if you’re searching for the name of back-up tight end Joe Klopfenstein, that’s a sign your team is probably in trouble.

Defense/Special Teams

As explained earlier, the Ram defense left a little to be desired in 2008. Struggling to stop the run or the pass, the Rams failed to generate a pass rush (Leonard Little and James Hall led with six sacks apiece) and did not stop the run (allowed 26 rushing touchdowns, while finishing 29th in rush defense). Second-year end Chris Long needs to produce and give the team a fighting chance upfront. Overall, the Rams should get a boost with the arrival of Spagnuolo who will least make them a bit tougher. However, don’t even think about adding this group to your Fantasy roster.

We’re back with more of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit with yet another team preview (we’re nearly done now, with just a few teams to go). We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). While we wonder if the Seattle Seahawks can recover from last season’s disaster, let’s take this opportunity to welcome better-late-than-never Leon Washington to the Jets’ camp.

What Went Right

When your team goes 4-12, not a lot could have gone right. John Carlson, the second-round pick out of Notre Dame, was a revelation at tight end. He’s not exceptionally fast, but the guy can just flat out catch the football. Over the next few years, he should prove to be a top 10 Fantasy tight end on an annual basis. In other news, Matt Hasselbeck has successfully made the transition from poor prognosticator to marketable franchise quarterback.

What Went Wrong

Hasselbeck spent too much time wearing his sideline cap. The suddenly much more marketable Hasselbeck had fewer pass attempts than Seneca Wallace. With different quarterbacks at the helm, the passing game never was able to get in sync. Carlson led the team in receptions and receiving yards, but the passing game was not the only flaw on this team. Shaun Alexander’s departure paved the way for Julius Jones to lead the team in rushing with just 698 yards. Jones, Maurice Morris, and T.J. Duckett combined to put up RB3-type numbers, but individually they were virtually useless in most Fantasy formats. The poor offensive numbers, in turn, led to the downfall of talented defensive unit.

Off-Season Outlook

Mike Holmgren is out; Jim Mora, Jr. is in. This move officially occurred this offseason, but it was predetermined before the 2008 season. Hiring Mora to replace Holmgren will provide continuity for the Seahawk organization, but one has to wonder if this team wants continuity after last season. To help solve the passing game, T.J. Houshmandzadeh has been signed to replace the departed Bobby Engram. Seahawk fans will enjoy drafting Houshmandzadeh a round or two too early just to claim they have already won the championship. On the defensive side of the ball, Cory Redding has been acquired to help stop the run, while star linebacker Julian Peterson is off to Detroit. In the secondary, Ken Lucas has returned after four years in Carolina.

Draft Outlook

The horrible season for the Seahawks did allow the team to pick fourth overall in the NFL draft. After being potentially linked to exciting offensive players like Mark Sanchez and Michael Crabtree, the Seahawks did the right thing by allowing their defense to get younger. Aaron Curry, the linebacker the team selected out of Wake Forest, has a nose for the football. Some scouts feel that he could have a Patrick Willis-like immediate impact on the defensive unit. Deon Butler could have an impact on the passing game, but it is more likely that he is nothing more than a special teamer this season. After flirting with the idea of taking Sanchez, the Seahawks took Mike Teel in the sixth round. He played in a pro-style offense at Rutgers and will be the third quarterback this year.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Hasselbeck is reportedly healthier this year than he was last year. Granted, that’s not hard to accomplish, as he was not healthy even when he did play. Hasselbeck enters camp with no lingering injuries and is just one year removed from a 3,966-yard season. With a healthier group of receivers and no running game to speak of, he could be a steal this year. The shifty Wallace will return as his backup and will see time if Hasselbeck does go down with an injury. I like the rookie Teel in deep dynasty leagues. He played for an average team in college, but posted numbers that were second only to Sam Bradford in the second half of the last college season.

Running Backs

Last year, Jones, Morris and Duckett were the feature backs in the Seahawk offense. They combined to form the 19th-best run game in the NFL. Believe it or not, they actually averaged more rushing yards per game than San Diego, Philadelphia and St. Louis. That means the Jones, Morris, and Duckett trio was able to average more rushing yards per game than some 2008 draft darlings, like LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Westbrook and Steven Jackson.

These statistics apparently led the Seahawk front office to believe that they were too good at running the ball. Morris has left for Detroit and the onus of carrying the pigskin falls upon Jones, Duckett and Justin Forsett. Jones is the starter, Duckett is the goal line back, and Forsett was Marshawn Lynch’s backup at the University of California. Jones showed promise last year, but he has been unable to hold down a starting role his entire career. Duckett struggles to hold down even a back-up role wherever he goes. Forsett is the wild card here and will be worth monitoring during training camp. Don’t get too excited though; even the running back-needy Colts cut him last season.

Wide Receivers

Houshmandzadeh is the big addition in the passing game. He immediately becomes the number one threat in the aerial attack and should thrive in this offense. Houshmandzadeh has never been a burner; he is a talented possession receiver that just knows how to get open. Look for him to flirt with 100 receptions again in this West Coast offense. Nate Burleson and Deion Branch both return from injuries. Burleson is slated to start opposite Houshmandzadeh, while Branch’s role is uncertain. As of now, he is projected to be the slot receiver, but he could be cut if he is outperformed by Courtney Taylor, Ben Obomanu or Logan Payne in training camp.

Tight Ends

Carlson is the name to know at tight end. He should be one of the top ten Fantasy tight ends this season, as other defenses will likely focus on Houshmandzadeh and Burleson. This will allow Carlson to see plenty of single coverage and be one of Hasselbeck’s go-to targets on third down and in the red zone.

Defense/Special Teams

The Seahawks do play in a division with San Francisco and St. Louis, so if nothing else, this means that the defense should have the opportunity to perform well for at least 25 per cent of the season. The Seahawks had the worst pass defense in the NFL last season. They surrendered almost 260 yards per game, but they hope that the signing of Lucas will improve that statistic. The Seahawks lost one of their premier defenders in Peterson, but Curry should fill in nicely. This defensive unit was one of the better groups in the league just a few years ago, so an improvement is not out of the question. They’re not worth drafting, though.

We’re back with more of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit with yet another team preview (woo hoo! — just four teams remain). We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). While we figure out if the Minnesota Vikings can build on last season’s division-winning performance, does anyone think that Roger Goodell showed some cracks in his hard-ass shell when he lifted Michael Vick’s ban?

What Went Right

The Vikings shook off a 1-3 start to finish 10-6 and capture their first NFC North banner, which included an impressive 7-2 mark over the season’s final nine weeks. Offensively, Adrian Peterson solidified his status as the NFL’s top back, rushing for 1,760 yards and 10 touchdowns, and free-agent addition Bernard Berrian brought some credibility to an otherwise shaky passing game. The trade for Jared Allen (14.5 sacks) paid immediate dividends, and he, along with Pat Williams and Kevin Williams, anchor perhaps the best defensive line in the business on a unit that finished first against the run in 2008.

What Went Wrong

Despite a nice run to reach the playoffs, the Vikings bowed out immediately, dropping a 26-14 decision to the sixth-seeded Eagles. The combination of Tarvaris Jackson and Gus Frerotte struck fear into the hearts of no one at the game’s most crucial position. Outside of Berrian, the Vikings boasted a collection of underwhelming pass catchers like Bobby Wade, Visanthe Shiancoe and the maddeningly frail Sidney Rice. Plus, head coach Brad Childress still has plenty of critics based on his game management and play-calling skills.

Off-season Outlook

Minnesota’s offseason can best be summed up in two words: Brett Favre. The interminable dance between Childress and Favre monopolized headlines for months before ultimately ending with Favre remaining retired. Before all that happened, the Vikings did add Sage Rosenfels from Houston to replace Frerotte, though Rosenfels has made just 12 starts in eight NFL seasons. In terms of losses, veterans Matt Birk and Darren Sharper won’t be back. Even without Favre, the Vikings will still compete with Green Bay and Chicago for the division, but a deep playoff run might be unrealistic.

