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Also see: AFC
- Offseason Fantasy Focus
Most people don't have time to keep a running score on who went where
during the offseason. So we here at 4for4.com do it for you. Now that
the draft is complete and most teams have a minicamp under their
belt,
here's the scorecard for the offseason
Arizona Cardinals
Offseason additions: Head coach Ken Whisenhunt, WR/KR Steve Breaston
(draft).
Offseason losses: None.
Fantasy focus: From a fantasy standpoint, the Cardinals didn't make
any big player moves. But the addition of Whisenhunt will bring a
different mentality to the team in 2007. Edgerrin James, who had a
tough 2006, should benefit most, as Whisenhunt will employ many of
the
same strategies he used in Pittsburgh, trying to build a first-half
lead and then running the ball in the second half. Breaston could
pump
up the return game.
Atlanta Falcons
Offseason additions: Head coach Bobby Petrino, PK Billy Cundiff, QB
Joey Harrington (Miami), WR Joe Horn (New Orleans), FB Ovie Mughelli
(Baltimore), QB Chris Redman (Baltimore), WR Laurent Robinson
(draft),
TE Martrez Milner (draft)
Offseason losses: TE Eric Beverly, FB Justin Griffith, WR Ashlie
Lelie, QB Matt Schaub.
Fantasy focus: Petrino put all of his eggs in the Michael Vick basket
when he decided to trade Schaub to Houston. Vick is a different QB
than Petrino used at Louisville, but don't look for Petrino to try to
pound a square peg into a round hole and try to make Vick a pocket
passer. Harrington takes over Schaub's spot as the backup QB. Cundiff
will replace Morten Andersen as the team's placekicker. Horn is
probably the biggest addition as he'll give Vick somebody reliable to
throw to - when healthy - other than tight end Alge Crumpler. Horn,
however, has had some trouble staying healthy in recent years,
though,
so don't get too excited. Mughelli is a nice pickup and could steal
some goalline touches in addition to being a good receiver out of the
backfield.
Carolina Panthers
Offseason additions: QB David Carr (Houston), WR Dwayne Jarrett
(draft), WR/KR Ryne Robinson
Offseason losses: WR Keyshawn Johnson, WR Karl Hankton, QB Chris
Weinke
Fantasy focus: Carr replaces Weinke as the team's backup to starter
Jake Delahomme, who struggled in 2006. A change of scenery could do
the former No. 1-overall pick in the draft some good. Keep an eye on
him. Johnson was released when the team selected Jarrett in the
second
round of the draft. Jarrett is a younger version of Johnson. He'll
step in as the No. 2 receiver to Steve Smith. Robinson will help out
in the return game, where the team will no longer have to subject
Smith to possible injury by sending him out on punt returns.
Chicago Bears
Offseason additions: TE Greg Olsen (draft), RB Garrett Wolfe (draft)
Offseason losses: WR Justin Gage, RB Thomas Jones.
Fantasy focus: The trade of Jones to the Jets leaves Cedric Benson as
the unquestioned starter in Chicago. He's a possible first-round
fantasy pick and no worse than a No. 2 fantasy running back. Olsen is
a speedy tight end whose college production didn't match his workout
numbers. But the Miami (Fla.) tight ends have done well in recent
years in the NFL, so don't be afraid to take a chance on him. Wolfe
is
a change-of-pace running back.
Dallas Cowboys
Offseason additions: Head coach Wade Phillips, QB Brad Johnson
(Minnesota), WR Isaiah Stanback (draft), PK Nick Folk (draft)
Offseason subtractions: QB Drew Bledsoe
Fantasy focus: Johnson replaces Bledsoe (retirement) as Tony Romo's
backup. Stanback is a speedster with big-play ability, but won't
crack
the starting lineup and will likely be no better than the team's
fourth receiver. Folk will battle Martin Gramatica as the team's
kicker. Don't look for Phillips to do much different than Bill
Parcells did offensively. It will be interesting to see how Phillips
handles WR Terrell Owens, though.
Detroit Lions
Offseason additions: RB Tatum Bell (Denver), T.J. Duckett
(Washington), WR Shaun McDonald (St. Louis), WR Marcus Robinson
(Minnesota), WR Calvin Johnson (draft), QB Drew Stanton (draft)
Offseason losses: QB Josh McCown, TE Marcus Pollard, FB Cory
Schlesinger, WR Mike Williams
Fantasy focus: The Lions seem content in turning Detroit into St.
Louis north with offensive coordinator Mike Martz running the show.
