First of all, let’s look at last season. And it’s a bit odd because, let’s be honest, he played just two complete games and was injured in the third. But take a look at his numbers:  he passed for 624 yards, 8 touchdowns, and just one interception. Span that across a season (I know it’s silly, but let’s do it for kicks) and he could have rivaled Tom Brady! That aside, Delhomme was still probably going to have a pretty darn good season last year. He might not have set any records, but it’s reasonable to suggest he could have thrown for 3,400 yards and 25 touchdowns.

And consider this: at the end of the season, Delhomme had just one touchdown pass less than Vince Young (and 16 fewer interceptions!).

But considering Delhomme over the past several seasons - his career even - it’s clear we expected too much from him, given his supporting cast. After all, the Panthers haven’t exactly been a team that could grind the ball out, so once defenses realized, hey, maybe if we stop the passing game we’ll shut down the offense, the Panthers struggled.

This season, the Panthers will be starting DeAngelo Williams, who averaged 5.0 yards per run and scored 4 touchdowns on 144 carries last season, and will be changing pace with bruising rookie runner Jonathan Stewart. Those two backs figure to give the Panthers a strong run support that will be able to keep defenses honsest.

The Panthers also added Muhsin Muhammad this season, the former Carolina wide receiver who has spent the past several seasons in Chicago. Both “Moosh” and former Seahawks receiver D.J. Hackett will be complementing Steve Smith, a wide receiver who has probably spent the past several season practically begging the Panthers front offense to add some depth to the position.

If Jake Delhomme is healthy when the season kicks off, and he can stay that way throughout the year, there’s no doubt in my mind he has the potential to have a season like he did in 2004 or 2005, when he was throwing for 3,400-3,800 yards and 24+ touchdowns. He just needs a little help from him teammates, and I think he’ll get it.

LaDainian Tomlinson - The Pros

Tomlinson has been one of the most consistent fantasy football picks the game has come across in some time. He blends rushing and receiving to the point that he can make a case that he’s the league’s best player. He’s been the Chargers’ leading rusher for the past seven seasons (since he was drafted as a rookie, actually) and he’s finished lower than 2nd (twice he was 1st) on the team in receptions just once in the past seven seasons. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what your league scoring is: Tomlinson has been the best fantasy player in the NFL for a very long time now.

Also consider: he’s led the league in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns each of the past two seasons and he’s finished the season with at least 1,750 yards from scrimmage six consecutive years, now. And did I forget to mention that he’s also thrown six touchdown passes in the past three seasons? His career passer rating is a sparkling 154.4 (league max: 158.3). Oh, and he set a scoring record in 2006 when he found the endzone 31 times.

Yeah, he’s a safe pick.

LaDainian Tomlinson - The Cons

Yes, there are a few cons to consider. First, let’s remember that Tomlinson has been the heart and soul of the Chargers’ offense for arguably seven years, and he’s missed just one start. That means he’s taken his shots and kept playing at a position where he’s taking a hit on almost every play, usually from more than a few players when he’s carrying the ball. And he’s handled at least 313 carries every season of his career (2365 career carries - 3rd among active players), meaning he may be headed for a breakdown.

Yes, it’s cliche to be concerned that a player may be headed for a breakdown every time they handle a lot of carries, but remember, Tomlinson has also caught his fair share of passes. Think about this: he’s had at least 375 touches every season of his career and at least 400 in 5 of his seven pro seasons. Plus, at age 29, Tomlinson (if he’s like most backs) has already peaked and should be seeing a drop in his numbers.

Let’s Review …

The Pros

• Consistency, baby. No one’s been more consistent.
• Versatility. Tomlinson does it all - he runs the ball, catches the ball, and, you guessed it, throws the ball. And he does all three better than just about anyone else in football.
• He’s always a league leader. And he’s been the best in the NFL each of the past two seasons.

The Cons

• He may be on track for a breakdown. No one handles the ball as much as Tomlinson does on a yearly basis and stays healthy for an entire career.
• He may have peaked. The prime age for most running backs is around 26-27, so Tomlinson may soon be seeing a significant drop in production.

Adrian Peterson - The Pros

Peterson may have played just one season, but, boy, was it special. 2007’s NFL Rookie of the Year finished second in the league in rushing (behind LT), despite carrying the ball just 238 times. But though his totals might not show him being a league leader, no one averaged more yards per game than did Peterson who ran for about 95.8 per week.

This season the Vikings are better. Tarvaris Jackson has a season’s worth of experience under his belt, and he’s been dealt a new receiver to work with: Bernard Berrian, the best receiver Minnesota has seen since Randy Moss was catching passes from Daunte Culpepper. And as for that offensive line - it’s one of the best in the NFL.

