Rex Grossman

After working his way through various NFL practice squads and stops in places like the Intense Football League, Redskins WR Anthony Armstrong finally made it to the NFL. As a 27-year-old rookie in 2010, he quickly worked his way into a starting job and caught 44 passes for 871 yards, an impressive average of 19.8 yards per catch. On a team that has been in search of some offensive pop for years, Armstrong would appear to be set up to have an even bigger role in the offense in 2011.

Armstrong doesn’t see it like that. He intends to keep the same work ethic that got him through his long climb through stints with the Odessa Roughnecks and Dallas Desperados to the NFL.

“The way I look at it, I basically have to win a spot all over again,” Armstrong said on Monday.

Even if Armstrong was inclined to take it easy and rest on his accomplishments from last year, the recent NFL draft would have changed that anyway. The Redskins drafted three wide receivers and Armstrong took note of the development

“I knew they were going to take one,” he said. “Then we end up taking two and then three."

“It’s one of those things where they feel like they have to address the need and that’s fine. I take it as a challenge and I take it as motivation. You can take it as a sign of disrespect, however you want to take it. I use it as fuel, put it in my tank to make me work out harder in

Armstrong was a boom-or-bust fantasy play last season, relying on the long ball and his 19.8 yards per catch mark. With Santana Moss a free agent, Armstrong could end up the de facto #1 WR. We still have no idea what the Redskins quarterback situation will look like heading into week 1. Rex Grossman & Vince Young are at the top of the possibilities list, and both feature a down-field style that would benefit Armstrong in 2011.