There has been a changing in the guard in the AFC South. No longer are the Indianapolis Colts that proverbial 500 pound elephant in the room. Instead, the injury to Peyton Manning really showed that franchise that their window has closed. Replacing the Colts as the “favorite” in the division is the Houston Texans, who are only going to get better.

It goes without saying that there is going to be dramatic roster turnovers all throughout this division. There are some really bad contracts here and certain individuals just haven’t performed up to the level that their money would indicate.

So, lets take a look at players from the AFC South who could find themselves on the street when free agency starts.

Houston Texans

LB- DeMeco Ryans: $7.2 million

The 3-4 defensive scheme really doesn’t seem to fit Ryan’s strengths a great deal. He has also regressed since making the Pro Bowl in 2009. You are looking at a linebacker that has seen his tackle figure drop from 123 in 2009 to 71 in 2011. Houston has other inside linebacker options on their roster that are better fitted to play in the 3-4.

You also have to take into account that DeMeco Ryans is set to earn $7.2 million in 2012. Houston has to worry about retaining the services of Mario Williams as well as adding a complementary wide receiver opposite Andre Johnson.

CB- Kareem Jackson: $2.0 million

The back end of the 2010 first round was not good for teams looking at the corner position. Kyle Wilson, Patrick Robinson and Kareem Jackson: all what I would consider busts on the defensive side of the ball at this point. Jackson, for his part, has probably struggled the most out of that trio.

He has accumulated a total of 17 passes defended in 31 career games, continually getting burned on the outside. Houston was able to mask some of these shortcomings in 2011 because of splendid play from the rest of their roster, but he just isn’t getting it done. In fact, there could be a strong argument that the Texans retain Jason Allen as their nickel corner and go after another starter via free agency or in the draft. It is hard to give up on a player after just two seasons, but throwing $2 million to someone that really isn’t that good doesn’t make much sense.

Tennessee Titans

OT- Michael Roos: 7.3 million

He might have been a First Team All-Pro, but Michael Roos is three years removed from being anything more than an marginal starting tackle in the NFL. It just doesn’t make much sense to pay a player who has regressed in both pass protection and run blocking over $7 million a season.

There is a strong possibility that Roos and the Titans come to an agreement on a contract restructuring, but short of that he will be on the free agent market come March.

DE- Derrick Morgan: $2.9 million

Talk about busts. The Tennessee Titans selected Derrick Morgan with the 16th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. He went on to start ten games and acquire just four sacks in two seasons. He just isn’t providing the Titans with the contribution they thought they were getting in 2010.

There is a strong possibility that the Titans do look for a trade partner in an effort to get a mid-round pick. Short of that, I don’t see Morgan being on their 53 come August.

LB- Will Witherspoon: $3.5 million

This veteran linebacker had a really solid 2011 season for the Tennessee Titans. He recorded two sacks, an interception, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble in 14 starts. With that said, Witherspoon is expendable in the grand scheme of things, especially with that $3.5 million cap figure.

Tennessee will target an outside linebacker in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. They have two up-and-coming linebackers in Akeem Ayers and Colin McCarthy, it just makes sense to get another young player to go with them.

Jacksonville Jaguars

OT- Eugene Monroe: $9.0 million

Its hard to imagine that the Jacksonville Jaguars would give up on a player they selected 8th overall just three seasons ago, but Eugene Monroe continued to struggle in pass protection in 2011. He was, by all accounts, one of the worst pass protecting offensive tackles in the NFL: right up there with Marc Columbo of the Miami Dolphins.

It also doesn’t help that the former Virginia Cavalier’ is set to count $9 million against the cap. The Jaguars do have a myriad of average possibilities to replace Monroe, which means they could be hesitant to release him outright. Still, you need to have someone you can rely on to protect your young quarterback and the Jaguars don’t have that in Monroe.

DE- Aaron Kampman: $8.0 million

A free agent bust if I have ever seen one, Aaron Kampman has tallied a total of four sacks and played in 11 games in two seasons with the Jaguars since coming over from Green Bay following following 2009.

Obviously injuries have been a major factor in this, but Jacksonville will not pay that $8 million against the cap in 2012, that is guaranteed.

FB- Greg Jones: $4.5 million

The fullback position is quickly being hedged out in the NFL, this has been the case over the course of the last couple of seasons. While this position might be important to Jacksonville in terms of blocking for Maurice Jones-Drew, they are not going to pay Greg Jones $4.5 million in 2012.

You can expect the two sides to work on a contract restructuring, but if that fails Jones will be a free agent come March.

Indianapolis Colts

QB- Peyton Manning: $17.0 million

While Manning’s true cap numbers are still being wrangled about, I have come to the conclusion that it stands about $17 million against the Colts 12′ cap. There is absolutely no way that they bring him back with that figure. After all, the No. 1 pick and Andrew Luck just fell onto their laps.