And let’s not forget this detail: he started just nine games last year. Imagine if Peterson had carried 300 times last season, keeping his incredible 5.6 yard per carry average; he’d have led the NFL with nearly 1,700 yards rushing. Now imagine if he had carried the same number of times as league leader Clinton Portis (who handled 325); his yardage would have hit well over 1,800.

Peterson carried the ball 20+ times in only six games last season (much to the dissatisfaction of fans), and in two of those games he broke 200 yards on the ground. Imagine what will happen this season when coach Brad Childress cuts him loose for an entire season.

Defenses should already be afraid.

Adrian Peterson - The Cons

One season. That’s all we’ve seen from Peterson, meaning there’s no guarantee he repeats. And though I mentioned earlier that the Vikings improved their passing game, it bears mentioning that I have little faith in that facet of the offense. This is not a team that will burn defenses through the air; this is a team that will be forced to pound it out on the ground.

And as for Peterson’s numbers last year; on the season, they were brilliant. Game-by-game? Not so much. Peterson may have had six 100-yard performances, but it should be noted that more than 38 percent of his yards for the season came in two weeks. And his yard per carry average dipped below 4.0 in six games, bottoming out when he carried the ball 14 times for 3 yards (0.2 yard per carry average) in week 11. In fact, in his final four games of the season (weeks 11-14) he carried the ball 54 times for 154 yards and just two touchdowns; that’s less than three yards per carry.

Lastly, let’s not forget that Peterson had just 19 receptions last season, scoring just once when he caught a pass. He doesn’t have the versatility one might want from a fantasy back; especially if you’re in a PPR league.

Let’s Review …

The Pros

• He was Rookie of the Year for a reason. He posted fantastic numbers, despite just nine starts.
• His supporting cast is improving. The Vikings added Bernard Berrian and Jackson will likely be better this season.
• The Vikings have a phenomenal offensive line. Matt Birk, Steve Hutchinson, and Bryant McKinnie are among the best at their respective positions.
  

The Cons

• He’s played just one season. Translation: we don’t know if he’s a one hit wonder or if he’s poised to be a consistent player. Speaking of which …
• He had some bad games. We’ll forgive him, but his inconsistency - especially near the end of the season - make me wonder if he’s worth the top pick in a fantasy draft.
• He wasn’t a factor in the passing game. He caught just 19 passes during the course of the season, so you may want to knock his value down a bit if you’re in a PPR league.

The Ultimate Verdict: If you’re looking for Mr. Consistency - someone I can promise will have a great season - go with LaDainian Tomlinson. He’s been the league’s best for a long time now, and you can’t go wrong. But if you want to shake things up and take a shot, pick Peterson. He won’t have a bad season and his upside is scary good.

My Pick: I’m a consistency guy, myself, so I’ll take Tomlinson. He’s the sure thing, someone who’s a lock to finish in the top three in fantasy scoring. But I’ll be watching out for the owner in my league who drafts Peterson number two. And if I was picking two and Peterson fell to me? I’d be psyched.

First of all, is Adrian Peterson the real deal?

He sure is. Peterson’s blend of size and speed make him one of the most dynamic runners in the NFL. He has the potential to break 2,000 yards and has set it as a goal for himself. Will he average 5.6 yards per carry again? Maybe, maybe not. But he will carry this team as far as they go, and I’m projecting him to finish with at least 1,500 rushing yards, 200 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns.

What’s to make of the passing game? And, more specifically, what can we expect from Tarvaris Jackson?

He’s a young quarterback with limited potential playing in an offense that will run the ball 60% of the time. In short, he’s not a fantasy starter and he’s a bit of a stretch as a QB2. Luckily, the Vikings added Bernard Berrian to his repertoire, increasing his projections to a degree. The Vikings are going to have an adequate-at-best passing game, but the success of Jackson and Co. depends very much on Adrian Peterson. If AD has a great season, the Vikings passing game will benefit. But if he’s under-utilized, injured, or just plain ineffective, this team will struggle mightily on offense.

Bernard Berrian - what does he bring to the table?

Berrian can stretch the field and is the first Vikings receiver since Randy Moss to have that kind of potential. Of course, most who remember his days with the Bears can recall that he lacked consistency. There were times when he flat out dropped passes he should have caught - and there were times when he made spectacular catches. Still, he’s a massive upgrade at the wide receiver position in Minnesota, and he should be drafted as a solid lower-end WR2 or very good WR3. I’m projecting for at least 70 receptions, 1,000 yards, and 6 touchdowns.