Draft Outlook

Despite being armed with just five selections, Minnesota drafted a pair of potential immediate contributors in receiver Percy Harvin and offensive lineman Phil Loadholt. Harvin’s draft stock was affected by durability concerns and off-field issues, but he may have been the best pure athlete in the draft. Look for the Vikings to line Harvin up all over the field to create mismatches.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

There was a reason the Vikings devoted so much time and energy into trying to lure Favre out of retirement, and quite simply it’s because their current options are underwhelming at best. Jackson, who enters camp as the nominal starter, was benched after two games last year to go with the journeyman Frerotte. He got the starting job back in Week 15 and played decently over the final three weeks, but thus far in his career he’s been asked to simply not make too many mistakes — that’s not the kind of role you’re looking for in a Fantasy quarterback. Option B is Rosenfels, who started 10 games for the Texans over the past two years to mixed results. On the plus side, he’s fairly accurate (66.7 per cent completions in 2008) and can post solid numbers. However, the down side with Rosenfels is he turns the ball over too much, which is exactly what the Vikings don’t want from their quarterback. Of course, there’s also the yet to be determined fallout from Childress’ public fawning over Favre. Look for Jackson to get first crack at the starting job, but don’t expect Childress to hesitate to switch to Rosenfels if the team is underperforming. Jackson’s not worth drafting, though Rosenfels could be added as a No. 2 quarterback during the season if he becomes the starter.

Running Backs

Last season, the question was AD or LT with the No. 1 pick…this year, it’s all Peterson. The man is an absolute beast and can carry a Fantasy team on any given week. He’s run for 3,101 yards in his two NFL seasons, which includes an outstanding 16 games (out of 30) with better than 100 rushing yards. There are a few chinks in Peterson’s armor — fumbles, minimal involvement in the passing game and lingering durability concerns — but nothing to dissuade whoever owns the top pick in your draft from calling his name. His backup, Chester Taylor, is also a talented back. He amassed 798 total yards and six TDs in 2008 and is a must handcuff for all Peterson owners. If that owner is asleep at the wheel, Taylor makes a legitimate No. 4 Fantasy back as a standalone.

Receivers

In his first season with the Vikings, Berrian’s receptions fell from 71 to 48, but his yardage actually increased slightly on the strength of his 20.1 yards-per-reception average (second among players with more than 15 receptions last year). While that makes Berrian a dangerous target in the NFL, it also makes him a frustrating week-to-week play in Fantasy leagues — consider that eight times last year he finished with fewer than 50 receiving yards (seven of those without a touchdown). Still, he’s the best the Vikings have to offer and is a solid No. 3 Fantasy receiver. Things get dicey after that with Wade, Harvin and Rice all jockeying for position. Wade (53-645-2 in ‘08) is a solid possession receiver, but after six seasons in the league you know what you’re getting. He’s only an option in deep leagues. Rice has had trouble staying on the field in his young career, and even when he’s in the lineup it’s been a crapshoot. That makes him more of a watch list candidate. Harvin has tremendous physical gifts, but he’s far from polished as a receiver and the transition to the NFL is already a difficult one for wideouts. Still, he has great speed, which should help him turn short passes into long gains. He’s an intriguing late-round selection as a No. 5 Fantasy receiver; just don’t reach to acquire him earlier than that. 

Tight Ends

After five undistinguished campaigns, Shiancoe finally registered as a blip on Fantasy radars with his 42-596-7 line last season. While those are decent numbers, if you take away a Week 16 beat down of Atlanta, Shiancoe averaged 2.3 receptions, 30.7 yards and 0.33 touchdowns per game in his other 15 contests. He’s a solid reserve, but don’t draft him as a starter unless your league awards bonus points for players that expose their junk on network television.

Defense/Special Teams

Minnesota is the NFL’s best at stopping the run, which unfortunately doesn’t mean much in Fantasy circles. However, this D excels at rushing the passer (45 sacks in ‘08) and always seems to score defensive touchdowns, which is Fantasy gold. Plus, the addition of Harvin immediately upgrades Minny’s return game. Draft the Vikings as a mid range No. 1 unit.

We’re back with more of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit with yet another team preview (we’re on the home stretch now, with just five teams to go). We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). Before we figure out if the San Francisco 49ers can snap their skid of six straight losing seasons, let’s try to get a mental picture of Plaxico Burress in an orange jumpsuit, because the DA in charge of his case is hellbent that Burress will do some time.

What Went Right

Humour me for a moment. Go back in your mind to the days of science class when you had to listen to the sounds of a seashell. It had a hollow noise and reminded one of emptiness. That is a comparable feeling when trying to find something the ‘Niners did correctly in 2008. The team took a slight leap on defense by the season’s conclusion; holding opponents to 16 points or fewer in four of the its final five games. Amazingly, San Francisco scratched out seven wins despite firing Mike Nolan and replacing him with the stern Mike Singletary. By season’s end, Singletary’s press conferences were arguably the highlight of an otherwise disappointing season.

What Went Wrong

San Francisco’s offense failed to move the ball consistently. Yet again, the team struggled to find consistent quarterback play and star running back Frank Gore wasn’t able to spring many big plays for an offense that ranked 23rd in the league and 27th on the ground. With the running game lagging and the quarterbacks combining for 21 touchdowns against 18 interceptions, the receiving corps did not contribute big plays to the offense. No receiver topped the 1,000-yard barrier, with veteran Isaac Bruce leading the way with 835 yards.

Off-season Outlook

The 49ers desperately needed to fix their offense, which has been routinely awful for nearly six years. Brandon Jones joins the team after four seasons with the Tennessee Titans. San Francisco also addressed its offensive line needs by bringing in former Steeler Marvel Smith and re-signing tackle Joe Staleyto a multi-year deal.

Draft Outlook

Offense, offense, offense. The ‘Niners selected an offensive player with four of their first five picks. They added speed demon Michael Crabtree to the receivers group with the 10th overall pick and then nabbed Glen Coffee to serve as a backup to Gore. While Coffee might not be an immediate impact player, Crabtree is a different story. Slim pickings abound for the ‘Niners at receiver; Crabtree must give them something in his initial campaign. Considering the state of San Francisco quarterbacks, fifth-round pick Nate Davis is a name to keep an eye on long term.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

The 49ers flirted with Kurt Warner in the offseason, but once he went back to Arizona, the team was left with Shaun Hill and Alex Smith as the primary contenders for the starting job. Last season, J.T. O’Sullivan began the year as the starter but was ineffective. The scrappy Hill was better, tossing 13 touchdowns in eight starts; and then there is Smith. The 49ers have most of their position battles resolved as training camp approaches, but Smith is out to make sure he can turn the battle in his favour. Last September, he broke a bone in his shoulder and subsequently landed on IR. However, he has received positive reviews for his preparation for 2009 during the offseason. When considering what to do with this dilemma, follow the old John Madden axiom, “When you have two quarterbacks, you have none.”

Running Backs

Three years ago, Gore posted over 1,600 yards rushing, but over the past two seasons the former Miami Hurricane barely eclipsed 1,000 yards. Playing on a bad one-dimensional team continues to hurt Gore’s Fantasy value. However, he remains in that second tier of backs toward the beginning to middle part of the second round. Fullback Moran Norris returns to the team, which could be important for the running game since he was the lead blocker during Gore’s best season. The rookie Coffee and veteran Michael Robinson will provide depth and see their fair share of action, stealing touchdowns in the process.

Receivers

Today’s NFL features bad tackling and average pass defense. Thus, it’s extremely alarming that none of the 49er receivers broke the 1,000-yard mark in 2008. Crabtree, Bruce, Josh Morgan and Jones could pose a respectable group, but much will hinge on who is throwing them the ball. As for Crabtree, rookie receivers typically don’t typically burst onto the scene. The only two players of recent vintage who did were Randy Moss and Anquan Boldin; in my opinion, he’s not in their class. If you grab Crabtree in a draft and get within shouting distance of DeSean Jackson numbers (62 receptions, 912 yards, two TDs) for his rookie campaign, take it and like it. Otherwise, this group is a grab bag. Keep an eye on Morgan, Jason Hill and the veteran Jones, who might give the group a shot in the arm. The ancient Bruce is a waiver wire fill-in at this point.

