Can Camarillo be a steady target for Favre?

The final preseason games are over. Most drafts are over. Final roster cuts are being made. More injuries have occurred. This seems like a good time to get our first look at the best waiver wire pick-ups of the preseason.

Every position and every team has had some interesting twists and turns over the preseason’s four games. So let’s go around the league and take a look at each team’s standouts and potential waiver fodder, plus Watch-list candidates.

–NFC North–

Chicago Bears:

Nobody in Bears camp this year has really flown under-the-radar enough to consider waiver wire grabs. As expected WRs Johnny Knox and Devin Aromashodu have snagged the #2 and #3 receiving slots. The IDP players are all as anticipated. The one potential question mark is that of much maligned TE, Greg Olsen. No one is as yet quite sure how he will fair in Mike Martz’s offense, and there are rumors he could be traded. Keep in mind, Olsen has the skills to be a top 5 TE, so depending on how things play out he could be a huge sleeper this year. If you have room on your bench he could be a nice grab. Otherwise I would simply watch-list him for now.

Detroit Lions:

Much like the Bears, there were few standout surprises this summer. WR Nate Burleson has sewn up the #2 WR slot, and is still not getting much fantasy love on a team with a huge passing game. If you need depth at WR he’s a strong waiver grab. Other than that, the Lions fantasy notables are all on the radar.

Green Bay Packers:

The Pack end the preseason with few surprises. The big camp battle was for the WR3 slot. It seems my sleeper pick, James Jones has won the gig, and is worth a late pick or bench slot. Don’t discount Jordy Nelson yet though. Keep him on your watch list. Brandon Jackson is a definite handcuff to Ryan Grant who strikes me as fragile. For IDP players, the name to know is DB rookie Morgan Burnett.

Minnesota Vikings:

The Vikings wasted no time today in trading away RB Darius Reynaud and back-up QB, Sage Rosenfels. Both were shipped to the New York Giant’s today. I still think the Giants could turn around and trade Sage for Matt Leinart, but that’s for another column. The area of interest with the Vikes is at wide receiver. The team signed former Raider/Packer and oft-injured Javon Walker, and though the stats show him looking good, he may not make the 53-man roster. He is clearly rusty. Meanwhile the team also picked up former Dolphin Greg Camarillo who has already make a connection with Brett Favre. Barring the team signing another receiver (say T.J. Houshmanzadeh) I believe Camarillo will beat out Greg Lewis for the WR3 slot. He has sure hands (he had 50 recptions with no drops, in 2009). He should be a worthwhile pick-up in PPR leagues.

Previous: AFC North

Next up: AFC West

Defense:

The Mullet Mullitia

The focus of the 2009 Minnesota Vikings defense was asserting their dominance at the line of scrimmage, is there any reason why that should change in 2010?  Absolutely not!  Why make any changes when what you’ve got is just oh so sweet.  Instead of dipping into the free agent market, or going after unproven draft picks, the Vikings simply made sure that they kept their core intact and do their best to simply build around that nucleus.  Much of their season depends upon that core providing the same amount of pressure intensity that stems primarily from one man … the man with the mullet … the man hailing from the Culinary Academy?  Yes, that man, Jared Allen.  Allen is the key to their success, because he is hands down the emotional leader on the defensive side of the ball, but more than that he is a ridiculous speed rusher with a wicked knack for hitting the quarterback.  He alone provided the Vikings with 14.5 sacks for 98 yards lost and 5 forced fumbles in 2009.  The Vikings talented defensive line doesn’t stop there, because, while you have to deal with Allen on one end, you still have to account for the two Williams’, Kevin and Pat, clogging the middle and the still-developing Ray Edwards on the opposite end.  With the Williams’ cramming 627 lbs of pure manhood in the middle of the field offensive coordinators are left with the conundrum of where exactly they are supposed to run the ball.  The speed of Allen and Edwards on the outside only compounds the issue, because they both have the speed and savvy to hedge running backs inside and let the big boys go to work, which is further illustrated by the fact that they ranked 2nd in the league against the rush giving up a measly 87.1 yds/g, trailing only the Jets.