I am pretty sure, taking a look at all the indicators, that Peyton Manning has played his last game in a Colts uniform. Rumors are being thrown around that the Miami Dolphins are going to be his hottest pursuer,  followed by the Washington Redskins.

With that said, don’t be surprised if a team like the San Francisco 49ers get involved. It goes without saying that they would be his best fit to win another Super Bowl. The feeling, however, has to be mutual and I am not sure Harbaugh and Co. are interested. Either way, he is going to be released in relatively short order.

TE- Dallas Clark: $7.3 million

If the Indianapolis Colts are going with the youth movement, and that seems to be the case, it makes no sense to keep Dallas Clark on the roster with that $7 million price tag. They have another tight end in Jacob Tamme (fantasy owner remember him from 2010), who is set to be a free agent and would come a lot cheaper.

The one factor that could play against the idea of Clark being released would be if the Colts want to give Andrew Luck that safety valve early in his career. Even if that is the case, he wont be returning under that cap figure.

LB- Gary Brackett: $7.4 million

To say that the Indianapolis Colts need to rebuild their defense is an understatement, this is a unit that gave up nearly 27 points per game and yielded over 140 rushing yards in over half their games.

They are also switching to the 3-4 defense, which means a complete overhaul of the front seven. Gary Brackett has played in the 4-3 throughout his career and doesn’t seem like a fit for their new defense. Adding to the great probability of him being released is that Brackett is set to count over $7 million against the cap.

RB- Joseph Addai: $4.8 million

Joseph Addai has clearly played his final game in Indianapolis. The former LSU standout has been somewhat of a bust since gaining 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first two seasons in the NFL. Injuries and an inability to make plays between the hashes has really affected his future with this team.

Additionally, Donald Brown averaged nearly five yards per rush attempt in 2011 and the Colts selected Delone Carter in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, he looked rather good as a rookie.

Today, I want to look at 5 undervalued fantasy football tight ends that are sure to overlooked in most drafts, affording fantasy football owners more bang for their buck than perhaps they will expect.

Jared Cook – Tennessee Titans – Week 6 Bye

I recently did a write-up on Jared Cook’s sleeper value, but I have to reassert the potential Cook brings to the table in the 2011 fantasy football season.

The 6’5, 248 pounder is expected to lead the team in receptions says The Nashville Tennessean, and Matt Hasselbeck continues to be impressed by Cook’s athleticism.

Keep in mind that reports out of camp are saying that Cook is also being split out at WR which will help his fantasy value, potentially raise him to near TE 1 status, and could also change his listing to a dual qualifier by opening day.

Fred Davis – Washington Redskins – Week 5 Bye

I want you all to keep something in mind on draft day regarding the tight end situation in Washington: Chris Cooley’s knee is not 100 percent, and despite the possibility of starting on opening day, the guarantee of Cooley lasting a full 16 are not so great.

Inevitably, that knee is going to cause problems and begin swelling sooner than many think—that’s what happens when you opt out of surgery—and that only means opportunities for Davis to fill-in yet again.

He was a trendy waiver wire grab in 2010, and I think he could be undervalued headed into this season.

Ta boot, Davis has been turning heads in camp, and some speculate he could see some time as a starter regardless of whether or not Cooley is there or not.

You could make a case to draft him very late if you have an open seat.

Kellen Winslow – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Week 8 Bye

Winslow has been having the best camp of his career, and looks better than ever says multiple sources for several weeks now.

The Tampa Bay Bucs, however, look surprisingly good including QB Josh Freeman – ranked 13th in my QB Rankings which bodes well for a guy who will undoubtedly be the primary red zone target in this offense.

The thing is many people are gun shy over Winslow considering a few down years, and the concern of age and injury which could push him so far down, you would be getting gold for pennies on the dollar.

Anthony Fasano – Miami Dolphins – Week 5 Bye

Fasano is not the fastest guy on any given field, but in terms of value, and being undervalued, Fasano is a prime candidate.

Fasano was one of the most consistent tight ends last season, just without sparkling numbers—something that should change slightly this year.

Nearly every single week Fasano was catching at least 3 to 4 balls for 30 plus yards and he finished the season with 39 catches for 528 yards and 4 touchdowns.

The Dolphins want to expand his role particularly in the red zone if possible, and considering how forgettable Fasano is to many, he becomes a terribly undervalued TE that you can easily get for next to nothing.

Fasano could be good for 45 catches, 670 yards and five to six TDs, which would be stellar numbers for a late-round flyer at TE.

Ben Watson – Cleveland Browns – Week 5 Bye

Last year Ben Watson put up career numbers in Cleveland catching 68 balls for 763 yards but only registered 3 TDs, and has been dealing with a slight concussion which could scare fantasy owners away from him altogether.