Tight Ends

Vernon Davis’ 2008 season will likely be remembered for setting off Singletary’s epic post-game presser following a drubbing from Seattle instead of any on the field production. The fourth-year player has not developed into the weapon San Francisco thought it drafted. He averaged fewer than two receptions per game in ’08 which isn’t what the 49ers had in mind when they used the sixth overall pick in the ’06 Draft. Until Davis does it on the field, he is a back-up tight end on Fantasy rosters. Backup Delanie Walker isn’t much to write home about either.

Defense/Special Teams

Take 30 seconds and try to figure out who led the ‘Niners in sacks last season. Defensive end Justin Smith? Nope, he came close with seven. How about former first-round pick Manny Lawson? Wrong again, just three. If you guessed outside linebacker Parys Haralson with eight, you’re a winner! He is a part of an active and very productive linebacking troupe. Patrick Willis is a tackling machine, leading the team in tackles during his first two seasons. The downside to the 49er defense is they don’t make big plays, finishing 28th in the league in forcing turnovers. Consider them a middle of the road group.

We’re back with more of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit with yet another team preview (we’re on the home stretch now, with just a half a dozen teams left). We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). Today also marks the first column from our newest writer, Matt Wilson. Help me welcome Matt to the site; he’ll be contributing baseball and football content.

Before we figure out what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have actually kept from last year’s 9-7 team, one must wonder what the hell Michael Vick was thinking visiting a strip club on the night he’s released from house arrest.

What Went Right

The Buccaneers did not win the division like they did in 2007, but they did have a winning record at 9-7. Antonio Bryant was the biggest bright spot on the roster. In points-per-reception leagues, Bryant was the No. 9 rated receiver in the game. In fact, 83 receptions, 1,248 yards, and seven touchdowns gave Bryant better numbers across the board than Reggie Wayne. With Bryant proving to be a viable No. 1 receiver, Jeff Garcia was a viable Fantasy quarterback in the right matchup. The Buccaneers actually averaged more passing yards per game than the New England Patriots last season. On the other side of the ball, the Buccaneer defense, led by playmaker Ronde Barber, was one of the top 10 units in the league. While this was not the same Buc defense that carried a team with Brad Johnson at quarterback in 2003, they did rank third in the NFL in interceptions.

What Went Wrong

The emergence of Bryant stemmed from the disappointment of oft-injured wideout, Joey Galloway. Galloway had averaged over 1,000 yards per season over the previous three years for the Bucs, but managed a measly 13 receptions for 138 yards in an injury-riddled campaign. Earnest Graham joined Galloway as a disappointment due to injury. After a hot start that included at least 90 yards rushing in three of his first four starts, Graham started to get beat up and split time with Tampa favourite Warrick Dunn. The workload took its toll on Graham, as he did not dress for the final six games of the season. While the defense was a bright spot during much of the season, they were also a disaster when it mattered to Fantasy owners. The Buc defense allowed 38 points in Week 14 and 41 points in Week 16. For Fantasy owners expecting solid defense in their playoff matchups, the Bucs were a major letdown.

Off-season Outlook

This offseason has provided Tampa Bay with a new look to its team. While it did not get new uniforms, that is just about the only thing that did not change in Tampa. Jon Gruden was fired and defensive mastermind Monte Kiffin fled to be the defensive coordinator for his son at the University of Tennessee. The philosophy for the Buccaneers should not change too much with the appointment of Raheem Morris as the new head coach. Morris worked as the defensive backs coach in Tampa for the past two seasons under Kiffin, so there should be a sense of continuity.

As far as the player personnel goes, there has also been widespread changes. Garcia and Brian Griese are out, while Byron Leftwich has been signed to compete with Luke McCown for the starting quarterback position. In an effort to bolster the run game, Derrick Ward, who ran for 1,000 yards as a “back-up” for the Giants last year, has been signed to replace the departed Dunn. The Buccaneers have also acquired one of the most talented tight ends in the league in Kellen Winslow. He replaces Alex Smith, who was traded to the Patriots. On the defensive side of the ball, the Bucs have cut ties with Tampa legend Derrick Brooks and fellow linebacker Cato June.

Draft Outlook

Tampa hopes to resolve its revolving door quarterback issue with the selection of Josh Freeman out of Kansas State. Freeman, the 17th pick in the draft, reminds some scouts of JaMarcus Russell. He has a powerful arm and possesses great size for the position (6’5”, 248). The big question is whether Freeman will get his chance to shine this season. Wide receiver Sammie Stroughter was the only other skill-position player selected by the Bucs in April. Typically, seventh-round selections do not appear on the Fantasy radar, but the Buccaneers lack a true No. 2 receiver next to Bryant, so it’s worth keeping an eye on Stroughter.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

If the season were to start today, McCown would be the starting quarterback. The Buccaneers cannot be all that comfortable with that idea since they went out and signed Leftwich. Just two weeks after signing Leftwich, the Bucs drafted Freeman in the first round. Freeman possesses the most upside of these three quarterbacks long term, but the Buccaneers are not going to be a passing team. Offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski has already stated that he plans to put together a run-heavy scheme for the Bucs. Jagodzinski coached Matt Ryan at Boston College, so he should have a good idea of how the two compare developmentally. Freeman will not start this year unless the coaching staff really feels he’s ready. None of these quarterbacks should be relied on for Fantasy purposes except in the deepest of leagues.

Running Backs

Graham might be the incumbent, but the Bucs did not sign Ward to sit on the bench. Ward is slightly bigger than Graham, so Ward may pick up some extra carries in the red zone (he scored just two touchdowns on the ground last year…mostly because of Brandon Jacobs). For a running back, Ward has a good set of hands and that makes him even more valuable in PPR leagues. In a role where he split time, Ward had 41 receptions last year. Look for that number to increase to 50-to-60 receptions this year. The third back in Tampa is Cadillac Williams. He is a feel-good story, as some doctors expected him to never play football again, but he may open the 2009 on the PUP-list again. He’s nothing more than a mid-season waiver wire claim at best.

Wide Receivers

Bryant finally put it all together last season. In standard scoring, he outperformed Wayne, Terrell Owens, Randy Moss and Brandon Marshall to name just a few. Unfortunately for Bryant, the system is becoming run heavy this season. Wide receivers are historically full of hot air and Bryant is no exception to this rule. That’s why it should be particularly alarming when he is the first to admit that he expects his stats to slip in 2009. All that said, he will still be the No. 1 receiver in Tampa, if only because the alternatives are weak. Michael Clayton has never regained his form from his rookie season. Maurice Stovall, Dexter Jackson and Stroughter were all talented college receivers. Pay attention in training camp to see who will start opposite Bryant; odds are the winner will be a bye-week spot starter at best.

Tight Ends

With the transition to a young and/or less talented quarterback comes the need for a safety valve for him to check down to for an easy completion. Tampa went out and acquired one of the best tight ends in the league in Winslow. He has had a history of being injury prone, but many of the injuries are rather fluky (e.g., motorcycle accident, staph infection). When he is healthy, Winslow is capable of being the top performing tight end in football. He will act as the true No. 2 receiver in this offense and should be one of the first tight ends off the board.

Defense/Special Teams

As the team that pioneered the Cover 2 defense, this unit has always been good at producing turnovers. The pass rush, on the other hand, has been very weak since Warren Sapp left the team. Brooks is gone, but Barrett Ruud and Barber are still on the roster. If the run game plays well, it will keep the defense off the field for extended periods of time. This Buc team plans to win games 13-10, if at all, so the Buccaneers D/ST should be a safe addition after the top units are off the board. As for their kicker, this is always a crapshoot anyway, but it is worth noting that Matt Bryant was fourth in the league in field goals last year. On the downside, he did not hit one longer than 50 yards. If the quarterback play is inept but the defense is excelling, Bryant could be the beneficiary of good field position and hit a few extra field goals.