The biggest question mark this off-season for the Vikings was, and continues to be, their secondary.  One would figure that since the defensive line stuffs the run and rushes the quarterback so effectively that the secondary would consistently be scavenging rushed, errant, passes with relative ease, but that wasn’t the case.  In 2009, the Vikes secondary was ranked 19^th overall against the pass and 26th in interceptions, with a mere 11 total and only 7 by the secondary.  Even more embarrassing was allowing Drew Brees to throw for 310 yards, 3 touchdowns and a 106.5 QB rating in the NFC Championship.  If the Vikings plan on making a run at the Super Bowl this year, this is where the improvement needs to come from.  Fortunately they’ve begun to really address the issue hitting the free agent market and adding veteran corner Lito Sheppard to their squad, which helps a bit, but still leaves a lot of youth and uncertainty out there.  In the past I would say that the Vikings have themselves in an ideal situation, because they have an excess of youth in their secondary, with seven players in their rotation with 5 years or less of NFL experience, and a lot of guys who came out of college with big “upside,” but at what point do they get tired of waiting for that to pay off?  This year has the potential to reap those benefits and I think Brad Childress realizes this, hence the signing of Sheppard, which adds another veteran presence alongside Antoine Winfield and Madieu Williams. Childress is hoping they can provide the leadership that was lacking last season, with Winfield missing six games due to injury, and help speed up the maturation process of their young guns, Asher Allen, Jamarca Sanford, and Husain Abdullah.

Offense:

Favre's return, and health, will be a major factor in the Vikings success

Be aware that I am writing this under the guise that Brett Favre will be returning as we all know he will.  Statistically speaking, there is no reason for Favre to retire right now.  His stat line from 2009 reads like this: 4,202 yds, 33 TDs, 68.4% Completions, a QB rating of 107.3, and only 7 interceptions.  That line would make most quarterbacks in the league envious, especially Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels, who will once again be passed over and forced to wait in the wings to takeover the reins of the Vikings offense.  I still can’t put my finger on whether Favre’s performance last season was a statistical anomaly or he simply figured out that his notorious “gunslinger” approach was just not cutting it anymore.  Either way, whatever he was doing in Brad Childress’ system worked, and when he comes back it will continue to work, as long as he plays within his means, and by “means” I’m talking about playing the short game, getting the ball to his explosive playmakers – Adrian Peterson, Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin – and letting them do the work for him.   If Favre can contain himself, he can still do great things with the ball and will put up solid numbers. When in doubt, he can simply hand the ball off to arguably the best all-around back in the game.

While much of the focus this off-season will be focused on Favre’s pseudo indecision, it is all the weapons around him that truly make the Vikings offense as potent as it is.  We all know what Adrian Peterson can do, and he is an absolute beast with the ball in his hands, when he keeps it in his hands.  He makes any quarterbacks job simple, you hand him the ball, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.  He will demand his touches and he will get them.  They simply cannot afford not to because he makes their whole scheme work.  Although AP may not have had as productive a season in terms of yards as he did the year before, 1,760 yds in 2008 and 1,383 yds in 2009, he still found a way to make it into the end zone 18 times.  That shows that the coaching staff has the confidence in him to get it done at the goal line and assert his dominance.  The biggest knocks on him has been his inability to hold onto the ball in key situations, a la Ricky Williams’ early career, and his inability to stay healthy.  While Peterson has always been the feature back of the Vikings, there has always been a failsafe in place in case he does get hurt in Chester Taylor, but that is no more after Taylor was signed by the Bears this spring, leaving Peterson as the only quality back in their rotation.  This loss could potentially harm the Vikings because they now lose depth at the position and they also lose the dynamic element that Taylor provided out of the backfield as both a rusher and receiver.  The Vikings somewhat addressed the issue of depth in the draft when they took Toby Gerhart in the second round at 51st overall.  Gerhart has repeatedly asserted to the media that he is a running back, not a fullback, he has been saying it so much that he is starting to sound like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Kindergarten Cop (“It’s not a toomah”), but he remains untested at this level and a huge question mark going into training camp.

