What We Learned on Monday: Still No News in Arizona

The second week of the 2010 preseason was wrapped up on Monday night as the Tennessee Titans completely shut down the Arizona Cardinals, 24-10.

Things were looking good on Jeff Fisher's side of the field, with Vince Young, Chris Johnson & Co. looking good early on. Not to mention solid special teams play from everyone.

But, on the other side of the field Arizona's head coach Ken Whisenhunt was left scratching his head. One things is for sure after tonight's matchup: Ken still has no idea who his quarterback will be come week one of the regular season.

Both Matt Leinart--the favorite to win the job--and Derek Anderson put up acceptable statlines, but neither really grabbed anyone's attention. Mistake-free football was played, but there were several relatively easy plays that should've been made, passes that should've been completed. Only they weren't.

Leinart looked shaky under Tennessee's pressure, and although he threw for 105 yards, Anderson missed some open receivers as well.

Let's just say that this is anyone's job for the taking, and we may not know the starter until a few days before the game. In my opinion, I think Leinart, in the end, will be given the starting job based simply on the fact that he's been waiting his turn for four years.

But, with limited receivers to his disposal and lack of accuracy under pressure, Derek Anderson will take over the starting role halfway through the season. The former Pro Bowl quarterback has a stronger throwing arm and has a much easier time shaking off defenders. Plus if I was Whisenhunt I would feel more comfortable having a proven winner (led Cleveland with a 10-6 record in '07; fell just short of playoffs) under center, rather than a career-long benchwarmer.

In reality, it really doesn't look like we learned much after Monday's game, did we? Well, other than the fact that Chris Johnson isn't messing around, and will do everything he can to break 2,000 again this season.

Photo credit: (AP Photo/Frederick Breedon)

Haynesworth Saga: Shanahan Fires Back

More drama in D.C., and yes, it also happens to involve the most expensive defensive tackle in league history: Albert 'not-worth-the-money' Haynesworth.

Not only has Big Al complained about the Skins' new 3-4 scheme, but now he has also been complaining after the Redskins "downplayed" Haynesworth's apparent headaches this past week. We later found out he has been diagnosed with a condition which causes muscle deterioration.

After missing several days of practice last week, head coach Mike Shanahan described it to the press as 'headaches.' But, again, it was later discovered to be much worse than that.

I can certainly see why Haynesworth was so upset with Shanahan and the Washington staff, downplaying his condition the way they did, but they were unaware and, frankly, tired of his excuses. Personally, I'm happy that Shanahan finally lashed back and set Albert straight.

Mike told Fanhouse.com that Haynesworth will not be playing without practicing again. He has gotten away with it in the past, but Shanahan is sending him a message by saying it "wont happen again under this regime."

Finally we get to see a coach publicly rip a player like this. This needed to happen, and it needed to happen to Haynesworth.

Obviously this time Haynesworth has a legitimate argument against the Redskins, but this may have been the final straw. Especially after he publicly stated that he is going to sit out next offseason's workouts, as well.

If I'm Washington, I'm doing everything I can to get Haynesworth out of town. Perhaps Dan Snyder should just sell the team, that may turn this franchise around quicker than anything else.

Photo credit: (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Seattle's Mike Williams Looking to Make a Case for Comeback Player of the Year in 2010

An article written by Jim Trotter in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated on how former first round pick Mike Williams is attempting to turn around his disappointing NFL career in Seattle's camp this season.

The former Detroit Lion, Oakland Raider and Tennessee Titan has been out of the league since 2007 but signed with Seattle in April, which has reunited him with his college coach at USC, Pete Carroll.

The 10th overall pick in the 2005 draft (Detroit Lions) has caught just 44 passes for 539 yards and two touchdowns in 30 career games (only seven starts).

Williams, though he admitted he has been a bit rusty in camp thus far, made a great play on his lone catch in last night's preseason game against his former team Tennessee. Williams turned a short catch in to a 51-yard touchdown.

Just before Williams was released by Tennessee in 2007, he reportedly weighed 270 pounds but is now back down to 235-240 and looking better than ever.

Recapping Thursday's Action

Last night there were six teams in action to kick off week one of the NFL preseason.

To some fans preseason doesn't mean anything and they may not enjoy it because they don't know who most of the players are. But to me, preseason is much more than that.

Not only does it mean the return of football, which also means we are that much closer to those lovely Sunday afternoons in the fall, but it also gives us fans a chance to spot out which teams have hidden talents on the bench. Which is always fun to do in my opinion.

The stars are certainly still the focal point, but it's nice to see those other guys get a chance.

The most exciting of the three games was between the defending champion Saints and Tom Brady's Patriots. New England and New Orleans both saw their backup quarterbacks have solid games. Patrick Ramsey (Saints) went 7/11 with 111 yards, the 24-year old Brian Hoyer (Patriots) went 8 of 13 for 106 yards. Neither threw any touchdown passes, but they did lead the team down the field a couple of times and stayed mistake-free, which is always something coaches love to see.

Coming off a season in which he started just five games (only 14 starts in four NFL seasons with New England), Laurence Maroney ran the ball well, gaining 30 yards and two TDs on eight carries.

Welker-esque Julian Edelman caught six passes for 90 yards while second-year receiver of the Saints, Adrian Arrington caught four passes which went for a total of 87 yards.

All in all, a great game to watch especially for the preseason. Very little mistakes committed on both sides of the field. Zero turnovers and a total nine penalties. Can't argue with that.

The other two games (Panthers@Ravens, Raiders@Cowboys) didn't quite matchup but it was hard-hitting football nevertheless.

In Dallas, Tony Romo's offense struggled throughout the game. Again, it's only preseason, but it's never good to see names such as Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice get gobbled up in the backfield by 2009's 29th ranked rushing defense. The Barber/Jones/Choice trio combined for 21 yards and zero TDs on 10 attempts. The leading rusher? Romo's backup Stephen McGee. Yes, a quarterback, who gained 15 yards on two scramble attempts.

The kicking game looked good as the 23-year old David Buehler went three for three, scoring all nine of Dallas' points.

Kyle Boller's 148 yards and one TD, journeyman RB Michael Bennett's 68 yards on the ground and Oakland's six sacks as a team led to a 17-9 victory over the 'Boys.

Rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen looked solid in his Carolina Panthers debut, with the only dark spot coming on an interception thrown to Baltimore's Tom Zbikowski. Flacco looked great, though newly acquired Ravens Anquan Boldin and Donte' Stallworth didn't have much of a chance to show off their skills, catching just one pass each. If Flacco's 120 yards on just eight completions are any indication, though, I doubt Baltimore will have much trouble getting by with the passing game this season.

Despite limited playing time from the first team defense, Baltimore sacked Carolina's quarterbacks seven times and forced two turnovers.

Six more teams (Bills@Redskins, Jaguars@Eagles, Chiefs@Falcons) will be facing off tonight as the rest of the 10 week one games will be played out from Saturday through Monday night.

Stay tuned for more preseason recaps/thoughts.