That’s good news for those of you looking for a quality TE 2 that you can potentially find late in your draft, allowing you to focus on other portions of your roster.

Colt McCoy looks to be the real deal, and the Browns’ running game isn’t going to be very effective this season, leaving Watson the prime candidate to field red zone throws for scores which will increase his value, despite being ranked so low in most eyes.

A solid TE 2 that will be lingering around in the latter portions of your draft.

And to be honest, the original scouting report on him suggested just that with his exceptional size at 6’5”-246, his even better 4.49 / 40 and his ability to create mismatches within the lanes—especially in situational downs.

Well things could get even better for Jared Cook in 2011, and that could bode well for fantasy football fans in search of a high upside TE sleeper.

In 2009, Jared Cook did nothing to really amaze anyone catching 9 balls for 74 yards.

But in 2010, Jared Cook showed flashes of what could be on the horizon.

The main fantasy football focus on him has got to be his last six games of the 2010 season where he poured it on catching 24 passes for 292 yards (12.1 avg.) and his first career touchdown.

The Titans knew Cook was an athletic player, and really began discovering what’s underneath towards the end 2010 season. Now in 2011, Offensive Coordinator Chris Palmer expects Cook to be more heavily relied on in his new single back – two TE – two WR formations he will unveil.

“He knows we are counting on him. … My main concern is I’m going to ask him to do too many things because he is so athletic.” Chris Palmer (John Glennon on Twitter)

This early situation is an intriguing one for fantasy football owners to begin paying attention to, especially if they are looking for a quality sleeper TE with a high ceiling.

The only issue as of the moment is the quarterback situation.

Palmer has already come out and said that Jake Locker will be the starter IF he winds up the best quarterback in camp.

But you have to envision the Titans eventually bringing in a free agent veteran to stiffen the competition—if I had to guess, Matt Hasselbeck…sorry fellow sleeper, Ben Obomanu.

But even if Locker does wind up starting, you can count on the Titans using Cook just as much, just with more emphasis in the short passing game.

Moral of the story is this: Whether you are PPR, Standard or Modified, Jared Cook currently has TE2 sleeper written all over him, and his eligibility and rank are likely to change as the months go by so keep checking back for updates.

Got a specific question? Leave it below, and we’ll get right back at ya.

A few days ago, I posted my rankings of the top 5 fantasy quarterbacks for 2011. Today, it’s time to rank the running backs.

The list is full of proven veterans, but youngster Arian Foster managed to crack the top 5 after a huge fantasy year in 2010.

Here’s my list of the top five fantasy running backs for 2011. And here’s a look at Fantasy Knuckleheads official top 40 running back rankings.

1. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings – Peterson has been the most consistent fantasy running back of the past few years. Even though Arian Foster had a better year last year, Peterson is a lock to be a great RB this year too. And, now that the Vikings have a tentative agreement to acquire Donovan McNabb from the Washington Redskins, Peterson won’t have to carry the entire load offensively. He’ll have plenty of space to run.
2. Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans – Johnson is in the same boat as Peterson. He’s proven that he’s not a one-year wonder, something that Foster will have to prove this year. And, the Titans recently shored up their QB spot as well, signing Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck will be an upgrade and will make the offense more potent, making Johnson more valuable.
3. Arian Foster, Houston Texans – Foster certainly has the potential to be the No. 1 fantasy running back again in 2011, but I’m not sold just yet. He’ll certainly have a very strong year, but he won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year. Let’s see how he does when defenses game plan for him. I’m not saying don’t draft him, I’m just saying don’t draft him No. 1 overall.
4. Steven Jackson, St. Louis Rams – Jackson is the do-it-all running back for the St. Louis Rams. He’s always a top 10 fantasy running back, but now that the Rams have a solid QB, he should be even better. If the Rams get a legitimate No. 1 receiver, that’ll be even better news for potential Jackson owners.
5. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars – MJD was awesome last season despite playing through an injury. Imagine how much better he should be this season if he’s at 100%. He’s always a threat to break a long run, and one long run could mean a good week for your fantasy team. If you are picking in the middle of the first round of your draft, grab MJD. You won’t regret it.

Cam Newton scouting report

If you saw the 6-foot-6 Cam Newton walking towards you in a walkway, you’d think he’s a small forward before you’d guess he’s a quarterback. Yes, his size is very impressive, but if you’ve never seen him play before, you’ll be most surprised at his mobility. The big Newton is no lanky, uncoordinated beast. He’s got a set of wheels and elite mobility, but unlike last year’s much talked about mobile quarterback, Tim Tebow, Newton also has a big, strong, accurate arm. People will say what they will about Newton’s character, as it is anything but flawless. However, one cannot deny that Newton is a true leader on the gridiron, and you cannot underestimate how far the will to win can bring a guy in the NFL. Beside his character, the biggest concern at this point is probably his poor mechanics and poor fundamentals. He is definitely going to have to work his tail off to become a better fundamental football player, but he has insane athleticism and a very strong drive to win, so with the right coaching I wouldn’t be too concerned about this. Michael Vick this year showed that these things can be overcome, as he’s always been very mobile but he took a massive step forward in his passing game, so it’s not impossible to make these kind of improvements. Newton has the advantage of being a truly unique quarterback prospect, as he’s a more accurate passer than Vince Young, not quite as mobile as Michael Vick, but faster than Ben Roethlisberger.