When Peterson isn’t running the ball, his mere presence still influences most aspects of the Vikings offense.  By simply standing in the backfield he forces the opposition to pack the box on every down and make linebackers stay compact and at home on every play.  By drawing the attention of the linebackers and forcing the line to keep their pass rush relatively conservative, it leaves a lot of space open on the outside for swing passes, wide receiver screens, and one on one coverage down the field.  This is why the Vikings had so much success throwing the ball last season and allowed for their receivers Percy Harvin and Sidney Rice to have breakout years.  While Harvin is used as the primary target on quick slants and screen passes because of his speed and agility off the line, ranked sixth in the league averaging 5.86 YAC, Rice has provides the Vikings with a franchise-type talent who has great hands that can attack down the field, with five 100+ yd receiving games and 8 TDs a year ago. Best of all, both of the aforementioned players are only 21 and 23 years old and are only get better as their careers progress.

Conclusion:

Adrian Peterson's fantasy value could be better than ever in 2010

What does this all mean? It means the Minnesota Vikings are going to be a statistical powerhouse again this year.  With an unrelenting front four on defense, who only seem to get better as the years go by, they will continue to put up gaudy sack numbers, especially since most offenses they play will continue to try to take advantage of their weak, but improving, secondary.  Look for Minnesota to lead the league in sacks reaching somewhere around 46 to 50, unless Jared Allen starts hitting the smelling salts a little extra hard this season, then he could hit 25 on his own. The secondary could still struggle a little bit, but not to the degree they did last year, with 13-15 INTs.  Having Favre back in the lineup again will be a great thing for the Vikings, but I really can‘t see him hitting the same numbers as last season.  His health remains to be a big question mark, and with that in mind, look for Childress to put the offensive load square on the shoulders of Adrian Peterson (look for 1,800 yds and 22 TDs in 2010), boosting his fantasy draft stock even more, as if he needs it.  I am tending to lean more and more towards last season being a fluke of sorts for Favre, but there won’t be an epic collapse in 2010, with him hitting his end zone targets around 25 times, totaling up 3.300-3,500 yds with Harvin and Rice as his primary targets, and hitting the opposition for 12-14 INTs.

Back up or back to the wall in 2010?

Donovan McNabb‘s ascension to the starting QB position in Washington has made the talented Jason Campbell somewhat expendable in D.C. So what to make of the Campbell soup mess. Yes, I went there.

Despite his relative lack of star power or success for the Washington Redskins, the 5-year vet is still a solid talent who could be an excellent QB in the right system, and with an offensive line that doesn’t spread like warm butter.

His fantasy value if he stays in Washington is less than zero, but he could prove to be a worthy fantasy option in deep one QB leagues, or in 2 QB leagues in the right situation. So let’s look at some of the potential landing zones for Campbell.

1. Buffalo Bills - Campbell would be an upgrade over every arm on the Bills roster, but will they make a move for the veteran, tab Jimmy Clausen in the draft, or go another route? This seems his most likely destination though at this point.

2. Oakland Raiders – Some think Al Davis might like Campbell’s strong arm, but a move to Oakland won’t really do much for Jason’s fantasy value. Likely Davis will make a typical moronic move in the draft and reach for Tim Tebow in the first round anyway, or ruin Jimmy Clausen’s world by drafting him. If he does end up on Oaktown, move their WRs up a notch or 3 come draft day.

3. Minnesota Vikings - Campbell would be an improvement over Sage Rosenfels or Tavaris Jackson on a Favre-less team, but it doesn’t seem likely he’ll end up there.

4. Carolina Panthers – This would be a good move for the Panthers, who need a veteran presence and skill under center. Unfortunately for Carolina fans, they don’t seem to be in the running. So far all signs point to them sticking with Matt Moore under center.

5. Washington Redskins – Campbell could spend his time on the bench waiting for McNabb to get hurt. This is less because the Redskins are so fond of his abilities as the lack of serious interest shown so far by other teams.