Top Rookie RBs to Keep an Eye On in 2010

When it comes to the National Football League, it's pretty tough attempting to gauge how rookies will fare in their first season, let alone their career.

A perfect example would be Emmitt Smith, who just got inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past weekend. Quite a few experts, including Mel Kiper JR. himself, didn't think Smith had the size to be a successful running back in this league. What did he end up doing? Oh, nothing big. Just finishing his career as the league's all-time leading rusher.

Other more recent guys, i.e. Steve Slaton and Matt Forte had great rookie campaigns but have fallen since then.

This year's rookie class seems to be pretty deep when it comes to running backs. Here's the guys you may want to keep an eye on this pre- and regular season.

Top Five (rankings, stats according to ESPN.com's fantasy game):

1. Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers

Taken with the 12th overall pick in the draft, Mathews' stock is rising with the absence of Canton-bound Ladainian Tomlinson, who left for New York this offseason. San Diego's other running back Darren Sproles seems to have the most success as a third down back/return man, meaning Mathews should get quite a few carries. He is the only rookie running back who is projected for 1,000 yards this season.

2. Jahvid Best, Detroit Lions

Despite playing his ball in Detroit this season, I think Best has the most upside out of all of this year's running back class. The fastest back drafted, Best is the biggest threat coming out of the backfield as well and is owned in 100% of ESPN's fantasy leagues. Don't be surprised if Jahvid (projected for 660 rushing yards, 364 receiving yards and six TDs) has a solid preseason and starts ahead of Kevin Smith week one, especially because of Smith's injury.

3. C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills

With Marshawn Lynch's days in Buffalo numbered, Spiller could see more touches come his way as the season progresses. Despite being the first running back selected (No. 9 overall), Spiller is only projected for 800 yards and four touchdowns.

4. Montario Hardesty, Cleveland Browns

Last year's eighth-best rushing offense gets a huge boost from Hardesty after being taken in the second round. Projected in the top 50 backs, Hardesty is projected for 800 yards and eight TDs in 2010. Hardesty wont be the opening weekend starter, but will see quite a few carries come his way considering Jerome Harrison has yet to carry the load full-time and may need some help carrying the team.

5. Ben Tate, Houston Texans

With Steve Slaton disappointing, Houston needed to get another top-tier running back in the draft, which is why they selected Tate in the second round. Tate, projected for 600 yards and eight TDs, has a lot of potential and could easily land the starting role in the preseason. Tate's combination of size and speed gives Houston the perfect feature back for years to come.

Also published on Bleacherreport.com

News and Notes from the First Football Game of the Season

With seven new players being inducted in to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH on Saturday, and the 2010 preseason kicking off on Sunday, this weekend was a huge success for football fans everywhere.

You no longer have to watch countless hours of football on Hulu, or even resort to watching baseball games, to pass the time until the season kicks off in September: the preseason is here.

The Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals faced off in Canton's Fawcett Stadium for the annual "Hall of Fame Game."

The biggest headline was, of course, seeing Terrell Owens in a Bengals uniform for the first time. Not all that surprising, quarterback Carson Palmer seemed to be favoring Owens over Cincy's No. 1 wideout Chad Ochocinco.

Owens caught two passes in the first two series on offense, and was thrown to a couple of other times. Ochocinco didn't catch any passes in his only quarter of play. I doubt anyone really thought this was a big deal at all, because it really isn't. But if this is a sign of things to come then we may run in to some problems later on down the road.

Other news from Cincinnati is that Adam "Formerly Pacman" Jones played very well in his debut, making two tackles and playing solid coverage on the opposing receivers.

Despite seeing an impressive performance from rookie linebacker Brandon Sharpe (6-yard interception returned for a touchdown in fourth quarter), and the Cowboys' 16-7 victory, not all was well in Dallas. Second-year tight end John Phillips, who caught four passes for 60 yards in the game, suffered a season-ending ACL tear in his right knee.

Luckily, with that being the only big blow for Dallas, head coach Wade Phillips can be relatively happy with his team's performance. We all got to see impressive performances from Tashard Choice, Stephen McGee and the defensive reserves, who sacked the quarterback four times and intercepted three passes.

All in all, great first preseason performances from many guys looking to impress the coaches.

Tweet of the Day: Thurman Thomas

Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas brought up a great point on his twitter account. With the preseason starting tonight, the former Buffalo Bill and Miami Dolphin pointed out that Darrelle Revis, Jets' shutdown corner, is still holding out of camp while all 32 of the draft's first round picks are signed and in their respective camps.

His exact  words:

"All these kids have signed their contracts and REVIS HAS TO HOLDOUT... JETS STINK"

Personally, I completely agree with Thomas. I hate seeing guys holdout, let alone 25 year olds that have played just three NFL seasons like Revis. For this reason, I am very glad all the first rounders have signed contracts and aren't holding out.

I'm sure New York would love to have Revis in camp, but it doesn't seem as though they are too worried about it at the current moment.

One Player From All 32 Teams Who Must Step up this Season (Part I: AFC North)

American football is the ultimate team game.

If all 11 players on the field do their job, one team can dominate the rest of the league each and every week. But, at the same time, there are certain players who make a bigger impact than others.

Here are four players, one from each of the teams in the AFC North, who will have to bring their A games this season if they want his respective team to go all the way this season.

Baltimore: Tom Zbikowski

With All Pro safety Ed Reed likely out for at least the first six weeks of the season, Baltimore's defensive success will hinge on the performance of the secondary. Baltimore's defensive backfield suffered a second huge blow with the news that cornerback Domonique Foxworth will miss the entire season with a torn ACL which he suffered in camp.

In four starts for the Ravens last season, Zbikowski recorded 14 tackles and intercepted two passes. This is his chance to prove himself as he is entering his third NFL season.

Cincinnati: Cedric Benson

Benson ran in to more trouble this offseason, but will not be suspended by commissioner Roger Goodell, fortunately for him. Despite the addition of future Hall of Fame wideout Terrell Owens, I think Benson is one of the most important pieces of this offense. Palmer has weapons with Owens and Ochocinco, but that just means defenses are going to adjust their gameplan to stop the two All Pros, in my opinion. Cincinnati is going to have to keep the offense as balanced as possible, so Benson will still get his carries and will need to put up numbers much like his 2009 campaign if the Bengals want to be able to wrap games up late in the fourth quarter.

They can finish the regular season with a great record just by having Palmer air it out to Ochocinco and T.O., but if they expect to play well in the playoffs, the success of Benson is extremely important.

Cleveland: Shaun Rogers

Cleveland's defense ranked 29th against the pass and 28th against the run last season. In my opinion this was because Cleveland's 3-4 scheme lacked a consistent nose tackle hold the front seven together. The 350 pound tackle missed five games, recording just 27 tackles and two sacks this past season. When healthy, Rogers can really do some damage to an offensive and wreak some havoc in the backfield.

He looks to be close to his regular self so far, meaning we could see another 2007 or 2008-esque campaign (played all 32 possible games in those two seasons while making a combined 87 solo tackles and 11.5 sacks).