Blaine Gabbert scouting report

Some NFL scouts will drool over Gabbert’s size and arm strength, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Derek Anderson also has ideal size and arm strength, but the strength of your throw means nothing if it couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. In the short range this won’t be a big problem—Gabbert has impeccable accuracy in the short passing game. However, he has weak pocket presence and with limited experience he is prone to lapses in his decision making. For example, Gabbert throw an interception in the Insight Bowl that caused his Missouri Tigers to lose to the Iowa Hawkeyes. One thing that worries me is that he ran a spread offense with Missouri. I do think Gabbert can be a pretty good quarterback, however it will take a great deal more of work for him to make it in the NFL since the spread can exaggerate the perceived field vision and awareness of a QB prospect. I’m no Mel Kiper, so I won’t be surprised if a field expert would rip me to shreds for this comparison, but Gabbert almost reminds me of Alex Smith. Like Gabbert, Smith was a mobile, accurate quarterback who ran the spread at Utah. System quarterbacks typically bust in the NFL, and since Gabbert did not develop under a pocket-passing system, Gabbert is really going to struggle if he gets drafted by a team with no offensive line. The Tennessee Titans gave up 27 sacks last year, seventh best in football, which is why I mocked Gabbert there in my 2011 NFL Mock Draft.

The burning question: Newton or Gabbert?

For the Carolina Panthers, I’d take Cam Newton. But I’m not in a position to answer which quarterback prospect is absolutely better. It honestly depends on each team’s situation. For teams like Carolina or Buffalo who have almost nothing going for them, they should go with Cam Newton, the better playmaker out of the two quarterbacks. However, plenty of other teams have a need at QB and won’t be able to take Newton at their draft position. Cincinnati, Tennessee, and Minnesota all have good supporting talent in place, which is good because Gabbert’s best bet to make it in the NFL is if he’s brought in to a situation tailored for him to succeed. He needs good blocking and weapons, which won’t be a problem with either of these three early-picking football clubs.

In an article with the Tennessean, Babin discussed his plans for the offseason by saying that he may compete in MMA matches or go on a bear-hunting trip to Alaska. In regards to this, Babin told writer Jim Wyatt, “They would probably frown on that, but right now I am free and clear to do as I please. I could play in the Canadian Football League if I wanted to.”

Babin also added, “I know those leagues would love to grow their awareness, and if they got a certain amount of high-profile guys to join in, the money would go from the NFL pool to the CFL or UFL pool and maybe they could negotiate a TV deal. Now that would scare the (stuffing) out of the NFL owners, you know?”

Now Babin isn’t the only guy who’s entertaining offers from outside leagues. In fact, some players have already made the leap like Cleveland Browns WR Rod Windsor and Dallas Cowboys WR Troy Bergeron, who signed with Arena League teams this week; Windsor went to the Arizona Rattlers while Bergeron signed with the Cleveland Gladiators.

However, these guys are both practice squad players, and Babin is coming off of a career year where he recorded 12.5 sacks and made the Pro Bowl. If the UFL or CFL can land a player like Babin, it could start a trend where more stars play in smaller league since there is no collective bargaining agreement in place. And this could definitely hurt the NFL as Babin eluded to when he told Wyatt, “So the NFL owners are fighting two fights. They are fighting a lockout fight, and they could be fighting the rise of the other leagues. They make themselves vulnerable the longer this lockout goes on.”

Obviously, these leagues have no chance to compete with the NFL in the long-term, but it could be fun to see some of the better players like Babin in a totally different league. And seeing as how it looks like there’s going to be a long-winding legal battle ahead between the NFLPA and league owners, it’s not unfathomable to think of some decent players taking low six-figure contracts from small leagues.

Moving beyond this whole mess, the lockout has already generated some good stories with Bengals WR Chad Ochocino scheduling a tryout with Major League Soccer’s  Sporting Kansas City, and Ravens safety Tom Zbikowski fighting a professional boxing match. Minnesota Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards is also looking to get into the ring as he’s scheduled to box in early April.

But boxing matches and soccer tryout aside, it’s safe to say that fans would rather be thinking about what teams will shine in 2011, instead of wondering if teams will even take the field this fall.