Mini-Camp Tour - NFC South
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
With very little offensive change this off-season, the Falcons are counting on the development of young skill position players to help Michael Vick. Wideout Roddy White is the most important piece to the puzzle. He wants to be a true No. 1 receiver and was the "star of minicamp," but has to prove he can do it in games. Michael Jenkins is also developing into a reliable possession receiver in the No. 2 slot. … Rookie running back Jerious Norwood is pushing T.J. Duckett for the No. 2 running back job. Norwood is more versatile, which could limit Duckett to short-yardage duties only. He wasn't overly impressive in college, but landed in a great situation to succeed. He's worth a late draft pick. … The Falcons may have to re-sign Todd Peterson in camp, because their current kickers have been poor. … Expect Alge Crumpler, recovering from off-season knee surgery, to be "full go" by training camp.
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| Roddy White will be Atlanta's No. 1 option at wideout this season. (Tom Pidgeon / Getty Images) |
Rising: Vick – Receiver development will help.
Falling: Duckett – Being phased out.
Carolina Panthers
Steve Smith finished the organized team activity (OTA) season by missing the last week of practices with a tight hamstring. It's probably not a major concern, but worth checking to see if he's practicing twice-a-day to start training camp. … Keary Colbert and Drew Carter are ready to wage a battle for the No. 3 receiver role. His struggles last year were partly due to injuries, and Carter is in the last year of his contract, so Colbert is a slight favorite. … Eric Shelton might be battling Nick Goings for a roster spot. Last year's second-round pick, needs to show that his short-yardage skills outweigh Goings' versatile game. If Shelton doesn't improve his understanding of the passing game, he could be one of the most expensive flops of the '05 draft class. … Last year's fourth-round pick, quarterback Stefan Lefors, also may not make the squad. He's battling rookie Brett Basanez for the No. 3 role. Re-signing Chris Weinke said plenty about Lefors' future. … It remains to be seen how Carolina will divide carries between DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams. But with Williams likely to take kickoff duties, it's clear Carolina doesn't view him as a potential starter yet. I see a 2:1 split in carries in favor of Foster, as long as he stays healthy.
Rising: Foster – Rehab and job security are as good as can be expected.
Falling: Shelton – On the roster bubble.
New Orleans Saints
How far is Drew Brees really back? While he's throwing 40-yard passes, it's unclear if he can practice everyday or be close to 100 percent for the start of camp. If Chad Pennington's recovery last year is any indication, 100 percent is going to take a lot longer than Brees and his agent indicated when he was a free agent. With Brees learning a new offense, I don't see the upside except as a late QB2. … If Brees does miss playing time this season, Jamie Martin and Todd Bouman will compete for the right to kill Joe Horn, Donte' Stallworth and Reggie Bush's fantasy value. … Zach Hilton, ranked in the top 15 tight ends by some outlets (not us), is currently behind Ernie Conwell on the depth chart. Hilton is not a fantasy option unless he's starting. … It's a contract year for Stallworth, which would normally be cause for optimism. But he's been slow to recover from shoulder surgery this off-season and has butted heads with the new coaching staff. They have tried to deal him, and it'd be a shock if he was back in 2007. His job would be in jeopardy, but the Saints have absolutely no options to replace him. Chris Horn is currently next on the depth chart, and third-year pro Devery Henderson hasn't panned out. … For IDP leaguers, Alfred Fincher is a sleeper if he keeps his starting middle linebacker job. At safety, it's a seven-way scrum for snaps, where no one appears safe, except Josh Bullocks. … Deuce McAllister practiced at minicamp, a good sign he'll be close to 100 percent recovered from his torn ACL in training camp. He hasn't cut hard on the knee yet and is likely to be limited in carries this season with Bush around.
Rising: Bush – Healthy minicamp season and slow-to-recover McAllister are plusses.
Falling: Stallworth – Coaching change could be bad news for him.
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| Chris Simms will have another year of experience under his belt going into the '06 season. (Doug Benc / Getty Images) |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Luke McCown's "partially torn" ACL is likely to knock him out for the 2006 season. McCown was slated to be Chris Simms' backup, but now the team will look for a veteran like Jay Fiedler or possibly try to lure Rich Gannon out of retirement. The team has no faith in Tim Rattay, who moves into the No. 2 role by default for now. … One quarterback that has impressed Jon Gruden is rookie sixth-rounder Bruce Gradkowski. The speedy former Toledo player has picked up the Bucs offense so quickly Gruden already says he envisions him running the team someday. I own Simms in a dynasty league and may pair him up with Gradkowski in case Simms leaves after 2006. … Wide receiver is a position to watch closely in Bucs training camp. Joey Galloway is locked into a starting job, and Michael Clayton would have to perform terribly to lose his job. Clayton practiced without incident all off-season. After the starters, it will be a four-way scrum for snaps between David Boston, Edell Shepherd, Ike Hilliard and Maurice Stovall. Boston has reportedly looked "pretty damn good," at minicamp. Considering Galloway and Clayton's injury history, the No. 3 receiver in Tampa is likely to have fantasy value before the season is through. … Simms plans to run more this season. Even 100-150 yards would help his value tremendously. He's one of my favorite low-cost QB2s, because of Gruden's track record.
Rising: Simms – Improved receiver depth and experience.
Falling: Stovall – Could be tough for rookie to find playing time.
Gregg Rosenthal directs the football coverage for RotoWorld.com and Fantasy Sports Monthly. You can reach him at GRosenthal@Rotoworld.com.