As part of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit, we wanted to present you with the results of the 2009 Fantasy Football Expert Mock Draft No. 3, hosted by the folks at MockDraftCentral.com on Tuesday. I represented RotoRob.com in this mock draft and I picked seventh overall. The expert panel consists of 12 guys representing various media outlets, including Mock Draft Central, KFFL, Fantasy Pros 911, Roto Experts, Sports Illustrated and Time Warner. The 15-round draft included the following starting positions: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, DEF, K. This is a non-PPR mock with QB touchdowns worth four points, one point for every 20 pass yards, one point for every 10 rushing or receiving yards, and six points for a rush or receiving touchdown.

5:08 p.m.: Just starting to do some pre-mock preparations when I notice that the guy picking 10th, Scott Swanay, has an Applied Math & Computer Science degree from Harvard. I expect him to fool us all with his mathematical trickery.

5:14 p.m.: When I prepare for a draft, I like to take a look at my position and try to get a feel for what options I am going to have for the first five rounds. I will be picking sevent, 18th, 31st, 42nd, and 55th overall. My first five rounds could look like this: Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans; Randy Moss, WR, New England Patriots (I almost wrote Vikings; apparently, I am stuck in 2003); Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers; Braylon Edwards, WR, Cleveland Browns. I am not sure how much I would love this draft, but I do love me some young and energetic running backs. The draft is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.

5:26 p.m.: Taking a closer look at the first round pick, I will most likely have to choose from the following: Steven Jackson (RB, St. Louis Rams), Johnson (RB, Titans) and DeAngelo Williams (RB, Panthers). Under this scenario, I think I would lean towards Johnson. I love his game, but he could be overvalued this early.

5:29 p.m.: As far as quarterbacks go, my strategy most likely will be to wait until late and grab two starting QBs with the potential for breakout years and have the ability to pick based on matchups throughout the year. I think once you get past Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, there is not a huge difference between someone you can steal late. My plan is to get these two guys in the late rounds: Trent Edwards (QB, Buffalo Bills) and Jason Campbell (QB, Washington Redskins). I would take a look at Carson Palmer if the price was right.

6:08 p.m.: Looking at the top 20 rankings from a bunch of different sites, it is amazing to me that Steve Slaton was taken so late in the actual NFL Draft last year. He is arguable the ninth or 10th best Fantasy running back coming into this year, which is exactly how many running backs went before him in last year’s draft.

6:13 p.m.: I think Jackson and LaDainain Tomlinson will bounce back with amazing years, if healthy.

6:15 p.m.: This year’s rookie running backs to watch include Knowshon Moreno, Donald Brown, LeSean McCoy, and Chris “Beanie” Wells. This group probably won’t best the 2008 class of Matt Forte, Stewart, Johnson and Slaton, but it will be interesting to see how their situations play out. I think Wells could easily beat out Tim Hightower and be the starter from Week One in Arizona. Brown is an amazing runner and will push Joseph Addai for playing time. McCoy could see a ton of action if Brian Westbrook keeps getting hurt. Moreno is a stud, but Josh McDaniels likes to have a stable of running backs and use them all.

6:21 p.m.: Note to all Willie Parker fans and owners: Rashard Mendenhall is awesome and, if healthy, will leave Parker with fewer carries.

6:23 p.m.: My pre-season vote for NFC Rookie of the Year goes to Michael Crabtree of the 49ers. In the AFC, I have Brown of the Colts. The stat that typically gives the best idea of whether a receiver will translate to the next level: receiving touchdowns in college. Crabtree had 41 in two years at Texas Tech.

6:31 p.m.: My sleeper of the year is Earl Bennett, WR, Chicago Bears. Bennett was a teammate of Jay Cutler during their Vanderbilt days, so Cutler trusts him. Plus, the Bears have a lack of depth at WR, so Bennett is sure to see the field a ton. Think Eddie Royal-type performances.

6:55 p.m.: Seared Ahi Tuna with soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil. It’s the pre-mock draft dinner of champions.

7:00 p.m.: My main target for TE is Greg Olsen of the Chicago Bears. Cutler loves using his TE and Olsen is actually the best target they have. I am ready to have my annual “laugh at the guy who takes Tony Gonzalez way too early” moment. This is an expert’s draft though…I might have to wait until August.

7:15 p.m.: 45 minutes until go time. I fully expect Adrian Peterson to go No. 1, but after that it could get interesting. This is not like other years where there is basically no guesswork in the top three. I think Maurice Jones-Drew could see a huge spike in production with Fred Taylor heading north to New England.

7:25 p.m.: I am convinced that I am going to go RB in the first round and then WR in second round. Wow, I absolutely hate picking between fifth and eighth in a 12-team league.

7:53 p.m.: After some technical SNAFUs I am in the draft room and ready to rock it!

Round One: No real surprises here except Jackson fell all the way to 11, about four to six spots farther than he really should land. I end up taking Johnson with the No. 7 pick. Late in the first round, Moss and Andre Johnson go off the board. I think Slaton going No. 10 is a little high.

Round Two: Wide receivers dominate the deuce by filling seven draft spots. The biggest surprise here for me is Brees going 13th overall. I think that you will overpay for him this year and if you want a top tier QB, it may be best to wait another couple rounds and snag someone like Aaron Rodgers, who may even give Brees a run for his money. I took WR Steve Smith (Panthers) in the second round — a player I usually shy away from because of candy-armed Jake Delhomme.

Round Three: After taking a RB and WR, I was planning on taking another wide out in this round until I saw Brady was still on the board. I am a huge advocate of waiting on QBs for the later rounds, but I just think Brady is worth more than a mid-third round pick. I ended up taking him and passing on a running back such as Pierre Thomas, Thomas Jones, Darren McFadden, or Marshawn Lynch, all of whom went in this round after my pick.

Round Four: Going into this round, I had three guys on my list to take with this pick. Since I needed a running back they were, in order, Larry Johnson, Moreno and Stewart. All three were available and I took LJ, banking on him staying injury free and happy. The first rookie went off the board this round when Moreno was drafted with the 10th pick. So after four rounds, my roster looks like such: QB Brady, RB Chris Johnson, RB Larry Johnson, WR Smith. I think that is a fairly explosive squad thus far.

Round Five: Just like last round, I had running back on the mind. I wanted to take either Stewart or the rookie Brown. Stewart gets picked third, leaving me to see what Brown can do for me. Many would question this move, but I think Addai will be phased out and the Colts did not spend a first-round pick for the guy to ride the pine. I love having Brown as my third running back.

Round Six: Nothing too crazy here. I drafted Santonio Holmes to shore up my receiving corps. It was a tough decision between Holmes and second-year guy Donnie Avery. I like the fact Avery plays on turf at least eight times a year, but I think Holmes will put up better numbers. Lee Evans, my target pick for this round, was snagged a couple slots ahead of me.

Round Seven: Instead of filling my starting positions, I took a fourth running back here in Felix Jones. This second-year guy is super talented and will get every opportunity to get as many touches he can handle. I like the depth my squad has and Jones is a wildcard who could pay off greatly. I did not see any WR that I had to have in this round, so I will wait to fill the starting WR and TE spots I have left.

Round Eight: Needing a TE, I selected Olsen of the Bears. I believe he is the best option for Cutler and he will use him to the fullest. I really think Olsen will have a Pro Bowl year and put up numbers comparable to new Falcon TE Gonzalez. Call me crazy. FYI: Crabtree was selected late in this round. He may be a better option in keeper leagues, but we’ll see.

Round Nine: I go WR and take Jeremy Maclin, a rookie for the Eagles, who will surely see the field a lot this year. The Eagles love to pass and Maclin gives them another option. The first defense (Pittsburgh) goes off the board with the next pick.