Are the Vikings the favorites in the NFC North?

At this point it’s difficult to say. If Brett Favre returns to Green Bay, one has to think the Packers are the favorites. But if Tarvaris Jackson has a good season for the Vikings, Minnesota could win the division. At this point, I’d give the Packers a slight (very slight) edge over the Vikings because I have more faith in Green Bay’s passing game than Minnesota’s, but this is definitely a case in which it’s too close to accurately call.

Is Larry Johnson finished as an elite fantasy back?

Johnson, in my opinion, is a very talented back who was - at least to some extent - the product of a system that had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. When the seams of that started to come apart last season he struggled. Now, having said that, I should also point out that Johnson did begin to catch his stride in the several games before his season-ending injury. In weeks 4, 6, and 7 he broke 100 yards rushing with a respectable 4.4 ypc average, and he scored his only touchdowns of the season in weeks 6, 7, and 9. I think he’ll have a better year this season. I don’t expect him to produce like a top five fantasy running back this season, but I do expect him to play the entire season like he began in 6 last year. Project for at least 1,300 rushing yards, 350 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns and draft him in the mid-late first round.

What’s going on with the Chiefs quarterback situation - is Croyle really the guy?

Evidently, yes. The latest word is that the Chiefs may consider shopping Damon Huard because Tyler Thigpen - yes, Tyler Thigpen - may have earned the number two spot. I must admit that I was a little surprised when the Chiefs didn’t draft a quarterback high, but the team apparently has faith in Croyle, who was pretty mediocre last season, completing 56.7 percent of his passes and throwing 6 touchdowns-interceptions. Still, Chiefs o-coordinator Chan Gailey believes Croyle can be a franchise quarterback (”there’s no question” he can). Personally, I don’t think he has that kind of potential, but I’ll be interested to see how he responds to the change in coordinators.

Alright, so is Dwayne Bowe a good fantasy pick?

Bowe, who emerged as a rookie last season to be the Chiefs go-to wide receiver, is definitely a good fantasy pick. I do question how many touchdowns he’ll score and how the passing game will change with Croyle as the primary passer, but Bowe remains a good WR2. He might break 80 receptions, and I definitely expect at least 1,100 yards this year with 8 touchdowns.

Is Tony Gonzalez still a fantasy stud at tight end?

Absolutely. Gonzo, who had one of the best seasons of his career last year, continues to amaze me. I don’t know if he’ll repeat those numbers (99 receptions, 1,172 yards, and 5 touchdowns) but I do know that Croyle is going to be looking his way a lot. Even at age 32, I think that Gonzalez is a top three tight end (maybe four if you value Winslow a little higher) who should have another great season with at least 80 receptions, 1,000 yards, and five touchdowns.

Where will the Chiefs finish in the West?

Third, behind San Diego and Denver with a 7-9 record. Kansas City has potential, no doubt about it, but I don’t think they’ll reach it this season. Croyle lacks experience and I’m not sold on the offensive line.

That’s not to say he won’t have first round draft pick potential, but every fantasy football magazine you read is going to tell you Clinton Portis is a high second round pick. And I’m going to second that motion.

First, let’s look at a couple of his more obvious flaws: his yard per carry average has fallen the past three seasons (from 4.3 to 4.1 to 3.9) and his yard per game average has been inconsistent at best (94.8 to 65.4 to 78.9).

On the other hand, Portis has scored 11 touchdowns in two of the past three seasons (because, as noted earlier, he was injured in 2006) and his receptions/receiving yards are climbing (last season he peaked at 47 receptions for 389 yards). And Portis has rushed for at least 1,262 yards every healthy season of his career.

Here’s the problem: he’s inconstent. Portis was held scoreless in seven games last season, and he failed to carry for more than 50 yards in five. In fact, if you remove his four 100-yard games from consideration, Portis averaged about 58.25 yards per game.

That’s why he’s a second round pick.

There were games when Portis was great last season but there were others when he wasn’t. For example, he scored 15 or more fantasy points in 8 games, but he was also held to under 10 points in 4 games. Portis is a decent RB1 and a great RB2, simply because the Redskins love to give him the ball (he’s averaged 340 carries in 3 of the past 4 seasons and 39 receptions those years), and he’s a very good NFL running back.

Miami does not want a repeat of last season’s embarrassing debacle that resulted in a 13-loss start to the season and a 1-15 record. And so the team has brought in NFL expert Bill Parcells to steer this team in the right direction, not as a coach but in a management position.