Pittsburgh: whoever wins the quarterback battle in camp

It's likely that Ben Roethlisberger's suspension will be downgraded to four games instead of the original six, but Pittsburgh's quarterback for the first four weeks will need to play mistake-free ball in order to put Roethlisberger in a good position once he does return. Right now it looks as though the battle is between Dennis Dixon and Byron Leftwich.

Next: AFC East

Broncos' Camp Littered with Injuries

Surprisingly, the progress of Denver's first round pick Tim Tebow has not been the talk of Broncos camp so far this month. Instead, it has been all the major injuries that have hit Josh McDaniels' team.

First it was the league sack leader from '09, Elvis Dumervil, who sacked opposing quarterbacks 17 times, who went down with a major injury and may miss the entire season. Dumervil's torn pectoral muscle, suffered during Wednesday's practice, will keep him out of Denver's lineup for quite some time.

Today, newly acquired running back LenDale White, who signed a two-year deal with the team on Wednesday, left practice early. His possible injury doesn't look serious, but it's not good to see either.

But the biggest news of the day in Denver is Jarvis Moss' broken hand. Moss, Dumervil's replacement at outside linebacker, is expected to miss at least two weeks. He should recover well from the injury but he will certainly still be limited when he does return to practice.

What Moss' early exit did do for the Broncos defense is give some other guys such as Akin Ayodele and Mario Haggan some reps at the position.

We will surely be keeping an eye on McDaniels' defense over the next few weeks and see how the other linebackers adjust to the early injuries.

Canton-Bound: A Look at this Year's Hall of Fame Class

In the beginning of August each year the NFL opens the doors to welcome in a few new members of the league's Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. This year's very deep class includes the greatest receiver to ever put on an NFL uniform, and the league's all-time NFL rusher.

We've been waiting for this for five years and it has finally come, Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith will both be joining fellow legends in the Hall.

Others being inducted are cornerback Dick Lebeau, running back Floyd Little, guard Russ Grimm, linebacker Rickey Jackson and defensive tackle John Randle.

Here's a closer look at each inductee's career:

Jerry Rice; San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks WR

Rice is basically football's Michael Jordan. He caught practically every single ball thrown his way and did it with class. Having two Hall of Fame quarterbacks (Montana and Young, obviously) throwing him the ball may have given him a slight edge over other receivers, but I certainly think that Jerry's graceful, acrobatic catches made their jobs a whole lot easier.

Rice's career numbers blow his competition out of the water. Jerry finished his 21st and final season with 1,549 receptions, 22,895 yards and 197 receiving touchdowns. All of which are still league records. His 13 Pro Bowls, 10 All Pro selections and 14 1,000 yard seasons are astonishing, not to mention his speed and outlandish athletic ability.

Rice even managed to put up 1,000 yards on 92 catches at age 40, in '02 with Oakland.

Emmitt Smith; Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals RB

Much like Rice, Smith dominated his position for years. After being told he was too small to make it in the league, Smith went out in his rookie season in 1990 and ran for 937 yards and 11 touchdowns. For the next 11 years after that he ran for over 1,000 yards before finishing his last three seasons on limited carries with Dallas and Arizona.

Smith broke the career rushing yards record, held by Chicago great Walter "Sweetness Payton, and ended his 15-year career with 18,355 yards, 164 touchdowns and 8 Pro Bowl appearances. He was part of one of the greatest trios in history alongside Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman and receiver Michael Irvin.

Dick LeBeau; Detroit Lions CB

Probably known better for his blitzing schemes as the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator (2004-present), LeBeau made a name for himself in the defensive backfield as well.

The three-time Pro Bowler played all 14 of his seasons in Detroit. And in 185 games played he intercepted 62 passes, good enough for a tie with Dave Brown for eighth all time.

Floyd Little; Denver Broncos RB

Little's numbers may not look all that impressive in comparison to today's Hall of Famers, but his 6,323 rushing yards was good enough for seventh all time when he retired from the league after nine seasons in 1975.

Little only had one season of 1,000-plus yards ('71) and one season with double digit touchdowns ('73), but was named to five Pro Bowls. The little man (5'10," 195 pounds) was drafted No. 6 overall in the 1967 draft and is currently in Denver's Ring of Fame.

John Randle; Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks DT

Randle dominated opposing offensive lines for years, attending seven Pro Bowls and being named to six All Pro teams in the process. Randle, along with Bruce Smith, was one of the best pass rushers of the decade in the 1990s.

Randle's 137.5 career sacks is tied (with Richard Dent) for sixth-most in history, and the most among all defensive tackles. In nine of his 14 seasons Randle recorded 10 or more sacks, plus three more seasons with seven or more.

Randle wasn't exactly the biggest defensive tackle out there (6'1" 290 pounds), but he could beat guys with his speed and athleticism, not to mention he was a great trash talker and could get inside opposing players' heads with ease, and entertain us fans at the same time.

Russ Grimm; Washington Redskins G

In my opinion, it's much tougher judging offensive linemen when it comes to the Hall of Fame. I mean, there really isn't many stats to go by when comparing these large men, who have one of the toughest and most important job on the field: protecting the quarterback.

What I tend to look for in offensive linemen is consistency, which Grimm had early on in his 11-year career. He was also named to four Pro Bowls and three All Pro teams while in Washington, his only NFL team.

Grimm was named to the 1970s all-decade team. But, to tell you the truth, I think it's his three Super Bowl rings (four counting the one he won as a coach for the Steelers in '05) that has finally pushed Grimm over the top and in to the Hall.

Rickey Jackson; New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers LB

Jackson, most likely because of the fact that he spent 13 of his 15 NFL seasons with the lowly "Aints," was one of the most underrated linebackers of his era.

The six-time Pro Bowler recorded 128 sacks, which puts him 10th on the all-time list, and made 1,173 tackles. Jackson was surely a sideline-to-sideline playmaker, recording 100-plus tackles five times and forcing 40 fumbles in 227 games.

Possible inductees for 2011 HOF class (first-year eligibles):

Jerome Bettis
Curtis Martin
Marshall Faulk
Deion Sanders

You can watch the induction on Saturday at 7 P.M. on ESPN and NFL Network...the Hall of Fame game between the Bengals and Cowboys is the following evening (kicks off pre-season).

Team Spotlight: 2000 Tennessee Titans

A new daily post I have decided to add to the blog is "Team Spotlight."

This post will basically be a blast from the past in which I honor a team from the past and write a couple paragraphs describing their season. I feel as though it's a good way to pass the time until the season gets underway. Today's team: the 2000 Titans.

Just one year after a franchise record 13-3 campaign and a Super Bowl appearance, Steve McNair led Tennessee's high-powered offense to another 13-3 season and another AFC Central division title.

Tennessee wasn't the most high-scoring team out there (13th in points scored), but the defense was second in the league in points allowed (191) behind only one of the greatest defenses in league history: the Baltimore Ravens.

Tennessee finished the regular season with the best record in the league, giving them the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. Jeff Fisher's only three regular season losses were to the Jags (finished fourth in Central with 7-9 record), Bills (finished fourth in East with 8-8 record) and the eventual Super Bowl champion Ravens who finished second to the Titans in the Central with a 12-4 record.