Bell comes over from Denver as insurance for oft-injured Kevin Jones,
who probably won't be ready for the start of the season after
suffering a Lis-Franc injury. Jones was having a breakout season in
2006 before the injury, but the addition of Bell certainly clouds his
situation even if he does come back from the injury. Duckett could
handle the short-yardage duties after a wasted year in Washington.
The
wide receiver position has undergone a total makeover despite having
holdovers Mike Furrey and Roy Williams, an accomplished duo in their
own right. Johnson was the best player in this year's draft and the
Lions couldn't pass on him despite having given Furrey, who had a
breakout season in 2006, a new deal in the offseason. Furrey will
likely move to the No. 3 spot, with Johnson starting opposite
Williams
in what should be a defensive back's nightmare. Jon Kitna will again
be the quarterback as Stanton takes a year or two to develop. Kitna
still throws some bad interceptions, but he should put up plenty of
yardage and touchdowns to be a top-10 fantasy quarterback in 2007.
Green Bay Packers
Offseason additions: RB Brandon Jackson (draft), WR James Jones
(draft), WR David Clowney (draft), PK Mason Crosby (draft), RB
DeShawn
Wynn (draft), TE Clark Harris (draft)
Offseason losses: RB Ahman Green, FB William Henderson, TE David
Martin
Fantasy focus: Vernand Morency will get the first shot at replacing
Green, with Noah Herron also figuring into the mix. Jackson is more
of
a change-of-pace back, while Wynn was too much of a value to pass up
in the seventh round of the draft despite character problems. There
doesn't look to be a pure feature back among the group, though. The
Packers toyed with the idea of acquiring Randy Moss in a trade with
Oakland, but balked at the price and Moss eventually went to New
England for a fourth round draft pick. Instead, Green Bay opted to
bring in young receivers James Jones, a possession-type receiver, and
Clowney, who has speed, but little else, in the draft. At one time,
Brett Favre could make his receivers better, even rookies. But those
days are likely gone. Don't look for great things out of either
rookie. Crosby will be given every opportunity to beat out Dave
Raynor
for the placekicking duties.
Minnesota Vikings
Offseason additions: WR Cortez Hankton (Jacksonville), QB Drew
Henson,
TE Visanthe Shiancoe (Giants), WR Bobby Wade (Tennessee), RB Adrian
Peterson (draft), WR Sidney Rice (draft), WR Aundrae Allison (draft),
QB Tyler Thigpen (draft)
Offseason losses: WR Bethel Johnson, QB Brad Johnson, TE Jermaine
Wiggins
Fantasy focus: Can the Vikings really be serious about going into the
season with Tavarius Jackson at QB? That's what it appears to be at
this point. Don't expect much from Jackson. Brooks Bollinger, Henson
and Thigpen will battle for the No. 2 and 3 spots in what has to be
the worst QB group in the league. Peterson is a big power back and
the
Vikings may use both he and Chester Taylor in the same backfield.
Taylor had a good season in 2006, but his value certainly takes a
hit.
The Vikings need a breakout season from Troy Williamson. Billy
McMullen, Wade and Rice will battle for a starting WR spot.
New Orleans Saints
Offseason additions: TE Eric Johnson (San Francisco), PK Olindo Mare
(Miami), WR David Patten (Washington), WR Robert Meachem (draft), RB
Antonio Pittman (draft)
Offseason losses: PK John Carney, TE Ernie Conwell, WR Joe Horn
Fantasy focus: With Joe Horn now in Atlanta, Marques Colston is the
unquestioned No. 1 receiver. Meachem has talent and like the other
Saints wideouts, he's a bigger guy. But he also has excellent speed.
Keep an eye on him. Patten comes over from Washington and should
excel
in the slot. Johnson is a nice upgrade at tight end from Conwell and
should fit in nicely as well. Mare replaces Carney and should benefit
from kicking indoors and in this potent offense. Pittman will
eventually replace Duece McAllister, but not this season.
New York Giants
Offseason additions: RB Reuben Droughns (Cleveland), QB Anthony
Wright
(Cincinnati), WR Steve Smith (draft), TE Kevin Boss (draft)
Offseason losses: RB Tiki Barber, WR Tim Carter, PK Jay Feely, RB/KR
Chad Morton, TE Visanthe Shiancoe
Fantasy focus: Droughns will team with Brandon Jacobs to try to
replace the production of Barber. But both are power runners and
aren't even close to being in Barber's class as receivers out of the
backfield. That could be good news for Jeremy Shockey - if he can
stay
healthy - since he should benefit from some of the check-down passes
Barber used to catch. Smith will step in as a slot receiver and could
begin the season as a starter if Amani Toomer is slow to recover from
a torn ACL. With Feely gone the only kickers on the team's roster at
this point are Marc Hickok and Josh Huston. Neither are dependable
fantasy kickers at this point.