Round 10: I like what I have so far. I added another rookie wide receiver when I take Hakeem Nicks of the Giants. I think he will try to replace Plaxico Burress in that offense. I saw Nicks play a lot in college and I think he has what it takes. My hope would be that either Maclin and Nicks step up and play a prominent role in their respective offense.

Rounds 11-15: The last five rounds I took Edwards, Redskins’ Defense, Chris Henry (WR, Cincinnati Bengals), Devin Thomas and kicker Robbie Gould.

Final Roster

QB: Tom Brady, Trent Edwards
RB: Chris Johnson, Larry Johnson, Donald Brown, Felix Jones
WR: Steve Smith, Santonio Holmes, Jeremy Maclin, Hakeem Nicks, Chris Henry, Devin Thomas
TE: Greg Olsen
K: Robbie Gould
DEF: Redskins

I would like to thank the guys at Mock Draft Central for putting on the mock draft; I had a blast. Here is a link to the results.

We’re back with more of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit as we release another team preview (we’re on the home stretch now, with just over a half a dozen teams remaining). We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). While we wait for Roger Goodell to decided if he’s going to speak to Michael Vick, let’s preview the Green Bay Packers, who will look to recover from a disappointing 2008 campaign.

What Went Right

From a production standpoint, the Packers couldn’t have asked for a smoother transition from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers, who started all 16 games and guided the NFL’s fifth-ranked scoring offense. It didn’t hurt that he was surrounded by playmakers, as Greg Jennings and Donald Driver both eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving, and Ryan Grant shook off a slow start to finish with 1,200-plus rushing yards. Green Bay also led the NFL in defensive touchdowns, including five from Charles Woodson (seven INTs, two TDs) and Nick Collins (seven INTs, three TDs). Although the Packers finished 6-10, seven of those losses came by a combined 21 points, indicating they weren’t far from being in playoff contention.

What Went Wrong

The Packers simply couldn’t close the deal, going a nearly unfathomable 1-7 in games decided by five points or less. For all his success, Rodgers struggled to make plays late, and even when he did, either the defense or kicker Mason Crosby would let the team down. The defense endured some significant injuries — namely Cullen Jenkins, Nick Barnett and Atari Bigby — and stumbled to a 20th-place finish, costing Bob Sanders his job. Oh, and then there was that Favre debacle. Well, at least they won’t have to deal with that again…

Off-season Outlook

As has been the case under GM Ted Thompson, the Packers are once again banking on internal improvement and help from the draft to rebound as they added only two free agents while losing only one player of note (Colin Cole). However, there is one significant change as the hiring of Dom Capers signals a shift to the 3-4 defense. It’s a big gamble for Thompson and Mike McCarthy as another sub-.500 season could cost both men their jobs, though the Packers certainly have the talent to challenge Minnesota and Chicago for the NFC North crown.

Draft Outlook

It was clear to anyone that watched the Packers last year that most of their problems were defensive, so it came as no surprise when they selected mammoth defensive tackle B.J. Raji with the ninth overall pick to anchor the 3-4. Thompson also traded up later in the first round to grab linebacker Clay Matthews. Both men should play immediately, though neither is guaranteed to start this year. The team also invested a pair of picks on the offensive line.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Arguably the most scrutinized player in the NFL entering 2008, Rodgers was not only asked to replace a legend but also quell doubts about his own toughness. To say he succeeded in both regards would be an understatement. Rodgers threw for 4,038 yards and 28 touchdowns against only 13 interceptions, and he brought an added dimension of mobility (207 rushing yards, four scores). He also played through a serious shoulder injury, which sounds eerily similar to his predecessor. It wasn’t all rainbows and puppy dog tails for Rodgers, however, as he could never engineer that signature game-winning moment. It certainly wasn’t entirely his fault, but he bears part of the burden given some poor throws in crucial moments (also eerily similar to his predecessor). Last year, Rodgers was an intriguing later-round flier in many leagues. This year, he’s a lock as a No. 1 quarterback and potential top three contributor at the position — just don’t bypass a proven backup as Rodgers’ durability concerns aren’t completely gone yet.

Running Backs

After emerging from obscurity in 2007, Grant held out for most of training camp and was largely ineffective over the season’s first six weeks, carrying the ball 106 times for 359 yards (3.4 per carry) and failing to score. He looked better down the stretch, however, and even become more involved in the passing game — five receptions in his first 10 games, 13 in his last six. His final numbers (1,319 total yards, four touchdowns) were passable, though it was the sheer number of carries (312) that allowed him to post those totals. That’s because the team appears to have no faith in Brandon Jackson, despite the fact he averaged 5.8 yards per touch last season. Jackson still projects as the No. 2 back, but in the event of an injury to Grant, don’t expect McCarthy to use Jackson as his top runner. Instead that job would probably fall to DeShawn Wynn (the nominal starter in ‘07 before being injured), Kregg Lumpkin or Tyrell Sutton. Due to his heavy workload, Grant deserves a spot as a No. 2 Fantasy back while Jackson could hold late-round value in deep point-per-reception leagues. Wynn is a watch list candidate.

Receivers

Few teams can match Green Bay’s depth at receiver, headlined by Jennings (80 receptions, 1,292 yards, nine touchdowns) and Driver (74-1,012-5). Jennings emerged as one of the NFL’s best deep threats in 2007 and did nothing to diminish that reputation last season despite the transition from Favre to Rodgers. He’s a threat to score every time he touches the ball and is a mid range No. 1 Fantasy receiver. On the other side, Driver is all about making tough catches in traffic, though he will occasionally break one for a long score. His biggest issue is a lack of end zone visits as his last 156 receptions have resulted in just seven touchdowns. Even at 34 he’s a rock solid No. 3 wideout with added value in point-per-reception formats. Jordy Nelson (33-366-2) and James Jones (20-274-1) are next up on the depth chart with Nelson being the steadier possession receiver. Jones, who flashed serious talent as a rookie, has to overcome durability concerns and problems with drops to get back on track. Neither man is viable outside of deep leagues, but both should be remembered in case of injury or if one solidifies their hold as the No. 3 receiver in Green Bay.

Tight Ends

Donald Lee (39-303-5) took a major step back without Favre, and he could be in danger of losing playing time this season depending on how quickly Jermichael Finley develops. The team loves Finley’s ability, but he’s only 22 and displayed a lack of maturity as a rookie. Lee could be roster filler as a reserve tight end while Finley is a potential super sleeper in larger leagues — however, those playing in full keeper leagues should consider finding a bench spot to stash Finley based on his upside.

Defense/Special Teams

The Packers were a much better Fantasy defense than an NFL one last year based on their penchant to make big plays, but without those they were a below-average group. The team is switching to the 3-4, which could pay dividends down the line, but will likely be accompanied early on by some growing pains. The presence of home run hitters both defensively and on special teams makes them a group to watch, but it’s hard to advocate calling their name on draft day.

The 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit returns with another team preview (we’re on the home stretch now, with less than 10 NFC teams left to go). We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). While we’re wondering if Michael Vick will get a pardon from the NFL now that the feds are off his back, let’s preview the New Orleans Saints, who will look to build on last year and enjoy their first winning season since 2006.

What Went Right

The Saints boasted the NFL’s top-rated offense, averaging nearly 29 points and over 410 yards per game. The man at the helm of that well-oiled machine, quarterback Drew Brees, led all NFL passers with an absurd 5,069 yards through the air – the second-highest total in league history. Though the Saints’ running game was rather woeful, tailback Pierre Thomas showed definite signs that he may be a budding NFL star. Heretofore unknown Lance Moore stepped into wounded wideout Marques Colston’s ample shoes and produced three 100-plus yard receiving games – while scoring seven times.

What Went Wrong

Many things went wrong for the Saints in 2008 – most of which were prefaced by the offense leaving the field. The New Orleans defense was simply awful last season, and its ineptitude was a big reason why Brees was forced to chuck 635 passes – fifth most in league history. Another prime suspect for Brees’ aerial exploits was New Orleans’ running game (or lack thereof), which produced a meager 99 yards per game – good for 28th in the league. Oh, by the way, the team finished in the NFC South division basement with a record of 8-8.