Other possibilities – San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, or Cleveland Browns.

What would it take to get Campbell? Likely a mid round pick. Something around the fourth.

NFC North- Minnesota; With the old man in town defenses will have to respect the Vikings passing game and finally take some pressure off of Adrian Peterson, who I expect to be the NFL MVP this season. Favre showed in his Monday night performance that he is still capable of making the throws he needs to, but with any 40 year-old QB injuries are a concern. If the impossible does happen this year and Favreactually has to miss a game both Sage Rosenfels and Tavaris Jackson have shown some glimpses of being decent backups in limited work. Their run-defense is clearly one of the league’s best, and while their pass defense ranked just 18th last season in yardage surrendered, they only gave up 15 passing touchdowns, good for 5th in the league. While their are definite doubts about Favre’s ability to stay healthy enough to make a playoff run, there is little doubt that the Vikings are the most talented and balanced team in their division. Green Bay should have a big-time turn around after a disappointing 6-10 finish in ’08, but the Vikes will hold them off for at least one more year to repeat as division champs.

Stud – Too many to choose from: Who would have expected the NFC North to be fantasy-stud central? Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Matt Forte, Calvin Johnson, Greg Jennings and Greg Olsen are all locks to finish in the top 5 at their positions.

Sleeper – Visanthe Shiancoe, Minnesota: Shiancoe quietly had 600 yards receiving and 7 TDs in 2008 with Tavaris Jackson and Gus Frerotte throwing him the ball. Favre knows this offense better than anyone and loves tight ends in the red zone. Shiancoe could see his TD total hit double-digits this year.

Bust – Donald Driver, Green Bay: Driver has been a tremendous role-player for the Pack for several years, but with all of the young talent they have at wide receiver Driver will see his targets decline sharply in ’09 and he may even drop out of the starting lineup as Jordy Nelson and James Jones push for playing time.

NFC South- Atlanta;The Falcons hit the jack-pot with every move they made last off-season, hiring the right Head Coach, drafting the right quarterback, and signing the big-time free agent running back. This off-season they continued their success by trading for a future Hall of Famer in Tony Gonzalez. Look for Matt Ryan to make huge strides in his second season at the helm of this loaded offense. Roddy White and Michael Turner look to duplicate their breakout seasons and take this Atlanta offense into elite status. Jerious Norwood provides an excellent change of pace alongside Turner and is one of the best backups at any position in the NFL. Their defense had some success with a bend-but-don’t-break mentality, ranking 24th in opponents yardage but 11th in points surrendered. The linebackingcorps took a huge hit in free-agency, losing bothKeith Brooking and Michael Boley. Mike Peterson re-joins Coach Smith from Jacksonville which will lessen the loss of Brooking, but Boley’s absence will be felt. The biggest area for improvement on this team will have to come in the secondary, not only because they intercepted just 10 passes last season, but also because they will be playing Tom Brady, Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb and of course twice against Drew Brees. As a team that ran the ball 55% of the time last season they cannot afford to get into many shootouts, so they will be counting on their young group of DBs to step up. Much like last year’s Steelers, Atlanta’s tough schedule should provide preparation for a playoff run, I see them making the NFC Championship game before their defensive short-comings are exploited.

Stud – Drew Brees, New Orleans: Brees just puts up yardage and TDs every year despite having no defense and several offensive injuries. His quick release prevents him from taking many hits so injury concerns are non-existent.

Sleeper – Jerious Norwood, Atlanta:Michael Turner ran the ball 376 times last year and his bruising style portends an injury at some point. Even if Turner does stay healthy, however, Norwood will still get on the field as a receiver and change of pace back who is capable of taking it the distance every time he touches the ball.

Bust – Reggie Bush, New Orleans: Not that I don’t like the former Heisman winner, but when he is used properly he has very little fantasy value outside of PPR leagues. He should score 2-3 times on punt returns and maybe another 3-4 from scrimmage to go with around 1,000-1,100 total yards.