Despite the superb regular season, Tennessee's deadly trio consisting of Steve McNair, Eddie George and Derrick Mason, all of which could have Hall of Fame consideration in the future, was not enough to stop an early playoff exit. For the second time in the season, Tennessee fell to its arch rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. This time, though, when it mattered most.

The league's No. 1 and No. 2 defenses were facing off in Adelphia Coliseum for a chance to play for the AFC Championship game. Everyone expected a low-scoring affair, and that's just what we got in the first half of play. The lone two scores of the first two quarters were short runs by Eddie George (2-yard run in first quarter) and rookie Jamal Lewis (1-yard run in second quarter).

We witnessed more of the same in the third quarter, seeing the two teams exchange field goals giving us a 10-10 deadlock heading in to the fourth quarter.

That's when Baltimore's defense showed up, and Tennessee's did not.

A blocked field goal of Al Del Greco's was returned 90 yards for a touchdown by Baltimore's Anthony Mitchell. That certainly swayed the momentum in Baltimore's favor, giving them a one touchdown lead. The knockout blow came when Eddie George and All Pro linebacker Ray Lewis went head-to-head.

Lewis snatched a McNair screen pass right out of Eddie George's grasp, and took it all the way to the house for a 50-yard game clincher. Thanks to some great defense, Baltimore stole the almost sure-win from Tennessee even after quarterback Trent Dilfer through completed just five of 16 passes for 117 yards.

The loss was a painful blow to Titan nation, but that doesn't take away from one of their most successful seasons in the franchise's history.

Fantasy Football: Top 10 Keepers For 2010

With August just around the corner, it's time to start preparing your keeper league football team for the season. Picking the right keepers is key to starting your season off right.

Here is a look at the 10 best players to hold on to for this year.

Honorable Mentions

Ray Rice, RB

A revamped Ravens offense will limit Rice's production, meaning he may not get quite as many balls thrown to him, but he will still be the primary back in the team's rushing attack.

DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, RBs

Williams and Stewart are by far the best running back duo in the game today and possibly in the top 10 or 15 of all time. Both backs could easily break 1,000 yards, plus maybe we'll see double digit TD totals from the two considering they will have an inexperienced quarterback under center.

Reggie Wayne, WR

He's still the primary, go-to guy in Indy, but the return of Anthony Gonzalez could limit his production. Not to mention the fact that breakout receiver Pierre Garcon made a living catching key passes from Manning late last season.

Philip Rivers, QB

Losing Vincent Jackson (and possibly offensive tackle Marcus McNeill) for the beginning of the season will hurt Rivers' stock badly. Probably the primary reason he was left out of my top 10.

Matt Schaub, QB

Houston was the best passing team in the league last season, and if Steve Slaton struggles again this year he could be passing the ball even more often.

Frank Gore, RB

Many guys would say he's a top 10 keeper, but for some reason he doesn't quite impress me as much as he impresses everyone else. I mean, yes, he did have a monster '06 season, but since then he's only been getting as much as 1,100 yards a season and has scored in double-digits only once. I do like his consistency and his ability to come out of the backfield, though.

The List:

10. Michael Turner, RB

Turner ran for only 871 yards last season, but that was because he ran the ball only 178 times in 11 games (4.9 yards per carry). With Turner back and healthy this year, he will hopefully play all 16 games and get the ball much more often. Especially since defenses will be focusing more and more on emerging QB Matt Ryan and the passing attack led by Roddy White.

Also, keep in mind that Atlanta likes to use Turner in the red zone. He scored 10 times on his 178 carries, giving him back-to-back double digit touchdown seasons.

9. Tom Brady, QB

Brady has surely dropped down the list pretty far over the last couple of seasons, which may have been caused by his inconsistent 2009 season in which he had great games but also had disappointing performances. According to ESPN, Brady had four games which he scored less than 10 fantasy points.

The return of Wes Welker early in the season will certainly help Brady out a bit, but he still may not be able to match that of Rodgers, Brees and Manning.

8. Andre Johnson, WR

Johnson is the go-to guy in last season's best passing offense. That, alone, should be enough to put Johnson, a physical, 6'3'' wideout from Miami. Johnson has put up two straight 1,500-plus yard seasons.

In his seven NFL seasons, the four-time Pro Bowler has yet to catch 10 or more touchdown passes in a single season, but this may finally be the year he accomplishes that feat. With Schaub, a top 10 quarterback, passing more than ever, Johnson could put up yet another 1,500 yard season as the Texans make the first playoff appearance in franchise history.

7. Maurice Jones-Drew, RB

Jones-Drew finally broke through for his first 1,000 yard season in 2009, but has been a touchdown machine in all four of his professional seasons.

Jacksonville doesn't exactly have what you would call a potent aerial attack (ranked 19th in passing yards last season), meaning the offense is revolved around MJD. In the red zone is where Jones-Drew has the most success--running for a career-high 15 touchdowns last season and a total of 34 in his previous three seasons.

The 25-year old back has been overlooked by such names as Johnson, Peterson and Jackson, but Jones-Drew is still a top-tier keeper and an automatic first round pick in non-keeper leagues.

6. Aaron Rodgers, QB

Believe it or not, a couple of "experts" have come out and said that Rodgers is the best fantasy quarterback out there. Although I highly disagree that he's the best of the best, he is still a top-five talent and ahead of Brady, Favre, Schaub and Rivers.

In his first two complete seasons as the starter in Green Bay, Rodgers has passed for 8,472 yards, 58 TDs and 20 INTs. Despite being sacked a league-high 50 times last season, Rodgers posted a rating of 103.2 while leading the Pack to an 11-5 record and a playoff spot.

Chances are Rodgers sees more time in the pocket and doesn't get sacked 50 times in 2010, meaning his numbers could see an increase from last season. Scary, I know.

5. Steven Jackson, RB

Much like Maurice Jones-Drew, St. Louis' offense revolves around Jackson. Especially since this year they will likely have rookie Sam Bradford under center.

Jackson only scored four times in 2009, which ties a career-low. But this year, he could easily score double-digit TDs. In 2006, he caught 90 for over 800 yards, plus his 1,500 yards and 13 TDs on the ground. That may have been four years ago, but he has yet to hit the wall and was just plagued by injuries in '07 and '08.

With Jackson looking to be back to full health, we could see a season much like his career-best 2006 campaign.

4. Drew Brees, QB

As scary as this may sound, New Orleans didn't lose anyone from their 2009 offense over the offseason. Brees threw for 4,388 yards and 34 TDs last season for an offense which ranked first in overall offensive yards gained.

Robert Meachem had a breakout season last year--45 receptions, 722 yards, nine TDs after just 12 receptions in his rookie season in '08--while Lance Moore had a bad year. If Brees can get more production from Meachem and a bounce-back year from Moore, Brees could improve on both his yards and touchdowns.

3. Peyton Manning, QB

What can I say about Manning? Everyone knows he is the most consistent quarterback in the game, who basically runs the offense on his own. But, his receivers will be back and healthy this year, meaning plenty more fantasy points from Mr. Fantasy himself.