Off-season Outlook

The Saints tried to shore up their leaky secondary by signing free safety Darren Sharper to a free agent deal. The veteran has scored 10 defensive touchdowns in his career, and his presence is an immediate upgrade to the Saints’ big-play potential. Former Patriot fullback Heath Evans should be able to open a few more holes for the Saint runners this season, while cornerback Jabari Greer will provide depth in the beleaguered secondary. Departed Mike McKenzie is no longer a part of that motley crew, and the Saints also cut ties with their all-time leading rusher Deuce McAllister, who still might have a chance to land a part-time role somewhere in the league.

Draft Outlook

The Saints also addressed their defensive needs in the draft, snagging cornerback Malcolm Jenkins in the first round, and safety Chip Vaughn with their fourth rounder. Jenkins is a versatile defender with good cover skills who may very well win a starting job in training camp. Vaughn, meanwhile, figures to play in situational packages only.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Brees put up career-best numbers last season, but his career year was far from a fluke — 2008 marked his third consecutive season with over 4,400 yards passing and fifth straight campaign with at least 24 touchdown passes. The 30-year-old gunslinger doesn’t take very many sacks, and he has shown the ability to play through pain when necessary. While the Saint running game may improve somewhat this season, their defense once again figures to be a lower echelon unit – meaning Brees will almost certainly be filling the air with footballs in ’09. He should have plenty of tasty targets to receive his aerial offerings, too – making Brees arguably the best Fantasy quarterback available come draft day.

Running Backs

With McAllister out of the picture, the door appears wide open for Pierre Thomas to become an NFL star and bona fide Fantasy football stud. The early numbers look good: Thomas racked up nine touchdown runs on just 129 carries last season, and averaged a hefty 4.8 yards per rushing attempt. He added three more touchdowns among his 31 pass receptions, so his nose for the goal line is undeniable. Thomas is a No. 2 Fantasy back with the upside to produce like a strong No. 1 by season’s end. The same can’t be said for Reggie Bush, who again missed significant time due to injuries in 2008. When he was on the field, Bush displayed the same inconsistency that has plagued his NFL career. He has definite value in point-per-reception formats, but Fantasy owners looking for big rushing numbers and double-digit touchdowns from the former USC stud are almost certainly in for another disappointment in 2009.

Receivers

A thumb injury cost Colston five games last season, but once the big guy made it back onto the field, he showed why he is one of the league’s better wideouts. Over his last eight games, Colston averaged nearly 85 receiving yards per game and scored five times. He underwent off-season knee surgery, and he may be persona non grata in many Fantasy drafts as a result. Don’t let him fall past Round Four: Colston reports that he’s feeling great, and if he’s truly healthy another 1,200 yard, double-digit touchdown campaign could be in the works. While Colston was out last season, Lance Moore stepped up and became the waiver wire darling of many a Fantasy league. While his 79-928-10 line looks serviceable, remember that his numbers dropped dramatically once Colston was back in form – so Moore is clearly not the Saints’ top option. Neither is Devery Henderson, who blew a golden opportunity to show his stuff in Colston’s stead. It doesn’t look as though Henderson will ever be more than a deep threat who doesn’t catch enough passes or score enough to be Fantasy-relevant.

Tight Ends

Considering the Saints’ lethargic running game, it’s hard to believe that Jeremy Shockey found a way to haul in 50 receptions without scoring a single touchdown last season. What’s not so difficult to fathom is that he once again failed to play in all 16 games – the seventh consecutive year he has pulled off that dubious feat. While Shockey’s brittle nature is troublesome, his recent lack of scoring acumen – he has found the coloured grass only three times since 2006 – is downright nauseating. J-Shock has the skills to turn things around in 2009, but anyone who drafts him needs to grab a viable backup to cover for Shockey’s inevitable DNPs.

Defense/Special Teams

Avert thy gaze Saint fans – your team’s D stunk like three-day-old sardines last season, finishing 27th in total defense, 17th against the run, 23rd versus the pass and tied for 23rd with a paltry 28 sacks. The Big Easy D wasn’t very good at getting the ball back for Brees and company, either – the Saints’ total of 22 turnovers forced was 20th in the league, and better than only seven other teams. Yuck…or as they might say in the French Quarter, yucque. The arrival of Sharper and a solid rookie season from Jenkins might infuse some life into the secondary, but it’s hard to imagine New Orleans finishing in the top half of NFL defenses this season.

With Thomas set to become the feature back, his days as a kickoff return man are almost certainly over, and there’s no clear successor at the moment. Bush could be one of the game’s most dangerous punt returners; three of his 20 runbacks last season went to the house. Unfortunately, Bush’s propensity for injury may convince the Saints not to risk him in the return game.

Place kicker Garrett Hartley didn’t miss a kick during his eight-game stint last season, and could become a major Fantasy sleeper if he keeps his job for 2009. The Saint offense figures to be among the league’s best this season, and Hartley could put up some monster numbers if that indeed comes to pass. Grab Hartley in your draft’s final rounds, and then get ready to laugh as you out-point the guy in your league that blew a seventh-round pick on a “stud kicker.”

Linebacker Karlos Dansby is again the Cardinals’ franchise player.

The 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit returns today with yet another team preview (we’re on the home stretch now, with less than 10 NFC teams left to go). We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). While we’re waiting for Brett Favre to once again decide whether he’s in or not, let’s preview the Arizona Cardinals, who came within a whisker of their first ever Super Bowl title last season.

What Went Right

The Cardinal offense, while flawed towards the end of the regular season, ran over enemies for much of the ’08 season including the postseason. Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald paced a ferocious passing attack. The trio carried the Cards into the playoffs and nearly towards an improbable Super Bowl victory. Unfortunately, their defense failed to cover Santonio Holmes in the final two and a half minutes of the season.

What Went Wrong

Two things made Arizona’s post-season run shocking: an amazingly awful running game and a mediocre defensive unit (the same gang that got torched by Minnesota’s Tarvaris Jackson in Week 15). Edgerrin James’ performance and attitude ran him out of Arizona. Meanwhile, the defense defined inconsistency by showing glimpses of being world beaters one week followed by glimpses of being one of the league’s worst defenses the next.

Off-season Outlook

To get a grasp on the philosophy of Arizona’s offseason, try reading Pat Riley’s The Winner Within and the “Disease of Me” chapter. When success comes unexpectedly, so
do the requests for more loot from players. Many looked for better contracts including Warner, Boldin and Karlos Dansby. Coaching changes also became an issue as offensive coordinator Todd Haley accepted the head coaching slot with Kansas City and defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast got the boot in favour of Bill Davis. Arizona managed to address personnel needs by signing former Steeler cornerback Bryant McFadden to a deal to help fix its rather pedestrian secondary.

Draft Outlook

Arizona’s draft dealt with building depth on defense (it used five of its next six picks after first round on defensive players). Nonetheless, after their woeful showing on the ground in ’08, the Cards nabbed former Ohio State running back Chris “Beanie” Wells in the first round. Despite missing time in his final year with the Buckeyes due to a foot injury, expect Wells to get plenty of opportunities to be an impact player in the desert.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Kurt Warner getting the Cardinals to the Super Bowl is quietly one of the great NFL achievements over the past 25 years. If you were putting together a short list of franchises that would not make the Super Bowl in your lifetime, the Cards would probably be in the top three. Having said that, beware of a letdown for Warner. First off, the curse of the Super Bowl runner-up has claimed several casualties during the past decade including the latest, Tom Brady’s knee. Also, keep in mind the probability of Warner playing every game at 38. Lastly, Warner’s first two Super Bowl appearances were followed up by injury-plagued seasons.

The Super Bowl XXXIV MVP broke his hand during the 2000 season and missed five games. Following his ’01 MVP season, he played in only seven games due to a broken thumb suffered against Dallas. The injury also eventually led to fumbling problems and the Brenda Warner/Mike Martz feud which signaled the beginning of the end for him in St. Louis.