NFC East – Dallas; There is one thing you can say about the Cowboys; they rarely do what is expected. Most counted them out in year-one of the Wade Phillips era and they went 13-3. Then when they were favored to contend in the NFC they missed the playoffs completely. So this season, with all of the questions about Phillips’ leadership, Romo’s late season break-downs and Roy Williams’ ability (or lack thereof) to be a #1 receiver I expect the unexpected from from Dallas. Tony Romo has proven, at least in the regular season, that he can win games and put up big numbers. In just 39 NFL starts he already has 80 TD passes. Yes, many of those were to the departed Terrell Owens, but his propensity for drops also may have cost Romo a few scores as well. Also don’t forget that Jason Witten has lead this team in receptions the last two seasons and Roy Williams, when healthy, has been a star. Dallas will get a boost in their running game this year as they use Felix Jones and Tashard Choice to keep Marion Barber fresh and healthy. The trio combined for over 2,200 total yards last season despite rampant injuries. Coach Phillips decided not to replace displaced defense coordinator Brian Stewart and will coach the defense himself. The emergence of Bradie James as a play-maker and leader after Phillips took over the defensive playcalling fills the void in Dallas’ defense. Look for James to break-out even more in 2009 as NFL Defensive player of the year. Philadelphia will be the Cowboys’ main rivals this season because of the Giants lack of down-field receiving threats. New York’s offensive numbers as a whole were noticeably worse sans Burress and they stumbled down the stretch. The Eagles rebuilt offensive line will provide Donovan McNabb plenty of time to spread the ball around to the bevy of offensive weapons he now has. The Eagles are a lock to make the playoffs in the mediocre NFC, the only question is will it be as division champs or a wildcard team? The Cowboys and Eagles are the two best teams in the NFC, so with the ‘Boys narrowly taking the division and gaining home field advantage in the playoffs they will advance to Super Bowl 44.

Stud – Clinton Portis, Washington: Even with his injury concerns, Portis has averaged at least 1,500 total yards and 9 TDs in all but one of his 7 NFL seasons. Even in 2006 when he missed half the season he had 700 total yards and 7 TDs. 

Sleeper – Brent Celek, Philadelphia: So many good tight ends this year, two make my sleeper list. Celek exploded in the playoffs last season and now with LJ Smith gone he will be the starter. The Eagles don’t have great red zone receivers and Andy Reid loves to throw the ball from close range. Celek could easily go over 500 yards and  score 6-8 TDs on an explosive offense.

Bust - Brandon Jacobs, NY Giants: I am expecting a huge drop-off from the G-Men this season without Plaxico Burress commanding attention downfield. Add that to Jacobs’ health issues and he is just too risky for his ADP of around 18. 

Bradie James Will Emerge as One of the Best Defensive Players in 2009

NFC West – San Fransisco;What?!? What a minute, the 49ersare terrible aren’t they? How could they unseat the Super Bowl runners-up? This is admittedly a bit of a reach, but in the crazy, unpredictable NFL you have to pick some underdogs. New Coach Mike Singletary infused his passion for the game into this team in the second half of last year and they were able to win five of their final seven to finish just two games behind Arizona for the top spot. Remember that Monday night game the two played withthe botched goal-line call as time expired? That ended up being the decisive game for the NFC West. With Shaun Hill playing the full season at quarterback, over 2,000 yards, 15 total TD’s and 5 wins in just 8 starts, and a new offensive philosophy more conducive to Frank Gore’s talents the offense should be much better in ’09. Add to that Singletary’s prowess on the defensive side of the ball, the ’49ers D went from surrendering 339 yards per game under Mike Nolan down to 315 under Singletary, and fans in Frisco will have plenty to cheer about come January. The Cards had a miracle run last year that nobody expected, but this year they will have history as well as prognosticators against them. Of the past 10 Super Bowl losers, all but two have failed to make the playoffs the following year. This goes beyond coincidence to point out the mental and physical toll making a championship run but coming up short takes on a team. Also Seattle will be much better than last season but adjusting to a new coaching staff and praying Matt Hasselbeck can stay healthy will prevent any serious competition.