Expect another 4,500 yards and 30-35 TDs. You know, the usual stat-line for Manning.

2. Adrian Peterson, RB

The definition of an off-year for AP? 1,300-plus yards and a league-high 18 rushing touchdowns.

Peterson's stock has been hurt badly by late season fumbles, which hurt his owners' chances of winning a league championship (this included me, lost by a couple points in the semi-finals). But, the yards and touchdowns will be there and he will have help from rookie Toby Gerhart, which will help keep AP's legs fresh.

If Adrian can work on holding on to the ball during camp, he could take his spot back as No. 1 fantasy player by season's end.

1. Chris Johnson, RB

Becoming just the sixth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000-plus yards in a single-season is what put him atop the fantasy rankings. On 358 carries, Johnson average 5.6 yards per carry and managed to get himself in to the end zone 16 times (14 rushing, two receiving).

Opposing defenses will be out to get Johnson, and defensive coordinators will most likely revolve their game plans around No. 28. That being said, he wont be able to break 2,000 for a second straight season, but because of Tennessee's offense he will certainly produce great numbers.

Other Possible Keepers: Tony Romo, Brett Favre, Larry Fitzgerald, Miles Austin, Donovan McNabb, Randy Moss.

Early News and Previews from Training Camps (Part 1 of 4)

With six more teams reporting to camp today, and the rest of league reporting by Sunday (Colts and Giants last two teams to report), the dog days of two-a-days can officially begin. What happens to teams and players during camp will have a major affect on how the rest of the season turns out, so it is important to stay aware and pay attention to injuries and holdouts.

Here are my personal notes and thoughts on what has happened, sorted in alphabetical order by city name (note: This is only eight of the 32 teams. I will be posting the rest of the teams in parts two, three and four within the next couple of days).

Arizona
Report dates: July 30 (rookies and vets)
Players to watch in camp: Matt Leinart and Derek Anderson
Key offseason acquisitions: Derek Anderson, Alan Fancea, Joey Porter, Kerry Rhodes, Jay Feely
Key offseason losses: Bertrand Berry, Anquan Boldin, Karlos Dansby, Antrel Rolle, Neil Rackers, Kurt Warner (retirement), Bryant McFadden, Mike Gandy, Chike Okeafor

The biggest headline in Arizona will be the quarterback competition between the unproven first rounder Matt Leinart and the former one-time Pro Bowler with Cleveland, Derek Anderson. Leinart seems to be the favorite to win the job, but he will most likely be on a short leash.

Second year player Chris "Beanie" Wells will be battling it out with Tim Hightower for the starting running back spot. Wells should win the job, but Hightower may be used on third downs and in the red zone.


Atlanta
Report dates: July 29 (rookies and vets)
Players to watch in camp: Dunta Robinson, Sean Weatherspoon (R)
Key acquisitions: Matt Giordano, Dunta Robinson
Key losses: Tye Hill, Chris Houston

The core of the offense seems to be set with 25-year Matt Ryan under center and weapons such as Roddy White, future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez and Michael Turner coming out of the backfield.

The questions in camp revolve around the team's secondary. Last year the team allowed 241.9 passing yards a game (28th in league). Some may blame it on the lack of pass rush, which sacked the opposing quarterback just 28 times. But, John Abraham is hoping to get back to his '08 form after recording just 5.5 sacks last season. Plus, despite the loss of two of their corners (Hill and Houston), Atlanta added a pure talent in Dunta Robinson.

Baltimore
Report dates: July 26 (rookies) and July 28 (vets)
Players to watch in camp: Anquan Boldin, Fabian Washington, Tom Zbikowski
Key acquisitions: Anquan Boldin, Donte' Stallworth, Corey Redding
Key losses: Justin Bannan, Dwan Edwards, L.J. Smith, Adam Terry, Kelley Washington

Baltimore's 13th ranked offense got a huge boost this offseason with the addition of wide receivers Anquan Boldin and deep-threat Donte' Stallworth. Ray Rice's breakout 2009 season is just the beginning for his career, meaning be prepared for another great performance from him coming out of the backfield. With McGahee being the short-yardage and red zone back again this year, Rice will be able to get some breaks in the action, as well, to keep his short legs fresh.

Believe it or not, the concern in Baltimore is on the defensive side of the ball. All Pro safety Ed Reed is likely to miss the first six weeks of the season, which is the reason that Tom Zbikowski is one of the 'players to watch' in camp. Baltimore's second round pick, linebacker Sergio Kindle, will most likely miss at least a majority of camp after suffering a neck injury from falling down a flight of stairs. If Fabian Washington doesn't improve his technique during camp, this secondary could be in a lot more trouble than they think.


Buffalo
Report dates: July 29 (rookies and vets)
Players to watch in camp: C.J. Spiller (R), James Hardy
Key acquisitions: Andra Davis, Dwan Edwards, Marlon Favorite, Cornell Green
Key losses: Terrell Owens, Ryan Denney, Chris Draft, Josh Reed

Trent Edwards lost a lot of production in the wide receiver position after both Terrell Owens and Josh Reed parted ways this offseason. But with the addition of Clemson's C.J. Spiller (taken 9th overall in draft), who will battle it out with projected starter Fred Jackson during camp, Buffalo may have to focus more on the running game.

The Bills have possibly the best secondary in the game, led by Pro Bowl free safety Jairus Byrd, who will be entering his second season. Byrd, Bryan Scott and corners Terrence McGee and Leodis McKelvin make up a secondary which ranked second (184 yards/game) in passing defense last season despite just 32 sacks from the rest of the defense. The big question mark on the defensive side this season will be how well the team adjusts to switching from the 4-3 to the 3-4 scheme this season.


Carolina
Report dates: July 29 (rookies and vets)
Players to watch in camp: Jimmy Clausen (R), Chris Gamble
Key acquisitions: Aaron Francisco, Ed Johnson, Jamar Williams, Wallace Wright, Marcus Hudson
Key losses: Jake Delhomme, Julius Peppers, Na'il Diggs, Chris Harris, Brad Hoover, Maake Kemoeatu, Damione Lewis, Dante Wesley

Carolina is currently undergoing major remodeling, yet still may make a strong run for a playoff spot thanks to their top-tier rushing attack of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Just last year Williams and Stewart combined to be the sixth rushing pair to in league history to run for 1,000 or more yards in a single season. And, because of that Carolina won 8 games despite Delhomme's career-high 18 interceptions and 59.4 rating.

Carolina's pass defense was ranked fourth in the league last season, but the loss of Julius Peppers and Maake Kemoeatu may cause a bit of a drop in sacks. It will be up to defensive ends Everette Brown, who started just one game in his rookie season last year, and Tyler Brayton, who has started 78 games in seven professional seasons, to anchor Carolina's defensive line. The linebacking corps, led by the two-time Pro Bowler Jon Beason, is the strongest point in the Panther defense. Beason has accumulated at least 100 tackles in all three of his NFL seasons and is looking to take this team to the next level.