Philadelphia Eagles
Offseason additions: WR Kevin Curtis (St. Louis), QB Kelly Holcomb
(Buffalo), WR Bethel Johnson (Minnesota), QB Kevin Kolb (draft), RB
Tony Hunt (draft)
Offseason losses: QB Jeff Garcia, WR Donte Stallworth
Fantasy focus: Donovan McNabb has been injured in four of the past
five seasons, hence the move to pick up Holcomb and Kolb after the
loss of Garcia. McNabb is one of the biggest enigmas in fantasy play.
He's great when he plays, he just can't seem to stay healthy. Given
his production, he's a top-5 QB, but you'd better have a solid backup
in place if you take him. Curtis and Johnson were brought in to help
ease the loss of Stallworth. Curtis is the most likely to do so. Hunt
is a similar back to Correll Buckhalter, who is already on the roster
as a backup to Brian Westbrook.
St. Louis Rams
Offseason additions: WR Drew Bennett (Tennessee), WR Dante Hall
(Kansas City), TE Randy McMichael (Miami), RB Travis Minor (Miami),
RB
Brian Leonard (draft)
Offseason losses: WR Kevin Curtis, RB Marshall Faulk, WR Shaun
McDonald
Fantasy focus: Bennett and Hall come in to replace Curtis and
McDonald. Bennett will also be insurance for Isaac Bruce, who is
getting a little long in tooth and whose production has fallen off.
McMichael is still a very good receiving tight end and should work
well in this offense. Minor will help out behind Steven Jackson,
while
Leonard will step into the lineup at fullback. He's a good receiver
out of the backfield and should get his share of catches.
San Francisco 49ers
Offseason additions: WR Darrell Jackson (Seattle), WR Ashlie Lelie
(Atlanta), WR Jason Hill (draft)
Offseason subtractions: WR Antonio Bryant, TE Eric Johnson
Fantasy focus: It's a whole new WR corps this season for QB Alex
Smith. Jackson will be the obvious No. 1 after coming over in a trade
from Seattle. Lelie is a deep threat, but hasn't shown the
consistency
to be much more than that. Jackson has missed time in each of the
past
two seasons with knee and back injuries. Hill is a big receiver with
good hands who should fit in well.
Seattle Seahawks
Offseason additions: TE Marcus Pollard (Detroit), WR Courtney Taylor
(draft), WR Jordan Kent (draft)
Offseason losses: WR Darrell Jackson, RB Josh Scobey, TE Jerramy
Stevens
Fantasy focus: With Jackson gone, a spot should be opened up in the
starting lineup for D.J. Hackett, who impressed down the stretch.
There should also be enough catches around for Deion Branch and Nate
Burleson to catch a lot of passes as well. Pollard will be the
starting tight end, but his best days are behind him.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Offseason additions: QB Jeff Garcia
(Philadelphia), TE Jerramy Stevens (Seattle)
Offseason losses: None
Fantasy focus: The Bucs tried to make a deal for Jake Plummer as
well,
but Plummer retired rather than leave Denver. Garcia will probably
beat out Chris Simms for the starting spot. The offensive line was
beefed up in free agency, while the draft was used on defensive
players. Cadillac Willams should be better with better QB and
offensive line play after a poor second season. His value will be
lower this year than it was last season, when he was a first-round
pick in a lot of fantasy drafts. But he should be a good No. 2 back.
Washington Redskins
Offseason additions: QB Jordan Palmer (draft)
Offseason losses: RB T.J. Duckett, TE Christian Fauria, PK John Hall,
WR David Patten
Fantasy focus: After years of bringing in every big-name free agent
they could get their hands on, the Redskins pulled back this
offseason. Palmer is strictly backup material behind Jason Campbell,
who will enter training camp for the first time as the No. 1 QB.
Shaun
Suisham will handle the placekicking duties with Hall gone. Perhaps
the biggest move the team made was keeping Ladell Betts from becoming
a free agent by re-signing him late last season. He's a nice
complimentary back to Clinton Portis and if you draft Portis, you'd
better handcuff him to Betts.
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