The moral to this story is to consider Warner a top-tier Fantasy quarterback, but keep your eye on back-up Matt Leinart. During 11 NFL seasons, Warner has never played all 16 regular season games in consecutive years.

Running Backs

Now that Edgerrin “three yards per carry” James is out of Arizona, the backfield duties will belong to Wells and second-year back Tim Hightower. They will try to improve the worst rushing team in the league (the Cards averaged just 73 yards per game). The Virginia product provided flashes, but is not a back who can handle a full workload. He is better suited as a pass catcher and third-down back.

Receivers

Poor Anquan Boldin; lost in the haze of Fitzgerald’s epic postseason was Boldin’s performance. He established a career high in touchdown catches with 11 despite having reconstructive surgery to his face following a vicious hit by Jet safety Eric Smith in Week Four. Somehow, he only missed four games and made the Pro Bowl. However, he struggled at the end of the year and Fitzgerald took over, amassing career numbers. Fitz is widely considered Fantasy football’s number one receiver while Boldin would be a number one if not for injury concerns. Slot receiver Steve Breaston joined Boldin and Fitzgerald as the team’s third receiver to hit the 1,000-yard mark. Consider him a number three option in larger leagues.

Tight Ends

Ben Patrick. Leonard Pope. I must write their names just to educate and inform. With the three headed monster at receiver, Arizona tight ends are an endangered species and best suited to block. Patrick, who caught a touchdown in the Super Bowl, and Pope, combined for just 20 catches during the regular season. Don’t consider them legitimate Fantasy tight ends unless they dictate otherwise.

Defense/Special Teams

Last season, Arizona’s defense finished 28th in points allowed per game and 19th in total defense but were amazingly a couple of plays away from winning the Super Bowl. It’s a feast or famine unit that wavers wildly between a play-making group and then one that gives up the big play. They lost defense lineman Antonio Smith to Houston, which will hurt an already shaky group. Meanwhile, the addition of McFadden should give their mediocre secondary a shot in the arm.

We’re back with more of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit with yet another team preview (we’re on the home stretch now, with less than 10 NFC teams left to go). We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). Before we wonder if the Detroit Lions can ever win another game, I think the next round should be on Matt Cassel, who is now a pretty freaking rich dude.

What Went Right

Two words: Calvin Johnson. The former second overall pick officially exorcised the demons of Charles Rogers and Mike Williams (and to a lesser extent Roy Williams, who somehow escapes unscathed despite recording exactly one 1,000-yard season in his first five NFL seasons), emerging as one the NFL’s top receivers at just 23 years of age.

What Went Wrong

Just about everything else! The Lions became the first team in NFL history to go 0-16 with only three of their losses coming by fewer than seven points. They were abysmal on both sides of the ball with an offense that ranked 30th overall and a defense that finished dead last. Detroit put five different quarterbacks on the field last year with predictably disastrous results, and nobody did anything in the passing game opposite Johnson despite him drawing constant double coverage. Henceforth, when shitty teams gather, the 2008 Lions will be mentioned in hushed tones of reverence.

Off-season Outlook

Predictably there was a lot of overhaul in the Motor City, which began in earnest with last year’s trading of Williams to Dallas and continued this offseason. Among the departed are Leigh Bodden, Jon Kitna, Brian Kelly, Shaun McDonald, Rudi Johnson and Paris Lenon. To their credit, the Lions realized there isn’t a quick fix for this club and bypassed the big-ticket free agents to bring in some solid second-tier talent like Bryant Johnson, Ronald Curry, Larry Foote and Phillip Buchanon. They also acquired Julian Peterson from Seattle to upgrade their pass rush. While there’s clearly nowhere to go but up for the Lions, it’s hard to imagine them finishing anywhere but the NFC North cellar in 2009.

Draft Outlook

Drafting in the top 10 for the seventh time in eight years, the Lions used the No. 1 overall pick to select University of Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford. They then used the first-round pick obtained from Dallas to nab Brandon Pettigrew, considered the top tight end in the draft. Derrick Williams, a third-round wideout from Penn State, should also have a chance to contribute immediately.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

The $78 million question is when does Detroit turn the offense over to Stafford? Well, while the safe money still says Daunte Culpepper starts in Week One, the Lions have no realistic shot at the playoffs, so the temptation exists to get Stafford on the field quickly. From a Fantasy perspective it doesn’t much matter. On one hand, Culpepper hasn’t been worth a roster spot since 2005 and is essentially a lame duck to the point that nothing short of phenomenal play will keep him in the lineup for long. On the other hand, Stafford will be in for some growing pains once he gets the call as Detroit lacks the powerful running game and quality defense that allowed the likes of Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco to succeed. Ignore them both in standard leagues, but stash Stafford in keeper formats.

Running Backs

If there was another bright spot offensively for the Lions in 2008 it was then-rookie Kevin Smith, who ran for 976 yards and eight touchdowns despite having Johnson around siphoning his touches. Smith also finished second on the team in receptions (39), which could be good news for Fantasy owners as young quarterbacks often check down to their backs and tight ends. With Johnson gone, newcomer Maurice Morris should serve as the team’s top reserve. Morris, who has averaged 734 total yards per year the past three seasons, offers solid depth and can be effective as an occasional starter should Smith succumb to injury. Look for a significant bump in touches for Smith in 2009 (he had 277 last year) and view him as a mid-range No. 2 Fantasy back with some upside, particularly in point-per-reception leagues. As for Morris, he’s nothing more than roster filler.

Receivers

Johnson was a beast last season, hauling in 78 passes for 1,331 yards and 12 touchdowns. All of which was done with little to no help on the other side. To remedy that, the Lions brought in several veteran free agents (B. Johnson, Curry and Dennis Northcutt) and selected Williams. Of that group, Johnson, a former first-round selection himself, is the best short-term option, though after six NFL seasons you pretty much know what you’re going to get from him: 35-to-50 grabs, 450-to-550 yards and a few TDs. Curry was once considered a receiver on the rise, but he’s 30 years old now and is coming off a terrible 2008 performance. Don’t expect a huge resurgence from him. Northcutt and Williams should round out the unit. Despite some uninspiring options surrounding Johnson, he’s simply too talented not to be taken in the first two rounds as a strong No. 1 Fantasy wideout. No one else is worth drafting in standard leagues, though the “other” Johnson could find a late-round home in deeper setups.

Tight Ends

Pettigrew should be the immediate starter and because of his blocking skills can be a three-down player as a rookie. Like Smith, Pettigrew should operate as a safety valve, particularly once Stafford gets on the field. He’s not starting material yet, but he’s a quality addition for those playing in keeper leagues and could hold value as a reserve in deep single-year formats.

Defense/Special Teams

The Lions had the absolute worst defense in football last year, allowing a laughable 32.3 points and 404.4 total yards (including 172.1 on the ground) per game. Their pass rush was acceptable, but they forced just 20 turnovers, including a league-low four interceptions. Also, despite registering 104 combined returns (83 on kickoffs), their special teams never scored a touchdown. An absolute disaster all the way around — avoid this unit at all costs.

We’ve been a bit quiet on the pigskin front this week, but we’re back with more of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit with yet another team preview (we’re now basically two-thirds of the way through this now, with just 11 NFC teams left to tackle). We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). Before we wonder if the Chicago Bears can build on last season and make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2006, let’s pass along our respects to the family of Steve McNair, the former Titan great who was buried Friday night.

What Went Right

The Bears stayed in the playoff hunt until the season’s final week on the strength of a pair of overtime wins in Weeks 15 and 16. Rookie Matt Forte led the offense with 1,715 total yards and a dozen touchdowns, authoring arguably the best all-around performance by a Bear back since Neal Anderson. Chicago’s passing game was efficient as Greg Olsen continued to live up to his first-round status, and Devin Hester progressed after his switch from defensive back to receiver.