Cincinnati
Report dates: July 28 (rookies and vets)
Players to watch in camp: Jermaine Gresham (R), Rey Maualuga, Terrell Owens
Key acquisitions: Terrell Owens, Antonio Bryant, Adam "Pacman" Jones, Matt Jones, Mike Mugent, Dave Rayner, Gibril Wilson

Cincy's front office spent most of the offseason working on getting Carson Palmer some weapons to add to his arsenal. The latest acquisition? Future Hall of Famer Terell Owens. This addition is a pretty big risk, but if it works out it could pay huge dividends. Having Owens and Ochocinco in the same backfield will certainly bring ticket sales up, but it may also take the Bengals to the next level. Cedric Benson is still finding himself getting in trouble, but with Ochocinco, Owens, Bryant and Gresham, Palmer can focus a little more on throwing the ball 30-40 times a game and not rely on the run.

Cincinnati's linebacking core is also pretty solid, led by young names such as Maualuga and Keith Rivers. The Bengals, in fact, were ranked fourth in total defense last season, and could have won more than the 10 games they won last season had the passing offense succeeded a little more. At this point, things are looking decent in Cincinnati, but because of the division they are in, they still may miss the playoffs.


Chicago
Report dates: July 30 (rookies and vets)
Players to watch in camp: Jay Cutler, Devin Aromashodu, Julius Peppers, Brian Urlacher
Key acquisitions: Julius Peppers, Chester Taylor, Chris Harris, Tim Jennings, Brandon Manumaleuna
Key losses: Alex Brown, Adewale Ogunleye, Orlando Pace. Nathan Vasher

Fans and experts alike will be keeping a close watch on Cutler, who struggled last season throwing a career and league-high 26 interceptions. Whenever Cutler wasn't throwing the ball to the opposing team, Chicago's running backs were being stuffed in the backfield. As a team, the Bears gained just 93.2 yards a game on the ground, good enough for 29th overall. Therefore, Matt Forte and former Minnesota Viking Chester Taylor will be in the spotlight during camp as well. The run game should improve thanks to the addition of Taylor, who will be used primarily on third down and possibly in the red zone. If Chicago's underrated, breakout receivers improve on their 2009 campaigns, and Cutler limits his turnovers, Chicago's offense should see improvement throughout camp.

Chicago overpaid Peppers, but he should still be a nice addition to the 17th-best defense of last season. Urlacher should be under much scrutiny in camp as well, seeing as his numbers have declined since the 2007 season and he missed 15 games last season.

Cleveland
Report dates: July 23 (rookies) and July 30 (vets)
Players to watch in camp: Jake Delhomme, Jerome Harrison, Joe Haden (R)
Key acquisition: Sheldon Brown, Scott Fujita, Peyton Hillis, Jake Delhomme, Tony Pashos, Chris Gocong, Seneca Wallace, Benjamin Watson
Key losses: Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Hank Fraley, Michael Gaines, Rex Hadnot, Steve Heiden, Jamal Lewis, Brodney Pool, Corey Williams, Kamerion Wimbley

New President Mike Holmgren has completely re-done the Cleveland Browns roster, and it looks like they are finally turning the franchise around. Jake Delhomme will be the starting quarterback, making a fresh start for a new team in a new city. Jerome Harrison will be a focal point in the offense as well, looking to add to his strong finish from last season.

On defense, Cleveland added a couple of role players to add on to a full roster. Cleveland's defense ranked 21st last season, but will hopefully make improvements with a healthy D'Qwell Jackson back on the field and Sheldon Brown in the defensive backfield. Rookie corner Joe Haden will be looking to make an immediate impact with Cleveland.

Part two (Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Green Bay, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Kansas City) coming soon.

Bengals, Terrell Owens Agree on 1-year, $2 million Deal

Yes, you heard correctly. The Cincinnati Bengals and the former 49ers/Eagles/Cowboys/Bills wide receiver, reality TV star and full-time diva Terrell Owens agreed on a contract earlier today.

This not only means that Carson Palmer will get to put up with Chad Ochocinco's drama, but he obviously now has to put up T.O.'s as well. Oh so much fun.

Over the past several months it has become very obvious that the two are close friends, and both have back-to-back reality television shows on VH1. Personally, I thought this deal was almost inevitable. Ochocinco seems to have quite a bit of things to say within the organization, and the front office must have heard his plea to sign the 36-year old, despite his diminishing speed.

When you mix all that in with the fact that the Bengals are lacking depth in the receiving position, it seems as though this was the right move. Although at the same time I really don't see this working out. Owens' reputation remains the same as it has his entire NFL career, and may not ever change.

This surely will be a sight to see this season. If it doesn't work out, I am almost positive that this will be the end of the line for Terrell's Hall of Fame-worthy career.

Getcha popcorn ready!

Former Raider DB Jack Tatum Dead at 61

The Oakland Raiders, and the National Football League, lost a legend today. Former Raiders' defensive back Jack Tatum passed away of a heart attack. He was only 61.

Tatum, the three-time Pro Bowler in his 10 professional seasons (nine with Raiders, one with Houston Oilers), was drafted by Oakland with the 19th overall pick in the first round of the 1971 draft.

"The Assassin," as he was nicknamed, was probably best known for his ferocious hit on New England Patriot WR Darryl Stingley in a 1978 preseason game. The hit paralyzed Stingley from the chest down.

There's no doubt that Tatum was one of the best safeties to ever play the game, and he could arguably have been the most feared tackler to ever step foot on the field. In his first NFL game, Tatum knocked out two of the Baltimore Colts' tight ends, one of which was Hall of Famer John Mackey.

It's a shame we lost Tatum at such a young age, and because of this I may just go and read the books that he wrote about his career.

R.I.P. Jack Tatum

HOF's Future: Who's in, Who's out (Offensive Edition)

With the 2010 Hall of Fame induction coming up in August (I will post an overview on the inductees later on), I thought this was a good time to take a look at the careers of current NFL players and decide who are the sure locks, who the borderline players are, and who may have a shot in five to ten years.

HOF Locks:

Brett Fave, QB

This is a no-brainer. Favre hurt his legacy just a bit with this whole soap opera each offseason, but no matter what he says or does, Favre will see himself in Canton on the first ballot.

Favre, the definition of a gunslinger, holds the all-time passing touchdown record with 497, but also happens the be the leader in career interceptions (317). Favre could easily be considered the best Green Bay Packer of all-time, and has a ring to prove his greatness. His will to play the game has yet to be matched as he holds the record for the most consecutive starts (287), discluding Jeff Feagles' 336 since he was only a punter.

His legacy isn't quite complete, seeing as he could win another ring this year in Minnesota. But his Hall of Fame campaign was over several years ago when he left Wisconsin. Entering what could be his 20th and final season, Favre has both attempted (9,811) and completed (6,083) the most passes in league history. One last thing Favre will be remembered for is his cannon of an arm.

Peyton Manning, QB

Peyton is, by far, the smartest quarterback in league history. He is his own offensive coordinator and basically runs the offense himself. Manning's Super Bowl victory against Chicago in 2006 solidified his immortal future in the Hall.