Stud – Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, Arizona Cardinals:Larry Fitzgerald led all wide receivers in total fantasy points last season, but Boldin led all receivers in fantasy points-per-game. Even if Warner does go down, Matt Leinart will perform capably.

Sleeper – Nate Burleson, Seattle: With TJ Houshmandzedah taking attention on the short routes, Nate Burleson could have a big year as the deep threat. In 2007 Burleson scored 11 total TDs, but an injury early in ’08 has put him out of the minds of most fantasy owners.

Bust – Donnie Avery, St. Louis:The sexy sleeper pick early in august now not only has his own injury to worry about, but Marc Bulger’s as well.

Brett Favre Upgrades the Entire Viking Offense

Jason Witten

One might argue that creating a separate ranking list for tight ends in a PPR league is a waste of time. They are the weakest scoring of the three offensive areas, and whether they get an extra point per reception changes them all about equally, right? Not necessarily so, my fantasy friends. Grab a beer, sit back and I’ll explain the oh so subtle differences. All quarterbacks have their favorite red zone targets, and all have their favorite short-pass targets. Quite often those are the tight ends. Some tight ends only get the nod when they reach the end-zone while others are great at moving the ball down the field, but seldom get the rock at the goal-line. Not unlike RB tandems. More important at the tight end position is how frequently the player is targeted each game. Actual receptions and scores can vary from season to season, but what matters most is who the QB is going to look to most often. Last season, Tony Gonzalez was targeted 154 times; far more than the next closest TE. Who will it be this year?

–2009 PPR Tight End Rankings–

Jason Witten, DAL – Witten had 121 looks last season and converted 3/4ths of them. With T.O. gone and an emphasis on two tight end packages in Big-D, I think Witten’s going to have a career year.

Tony Gonzalez, ATL – He won’t see as many targets from his new QB because he’s no longer the only worthwhile weapon on offense. However, I still expect 120+ targets and 80+ receptions.

Greg Olsen, CHI – In 2008, Olsen was targeted 82 times by former QB, Kyle Orton. Jay Cutler is now slinging the pigskin for Da Bears, and he has an affinity for quick passes to his tight ends. Noise out of the Bears camp is that he and Olsen have already developed a solid chemistry on the field. This bodes well for a high target season. Cutler’s arm is more accurate than Orton’s so I expect a higher rate of conversion from target to reception. I’m thinking 130+ receptions is within reach, plus 900-1000 yards and at least 7-8 TDs.

Dallas Clark, IND – Clark has one of the league’s best QBs throwing him the ball, and until some of the younger WRs develop a bit more, Clark will fill some of the void left by Peyton Manning’s former favorite target, Marvin Harrison. I think there’s every possibility he and Olsen could swap places here, but I’m fonder of Olsen’s situation.

Antonio Gates, SDG – Gates had a miserable year in 2008 for a guy who is a perennial top two TE pick. He just can’t seem to shake the injury bug. He could very well vault back to the top position this season, but I’m not wasting a high pick to find out.

Antonio Gates - Worth the price of admission?

Any of these first five guys are the league’s elite at the position, but if you will still find quality PPR producers in the mid to later rounds.

Kellen Winslow, TBB – The former stud TE is mercifully out of Cleveland and should be the primary reception threat for the Buccaneers this season. If he had a solid quarterback I’d predict 100 catches and push him up the board, but right now none of the Bucs QBs are raising the fantasy flag.

Chris Cooley, WAS – I like Owen Daniels a bit more, but Cooley gets targeted 100+ times each season. He didn’t do much in the end-zone in 2008, but he’ll certainly improve on last year’s lone TD.

Owen Daniels, HOU – Like Cooley, Daniels is a prime target in his offense, but also like him, he doesn’t find the end-zone much. But targets equal opportunity, and that’s what we’re looking for in a PPR league.

John Carlson, SEA – If Matt Hassleback can stay healthy, he likes to throw the ball…a lot. I expect Carlson to see 100+ targets in 2009.