What Went Wrong

Ultimately, Chicago missed the playoffs for the second straight year when it lost to the Texans in Week 17 — as it turned out, losses by Dallas and Tampa Bay left the Bears in a spot where a win in that game would’ve earned them a Wild Card bid. The once-vaunted defense struggled for the second straight season as well, including finishing 30th against the pass. The Bears were also thin at key positions as a true No. 1 receiver never emerged and their options behind Forte were ineffective, leaving him fatigued down the stretch.

Off-season Outlook

After suffering through a seemingly endless parade of mediocre quarterbacks, the Bears finally pulled the trigger on a legitimate franchise signal caller when they pried a disgruntled Jay Cutler away from the Broncos. They paid a heavy price, however, dealing a pair of first-round picks along with a third-rounder and incumbent Kyle Orton. To protect Cutler, the team signed veteran Orlando Pace, who at 33 still should have some juice left in the tank. The Bears were also rumoured to have interest in free-agent receivers Plaxico Burress and Marvin Harrison, though such talk has quieted considerably.

Draft Outlook

Already without a first-round pick, the Bears traded down out of the second round and finished the draft with nine selections — two each in Rounds Three through Five. For Fantasy purposes, the names to know are wide receivers Juaquin Iglesias and Johnny Knox. Iglesias is the higher selection, but it has been Knox garnering the praise since the draft, recently drawing comparisons to former Bear Bernard Berrian. Given the lack of established talent at wideout, both rookies deserve watch list designations in deep leagues.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

It’s pretty safe to say Cutler will be among the most heavily debated Fantasy performers this year. The fourth-year pro put up gaudy numbers last season (4,526 passing yards, 25 touchdowns), but he was also mistake prone (20 turnovers) and will be dealing with a less imposing assortment of weapons in the passing game…and that’s where the questions really start. Will Cutler’s arrival elevate Chicago’s existing group of receivers? Or, will that unproven group drag Cutler down? The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, but those expecting another 4,500-yard performance from Cutler are being unrealistic. Draft him as a low-end No. 1 or very strong No. 2 Fantasy quarterback with the hope one of Chicago’s young wideouts emerges.

Running Backs

Forte was a revelation for Fantasy owners last season, carrying the ball 316 times for 1,238 yards while adding a team-high 63 receptions for 477 yards for a combined 379 touches, which was good for third in the NFL behind Adrian Peterson (384) and Michael Turner (382). The Bears have predictably expressed a desire to decrease Forte’s workload in his sophomore season, but given his receiving skills it’s hard to imagine that happening. If anything, look for Kevin Jones to take a few of his carries while Forte’s involvement in the passing game increases. Jones is coming off his worst season (34 carries, 109 yards), but when healthy he’s a capable backup and a worthwhile handcuff option for Forte owners. As for Forte, he should be a first-round pick in all formats and could be a top three pick in point-per-reception leagues — he’s as close to a lock for 350-plus touches as anyone in the NFL.

Receivers

While Chicago’s receiving corps is certainly short on proven commodities, they’ve quietly done a nice job of stockpiling young talent in the hopes a couple of them will develop with Cutler at the helm. Hester (51 receptions, 665 yards, three TDs in ‘08) is the top option, and his deep speed should be a great fit for Cutler’s ability to throw the deep ball — something that was largely M.I.A. last season. Opposite Hester in 2008 was Rashied Davis, who set career highs in receptions (35) and yards (445). Davies turns 30 before the season, however, and lacks the upside of many of the Bears’ other wideouts. Also in the mix are Iglesias, Knox and Earl Bennett. As previously noted, Knox has been opening eyes during off-season activities, but don’t overlook Bennett, who played with Cutler at Vanderbilt and has been working as a starter during the offseason. Despite that, Hester remains the only surefire Chicago receiver to draft in standard leagues as a No. 3 option with upside. Bennett should find a home as a sixth receiver in deeper versions, while Knox carries some final-round potential.

Tight Ends

Considering the uncertainty at receiver, Olsen (54-574-5 in ‘08) could emerge as Cutler’s top option, which may elevate him to the upper echelon of NFL tight ends. Veteran Desmond Clark also posts solid numbers, but Olsen clearly surpassed him last year and it’s hard to imagine that gap not expanding in 2009. Consider Olsen a mid-range No. 1 option.

Defense/Special Teams

Talk about overrated. The “Monsters of the Midway” finished 21st in total defense (16th in scoring) and managed 28 sacks, leaving takeaways (32 – second in the NFL) as their only legitimate contribution to Fantasy owners. Chicago’s special teams were also mediocre, accounting for only one return touchdown. This is a group I could see pulling the trigger on in the final round if you’re one of the last few owners to select a defense, but don’t hesitate to cut them loose if they’re underperforming…of course, on the flip side, if they go undrafted and start playing back to pre-2007 form, scoop them up immediately.

After a few days off to revel in Canada Day and 4th festivities, we’re back with more of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit with yet another team preview (we’re on the home stretch now, with just a dozen NFC teams left to tackle). We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). Before we wonder if the New York Giants can recover from last season’s playoff disappointment, it’s important to acknowledge the death of the great Steve McNair, who was tragically murdered Saturday at the age of 36. I always admired his resiliency, and he’ll be missed.

What Went Right

Umm, not too much went well for Giant Fantasy interests in 2008. Sure, Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward both surpassed 1,000 yards, but both effectively took the Fantasy potency away from the other. Jacobs’ 15 touchdowns allowed him to rank 12th at running back (in standard scoring) while Ward’s impressive yardage numbers boosted him to 23rd despite a measly two touchdowns.

What Went Wrong

Eli Manning continued his inconsistent career as he had 10 games of under 200 yards passing. He did manage to complete better than 60 per cent of his passes for the first time in his career and he remained a solid Fantasy backup, but it’s looking more and more likely that Manning just isn’t a Fantasy starter. Oh, and then there was the whole Plaxico Burress shooting incident. Burress’ absence left a void mostly unfilled last year. Domenik Hixon was the most able replacement, leading the team with a measly 596 receiving yards. Finally, Kevin Boss got some buzz as a sleeper last year (not by myself, mind you) and that went rather poorly. He was an apt blocker, but no Fantasy team cares about that.

Off-season Outlook

While the Giants flirted with just about every free agent wide out that came onto the market, they ended up holding off on any Fantasy impact additions. On the plus side, they did let Ward scurry off to Tampa Bay, which is encouraging for the Fantasy potential of Jacobs. Ahmad Bradshaw will see a bigger part of the pie, but Jacobs should be in line to at least approach 300 carries in 2009, assuming he can stay healthy.

Draft Outlook

While New York passed on free agent wide outs, it did feel a need to use its first round pick on one in the form of UNC’s Hakeem Nicks. Nicks was pegged by some as perhaps the most NFL-ready of the wide outs in the draft (aside from Michael Crabtree, I assume). For now, he’s entrenched behind Hixon and Steve Smith (NYG) for a starting spot. And yes, I’m pretty sure Smith’s (NYG) legal name includes the ‘(NYG).’ Seriously, look it up.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Manning is going to be the starter for a long time, no matter what I say. So I’ll just be nice and say that he definitely is better than David Carr. Probably.

Running Backs

As previously mentioned, it’s all about Jacobs now. He’s dealt with injuries in the past, but if he’s healthy, he will outperform his draft position. Aside from that, Bradshaw is a worthy handcuff in deeper leagues.

Wide Receivers

Nicks is one of those late first round wide outs getting positive press from the off-season workouts. He’s definitely a sleeper candidate, although the normal rule that rookie wide outs tend to not be great Fantasy options still applies. Of the two starters on paper, I’m personally more intrigued by Smith (NYG) as it is his third year. I think he might surprise moreso than Hixon. But any of the three could step up as the top option.

Tight Ends

Little to no Fantasy value here. Boss will contribute with the odd good game, but he’s not worth drafting. Just avoid this group.

Defense/Special Teams

It was nice to see the Giant defense get back to the strong play last year that the team has historically been known for. The past few seasons have actually been a defensive struggle for New York, ranking 25th in yards allowed a few seasons ago and only 17th in points allowed two years ago. There’s no reason to think it won’t be a solid value defense again in 2009.