Manning holds numerous records, and has thrown for 4,000-plus yards in 10 of his 12 NFL seasons, all in Indy. Even more miraculous, Manning has yet to miss a game, starting all 16 regular season games throughout his career.

Manning is the only player in history to win the league MVP four times, and he once held the record for most passing TDs in a season with 49. In his 192 starts, Peyton has accumulated a winning percentage of .682 (131-61) and has helped the Colts capture a Lombardi trophy, two AFC titles and seven division titles. While the starter, Indy has missed the playoffs just two times.

Manning is a sure-fire, first ballot HOF no matter which way you slice it.

Tom Brady, QB

Brady's three Super Bowl rings and 16-0 regular season in '07, in which he threw for a record 50 touchdown passes, should be enough to put him in. But, it wont be.

Lucky for him, he has done some other great things such as put up a regular season record of 97-30, a postseason record of 14-4 and even post a 93.3 career QB rating. The only season his rating dipped below 83.9 was in his rookie season when he completed just one pass on three attempts, which went for six yards.

The five-time Pro Bowler was said to have had an off year in '09, just one season off a major knee injury, yet still threw for 4,398 yards and 28 TDs in New England's 10-6 season. Since his first start in 2001, Brady has produced 21 fourth quarter comebacks and 29 game-winning drives.

I'm sure there are guys out there that will disagree with me, but I would certainly vote Brady in based on what he has done so far.

Ladainian Tomlinson, RB

Tomlinson is the leading active rusher right now (12,490 yards; 8th all time), and still holds the coveted single-season rushing touchdown record which he set back in 2006 with 28. The three-time All Pro has run for double-digit touchdown totals in all nine of his NFL seasons.

Just this past season, his final year with the Bolts, was the first time Tomlinson didn't break a 1,000 yards on the ground. His durability shows with the fact that he missed just three regular season games so far in his career, but come playoff time he didn't seem quite as reliable. In seven playoff games, LT managed just 327 yards and four touchdowns on 96 carries (3.4 YPC).

That may be the only thing that will hurt Tomlinson's case, is playoff struggles. But, despite that, I would still give Tomlinson my vote, especially when you consider that PFR compares his nine-year career to players such as Barry Sanders, Jim Brown, Marshall Faulk, Thurman Thomas and O.J. Simpson.

Terrell Owens, WR

Despite being a locker room cancer to many of the teams he's been a part of in his 14-year career, Owens  has Hall-worthy numbers. T.O. is first among active players in receptions (1,006) and receiving yards (14,951). Those numbers are good enough for sixth all time and third all time respectively.

The six-time Pro Bowler and five-time All Pro has recorded nine 1,000 yards seasons and caught double digit touchdowns eight times. In 11 career playoff games, Owens has caught 54 passes for 751 yards and five touchdowns.

His career has been compared to players such as Steve Largent, Raymond Berry, Tim Brown, Marvin Harrison, Jimmy Smith and Cris Carter. All of which are either already in the Hall or Hall-bound.

Randy Moss, WR

Randy's 12-year career is very much similar to Owens'. Moss, a seven-time Pro Bowler, has 926 career receptions (10th all-time, second among active players) and 14,465 receiving yards (sixth all-time, second among active players).

In both of those categories Moss is behind only Owens on the list, but Moss's 148 receiving touchdowns is good for second all-time, four ahead of Owens. Moss is only 32, which is four years younger than Owens, meaning Moss could easily end up surpassing Owens in most categories. Especially when you consider that Terrell may not even have a team in 2010.

Moss may not have a ring, but he can say he was part of one of the best offenses in league history, the '07 Patriots. That season, his first with the Pats, he reeled in 98 balls for 1,493 yards and a record 23 touchdowns catches.

Tony Gonzalez, TE

Big Tony, who has proven that he can both block and catch passes over the middle, will likely go down as one of the greatest tight ends in the history of the game. The 10-time Pro Bowler has caught 999 passes throughout his 13 year career, which is good enough for the second-most among active players (behind only Terrell Owens).

Not only that, but it is also good enough for seventh-most in history. The next tight end on the list is Ozzie Newsome, who is all the way down at 39th-most. Had Gonzalez not been stuck on the Chiefs' roster for a majority of his career, who knows what else he could've accomplished.

But, nevertheless, Tony G. was a chief, and arguably the best to ever put on that uniform. The 6'5'' end reeled in double-digit TD totals three times, and surpassed 1,000 receiving yards four different times. His  102 receptions in the 2004 regular season is an NFL record by a tight end.

Gonzalez was a monster on the field and is considered, in my book at least, the best to ever play the position. He totally set the path for other tight ends, like Antonio Gates and Dallas Clark, to be more involved in the passing game.

Offensive linemen: Steve Hutchinson, Flozell Adams, Orlando Pace

Recently retired locks: Isaac Bruce, Marvin Harrison

Borderline:

Drew Brees, QB

Brees' career got off to a rocky start in San Diego after throwing 29 touchdown passes as compared to 31 interceptions through his first three seasons. But things started to turn around for him in his last two years on the west coast ('04 and '05). He managed to get enough attention from New Orleans, despite recent shoulder surgery, and they grabbed him in the offseason heading in to the 2006 season.

What a great move, I'd say. Brees was named to his second Pro Bowl and first All-Pro team that season after passing for 4,418 yards, 26 TDs and just 11 INTs as the Saints finished the season 10-6. Two years later Brees would pass for 5,000 yards and 34 TD's, and then this year he passed for another 34 TDs while completing 70 percent of his passes.

Brees is only borderline because he really only has six solid seasons under his belt, but he has proven he's a winner by winning a ring this past year, and he's certainly considered an elite NFL quarterback. If he can put up another solid 4-5 seasons, I would most definitely give him the nod for the Hall. Keep it up, Drew!

Edgerrin James, RB

James is currently 11th on the all-time rushing yards list with 12,246 yards, behind only Ladianian Tomlinson on the active list. Selected to four Pro Bowls, James has put up seven seasons with 1,100 or more rushing yards, including 1,500-plus and 13 touchdowns in each of his first two seasons in the league.

James's 80 rushing touchdowns puts him 18th on the all-time list and, again, he is behind only Tomlinson on the active list. James has had two straight sub-par seasons with Arizona and Seattle, but his numbers from 1999-07 should be good enough to at least get him consideration from the Hall voting committee.

Torry Holt, WR

Holt, a member of the 'greatest show on turf,' put up eight straight seasons of 80-plus catches, 1,100-plus yards from 2000-07. During that span, he was named to seven Pro Bowls and selected to an All Pro team. His 74 career touchdowns is good enough for sixth among active players.

His 13,382 receiving yards is good for third among active players behind, of course, Owens and Moss. Holt has twice caught for over 100 balls in a season, which included 117 in 2003.

Holt has taken part in two Super Bowls with the Rams, winning one of them in 1999, when Holt caught seven of Kurt Warner's passes for 109 yards and a touchdown.