Dustin Keller, NYJ – With Laveranues Coles gone, and blocking tight end Chris Davis added to the team, I like Keller’s chance for a big season.

Brent Celek, PHI – Similar to Keller, I see a world of opportunity for Celek in the Eagles offense this season. He’s not likely to go as one of the top 10 TEs, so he may be a very productive sleeper.

Zach Miller, OAK – Zach is target one in Oakland, which right now isn’t saying much, but the lack of deep wide receiver strength boosts Miller’s value.

Brandon Pettigrew, DET – Another murky QB situation is unfolding in Detroit, but Pettigrew was the top TE in the 2009 draft. He has great hands, is 6-5 and he should make an impact right away.

Vernon Davis, SFO – This is a boom or bust season for Davis who has not lived up to his early hype. I think this is the year he puts it all together. A new coach with a new point of view is going to right Davis’ ship by the bay.

Visanthe Shiancoe, MIN – Another guy almost labeled a bust before last season’s break-out performance. He is highly focused on besting last year’s numbers, and with Sage Rosenfels under center, I think he can.

Brad Cottam, KCC – My sleeper TE this season. He is stepping into Tony G’s spot, and while I don’t expect similar production, those 154 targets have got to be thrown to someone.

Kevin Boss, NYG – Eli Manning did not target Boss very often last season, but Kevin is expected to be more involved in his second full season as starter.

Jeremy Shockey, NOS – The shock factor is gone, but he plays in the league’s most explosive offense. That has to good for something.

Tony Scheffler, DEN – A new coach who likes to use TE’s and a QB with limited passing strength means Tony could be in for a nice season (if he’s healthy). So far I’ve heard opposing views in Denver. The first said Scheffler is likely to be shopped and traded while another says he’s building good chemistry with Orton and the coaches like what they see. It’s not improbable both are correct.

Heath Miller, PIT – He is one of Big Ben’s favorite red-zone targets. He missed three games last season and still saw 65 balls thrown his way.

–Guys to watch as sleepers or back up TEs–

Bo Scaife, TEN

Randy McMichael, STL

Marcedes Lewis, JAX

Ben Watson, NEP

Martellus Bennett, DAL

Miles Austin and Patrick Crayton

Miles Austin

Austin sat out the last couple of weeks of OTAs with a hamstring injury. According to the Dallas Morning News he’s now healthy and enjoying an impressive start to training camp. As we all know Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin are battling for the No. 2 job opposite Roy Williams. Both players can and will post serviceable numbers opposite Williams however I feel Austin is more of a threat deep as he is both faster and more physical than Crayton. If Austin wins the battle I’d pick him up as late as possible things could turn out really good for his owners.

Tarvaris Jackson versus Sage Rosenfels

Not that you’ll have either of these quarterbacks on your fantasy football roster but who wins the job affects Bernard Berrian. Berrian was targeted with at least two or three deep balls a game by Gus Frerotte. Sage Rosenfels is used to tossing the deep ball and won’t be lost in translations like Jackson when it comes to picking his moments. If Rosenfels wins the QB competition you’ll want to knock Berrian up several spots on your draft sheet.

Domenik Hixon versus Hakeem Nicks

Steve Smith stepped when Burress shot himself (and his career) in the leg playing OG at the club. But I view Smith more like a Santan Moss or Lee Evans type player who really needs another strong WR on the field to make a difference. The Giants just signed rookie WR Hakeem Nicks, the No. 29 overall pick, to a five-year, $12.54 million contract. The deal includes a $6.5 million signing bonus. Hakeem Nicks has the size and talent to make a different this year however learning the NY Giants offense will be tough. Running routes is one thing but picking up run blocks is another and you can bet the Big-G will run like its not bodies business this year. According to the Newark Star-Ledger Giants DE Mathias Kiwanuka thinks WR Domenik Hixon will be a “breakout” player this season. Kiwanuka said Hixon is one of the fastest guys you’ll see with the football. Who lands where?