Quarterback Chris Redman will likely start while rookie signal caller Matt Ryan, the third overall pick, holds a clipboard until the team feels he is ready.
Potential breakout performers
Running back Michael Turner has averaged 5.5 yards per carry during his four seasons and has three 100-yard games to his credit. Starting for the first time in his career, Turner is a No. 2 fantasy running back with upside in the Falcons' run-oriented scheme.
Potential disappointing players
Wide receiver Roddy White (83 catches, 1,202 yards, six touchdowns) could regress if Ryan takes over at quarterback. Also, the Falcons gave Turner a six-year, $34 million contract; they are likely to run the ball more than they did last season. White remains a No. 3 fantasy receiver, but his value could shrink for reasons beyond his control.
Backup running back Jerious Norwood quietly amassed 890 yards from scrimmage, including 613 rushing yards on 103 carries. While he will get his touches as Turner's backup, Norwood is unlikely to get 103 carries again unless Turner gets hurt. You should only draft Norwood as Turner's handcuff, unless you're in a point-per-reception league.
Injury update
White missed some OTA's with a hamstring injury, but he is healthy now and will participate fully in training camp. Otherwise, the current health of each key offensive player is on the up and up.
Third-year running back DeAngelo Williams will battle rookie running back Jonathan Stewart for the starting job in a clash of former first-round picks.
The last time the Panthers had a bruising running back like rookie Jonathan Stewart was 2003, when running back Stephen Davis gained 1,444 yards and scored eight touchdowns. Stewart may not match those totals, but he could become a legit No. 2 fantasy running back if he relegates incumbent starting running back DeAngelo Williams to a third-down role.
For all the Stewart hype, Williams remains the listed starter. The third-year running back averaged 5.0 yards on 144 carries - hardly a small sample. He is also a terrific receiver (56 catches in two seasons). If Stewart falters, Williams could become a No. 3 fantasy running back, especially in point-per-reception leagues.
Potential disappointing players
Wide receiver Steve Smith caught 87 passes for 1,002 yards and seven touchdowns, but he slumped in Weeks 8-15, neither scoring nor surpassing 80 receiving yards in a game. This overlapped with the season-ending elbow injury to quarterback Jake Delhomme. Alarmingly, the Panthers have not shored up their quarterback depth. If Delhomme gets hurt again, Smith will likely struggle. Regardless, Smith enters the season as a No. 1 fantasy receiver.
Injury update
Delhomme has recovered from reconstructive elbow surgery and has thrown sharply in minicamps. Running back Jonathan Stewart is coming off toe surgery and did not participate in minicamps. However, the team says Stewart will practice in training camp. Fourth-year wideout D.J. Hackett is healthy but injury-prone: Last year, he missed 10 games with multiple ankle ailments. He has never played a full season as a pro.
Wide receiver David Patten, 34, should face challenges from wide receiver Robert Meachem, a skilled former first-round pick, as well as fourth-year wideout Devery Henderson, for a starting job.
Place kicker Martin Gramatica went 5-for-5 on field goals in the final three games last season, but he may lose his job to strong-legged kicker Taylor Mehlhaff, whom the Saints chose in the sixth-round and signed to a three-year deal.
Potential breakout performers
In 2002, as a rookie, tight end Jeremy Shockey caught 74 passes for 894 yards - career highs - under the guidance of Sean Payton, then the New York Giants offensive coordinator. Shockey could exceed those totals with the Saints, where Payton is the head coach. Also, quarterback Drew Brees knows how to use tight ends: On the San Diego Chargers, Brees quarterbacked tight end Antonio Gates to elite seasons in 2004 and 2005. Shockey is a No. 1 fantasy tight end with high upside.
Potential disappointing players
Unless you are in a point-per-reception league, running back Reggie Bush may disappoint. Bush rushed for only 581 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games. He added 417 receiving yards and two touchdown catches, but those totals make him merely a No. 3 fantasy running back. Bush also fumbled eight times, losing three. Moreover, McAllister, Thomas and Shockey may gopher his opportunities.
Injury update
McAllister's surgically repaired left knee swelled up July 25, giving the Saints a scare. A precautionary MRI was negative; McAllister practiced the next day. Bush has recovered from the partially torn knee ligament that kept him out of last season's finale. He is practicing fully. Shockey has been limited in practice; he will be ready for Week 1, but he is easing his way back from the broken left leg that sidelined him late last year.
Quarterbacks Brian Griese and Luke McCown are vying for the No. 2 role behind starting quarterback Jeff Garcia. McCown played solidly (if slightly mistake-prone) as the backup last season. By contrast, Griese's last stint with the Buccaneers (and with head coach John Gruden) was in 2004 and 2005, when he, too, was competent but hardly error-free.
Potential breakout performers
Running back Earnest Graham rushed for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns on 222 carries. Yet, Graham received 10 or fewer carries in six of the Buccaneers 16 games. Tampa Bay gave Graham a four-year, $11 million extension in the offseason. If Graham is the primary ball carrier in all 16 games, he could surpass his gaudy totals of last season. Of course, running back Warrick Dunn is a credentialed backup who could vulture Graham's totals. For now, though, Graham is a No. 3 fantasy running back with upside.
Potential disappointing players
A 36-year-old wide receiver, Joey Galloway caught 57 passes for 1,014 yards and six touchdowns. It was his third straight season with declining numbers. While he remains a No. 3 fantasy receiver and the Buccaneers' top option, his upside is likely limited to a repeat of last year's numbers.
Injury update
Galloway has not practiced because of a groin strain, but he should be good to go after a few days of cautionary rest. Running back Cadillac Williams is on the Physically Unable to Perform list with a right knee injury. The earliest he'll be able to return is Week 6.