Hines Ward, WR

Ward holds Pittsburgh's franchise records in all three of the main receiving categories: receptions (895), yards (10,947) and TDs (78). The four-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl XL MVP is known as one of the most feared blockers from the receiver position, and isn't afraid of going over the middle to catch a key pass on third down.

Despite his size, Ward has proven himself with consistency. In his 12-year career Ward has broken 1,000 yards through the air six times, and has caught double digit TDs on three separate occasions.

The two-time Super Bowl champ set career-highs in receptions, yards and TDs in 2002 after catching 112 passes for 1,329 yards and 12 TDs. Ward's toughness and consistency will make him a Hall of Fame finalist and could eventually push him over the top and in the Hall.

Offensive linemen: Kevin Mawae, Chris Samuels, Jeff Saturday, Brian Waters

Recently retired borderlines: Kurt Warner

Potential:

Adrian Peterson, RB

What concerns me the most at this point is the fumbles. There aren't any backs in the Hall that were fumblers like Peterson has shown recently. But, other than the fumbles Peterson looks like he could be on his way to a Hall of Fame career if he keeps up his pace.

After his first three seasons, Peterson has put up back-to-back-to-back 1,300-plus yard, 10-plus TD seasons. He could even find himself a Super Bowl champion after this season.

Chris Johnson, RB

The sky is the limit for this guy after he became just the sixth player to ever rush for 2,000 yards in a season. And he did it in his second season. He says he can do even better, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Larry Fitzgerald, WR

Larry Fitz is one of the most well-known wide receivers in the game right now and attracts two or three DBs easily.

In just six NFL seasons, Fitzgerald has accumulated 7,067 yards and 59 touchdowns. He is even more successful when playoff time comes around. In six career playoff games Fitz has caught 42 passes for 705 yards and nine touchdowns, which includes a record-breaking postseason in 2008 in which he went for four straight 100-yard games and seven touchdowns on Arizona's run to the Super Bowl.

Antonio Gates, TE

In seven seasons, Gates has put up two seasons of 80-plus receptions and 1,100 yards on separate occasions. Gates has been chasing Tony Gonzalez as the best tight end in the game for several years now, and thanks to his quarterback Philip Rivers, he may make it back to his seventh Pro Bowl this year.

Josh Cribbs, Return Specialist

This season, Cribbs broke Eric Metcalf's record for most kick returns for touchdowns in a career, with eight. What's so great about this is that he's just 26 years old and did it in only five seasons, while Metcalf returned six over 13 NFL seasons. Next for Cribbs? Breaking the punt returns record (he currently has two, and the record is 10).

Offensive linemen: Joe Thomas, Matt Light

Other noteworthy names:

Donovan McNabb
Ahman Green
Fred Taylor
Joey Galloway
Derrick Mason

Tweet of the Day: Braylon Edwards to Larry Fitzgerald

After doing my daily Twittering (FYI: I only have a twitter account so that I can follow what former and current NFL players and personnel are up to, and to do a little advertising for this blog) I came across an interesting tweet between two receivers.

Edwards, the current New York Jet, posted a funny comment on Arizona Cardinal Larry Fitzgerald's profile. He said, "I heard you been skoolN (exact spelling) @KerryRhodes lol he needs it haha."

All this really means is Larry Fitzgerald is his normal self, you know, burning DBs like it's his job. I just thought it was cool to see a little bit of friendly competition between former teammates (Braylon and Kerry) and opposing players.

Early Outlook: AFC North

There is still a lot of things that will need to be--and will be--settled when training camp is in full swing in the first part of August.

But until then, the speculation surrounded certain teams will continue to spread around the league. Here are the early favorites, darkhorses, storylines, etc. that litter the AFC North division.

Favorite: Baltimore Ravens

With another year under young Joe Flacco's belt, plus the addition of a couple play-making receivers (YAC pro Anquan Boldin and deap threat Donte' Stallworth), Baltimore's offense seems to be exactly where head coach Jim Harbaugh wants it to be. Ray Rice will get his fair share of carries and continue to be a threat out of the backfield as well. The biggest question mark surrounding this team is, believe it or not, on defense.

There's a rather large possibility that All-Pro free safety Ed Reed will miss the first six weeks, maybe even more. With that said, Baltimore's secondary will surely be lacking. The affect of the gaping hole in the lineup could be equivalent to the Polamalu injury of last year (in Pittsburgh). However, the Ray Lewis-led front seven will be intact and the Reed injury may not be all that bad considering the improvements made on the other side of the ball.

With or without Reed, Baltimore is still the favorite up North.

Darkhorse: Cleveland Browns

Mike Holmgren has completely rebuilt the Browns this offseason. Getting rid of quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn and signing veteran Jake Delhomme, who was in dire need of a change in scenery. If the offensive line can keep Delhomme off his back, Cleveland's offense may have a shot at scoring some points as long as he limits the turnovers. Young Cleveland wideouts such as Mohamed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie will get their chance to shine with a proven quarterback under center.

It will be interesting to see how Jerome Harrison adapts to being the new No. 1 running back, although he will receive help from James Davis and rookie Montario Hardesty.

On defense, Cleveland boosted its secondary by drafting cornerback Joe Haden in the first round. Cleveland will hopefully be able to improve on the overall defense, which was ranked 29th against the pass, and 28th against the run (31st overall in yards allowed; 22nd in points allowed). If they can get a healthy Shaun Rogers (NT) and D'Qwell Jackson (ILB) back in the lineup, that would help plug running lanes and hopefully open up the pass a bit more.

Offensive MVP: Ray Rice
Defensive MVP: Troy Polamalu
Best Quarterback: Ben Roethlisberger (despite 4-6 game suspension)
Best Running Back: Ray Rice
Best Receiver: Anquan Boldin
Best Tight End: Heath Miller
Best Offensive Lineman: Joe Thomas
Best Defensive Lineman: Haloti Ngata
Best Linebacker: Ray Lewis
Best Defensive Back: Troy Polamalu
Best Special Teamer: Josh Cribbs
Best Head Coach: Mike Tomlin

Rookie of the Year: Montario Hardesty
Comeback Player of the Year: Troy Polamalu

The Other Two:

Steelers...Big Ben's 4-6 game suspension is the only thing holding Pittsburgh back this season. Dennis Dixon isn't quite the same player as Ben, and may struggle a bit early on. The loss of Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes may end up being devastating if Mike Wallace doesn't live up to his expectations. Troy Polamalu's return is the headline on the other side of the ball and may turn this team around. The reason for Pittsburgh's 9-7 record last year is because of the loss of Polamalu in the secondary. Once Roethlisberger returns, Pittsburgh should turn things around for the good.

Bengals...A healthy Carson Palmer will be a huge plus, but I have my doubts about the offense as a whole. Ochocinco has certainly seen better days and seems to be focused on other, non-football activities (such as his MTV show). Cedric Benson, the big surprise of last year, has run in to more off-field troubles this offseason and his days may be numbered. With this offense in a wreck, I would have to say that Cincinnati may find themselves in third, maybe even last place behind the rebuilding Browns.