But the team’s season still rides on the success (or failure) of this offense. More specifically, the running game must improve because the passing game will not; at least not with John Beck, Josh McCown, and Chad Henne tossing near-spirals. The good news is this: the running game can’t get worse. Last season the team managed to rank 32nd in rush attempts, 32nd in rushing yards, 30th in rushing touchdowns, and 30th in yard per carry average.

Dreadful. Simply dreadful.

But there is reason for hope this season. Ronnie Brown is feeling better in his recovery, letting us all know that he believes he’ll be 100 percent by the start of the season. The Dolphins camp opens July 26th, and if all goes well he’ll be cleared for contact drills.

And a healthy Ronnie Brown is definitely a good thing. Last season the tailback was on pace for nearly 1,300 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns, and, prior to his injury, he was one of the league’s leading rushers. His 5.1 yard per carry average was stellar and he managed to carry for 86 yards per game, despite being limited to just 17 carries per contest.

Of course, there is the chance he’ll be injured. Brown hasn’t played a complete season in his career, and there’s absolutely no reason to expect him to carry 20+ times per game. And why is that? Because Miami has brought a former Dolphin back to spell Brown - Ricky Williams. Williams, who is now 31 years old, will never be a featured back in the NFL again. But the word on the street is that he’s in great shape and is ready to give the NFL a serious go one more time; he wants to play four more seasons.

And last month, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Omar Kelly wrote that Ricky Williams was the most impressive Dolphins player in practices. That’s high praise for Williams, but given his natural talent I can’t say I’m surprised. If he’s focused and in shape, he’s definitely a solid backup running back who can handle 5-10 touches per game.

Do I think the Dolphins are poised for a good season? No, this is a team I expect to win 4 or 5 games. But this running game might be worth a close look for fantasy footballers out there. Ronnie Brown is well worth a draft pick, and Williams might wind up a solid handcuff.

Who thought anyone would ever write a sentence like that again? 

Is Seattle a serious contender in the NFC?

First, let’s consider which teams are “serious” contenders: Dallas, New York, and … well, the NFC is loaded with more questions than answers, with young, talented teams springing up everywhere (Minnesota and Green Bay are two excellent examples). Would I consider Seattle a “serious” contender? Sure, if this running back by committee approach works.

How will this running back by committee approach work?

At this point it appears that Julius Jones is the frontrunner to take the majority of touches, but Maurice Morris will also get his fair share of the load. The primary third down back appears to be fullback Leonard Weaver and who the heck knows how the team will use T.J. Duckett. Not one running back on the team has proven in his career he can carry 20-25 times per game and I wouldn’t expect one to this season. If you’re looking for a 1,000 yard rusher you might want to check elsewhere - this team is going to pass the ball more than it runs it and the leading rusher will probably have around 900 yards. And that person will probably be Jones, the most draftable of the boys in the backfield. Still, I wouldn’t draft any of them in the first four rounds of a draft (assuming 12 teams).

Will Matt Hasselbeck repeat his production?

Hasselbeck was quietly one of the best fantasy quarterbacks in the NFL last season, passing for nearly 4,000 yards and throwing 30 touchdowns in lieu of a running game. He also had three 300-yard games and six 275-yard games, and in just one game did he not throw a touchdown vs. ten 2+ touchdown games. Will he repeat? Not exactly. He’s one of the league’s best and most consistent passers when he’s healthy, but I don’t expect him to throw 30 TDs again. Instead, project for at least 3,600 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

What’s the word on Nate Burleson?

According to reports, he’s been brilliant in camp. He’s shown a lot of consistency, and owners should anticipate for him to have a season that sees more throws his way as his role expands. Project for at least 60 receptions, 800 yards, and 8 touchdowns.

How will the Seahawks finish?

Based on history, I’d say 10-6 and first place in the division. This is a team that could win more games, however, if the running game takes off and gives defenses reasons to respect it.

Let’s start with Philip Rivers - is he a franchise quarterback?

It’s been two full seasons now and Rivers has proven himself a competent - though at times brash and annoying - young quarterback. Last season, however, he was, as noted earlier, erratic with the football and inconsistent. His touchdown totals were down from the season before and his interceptions were way up (from 9 to 15), despite having the same number of pass attempts. His rating also dropped nearly 10 points, though all of this can be attributed to the absence of Shottenheimer. That being said, Rivers didn’t make smart throws and he just looked like a different quarterback. In six games he passed for fewer than 160 yards and in five of the first nine games of the season he failed to throw a touchdown pass. Rivers may or may not be a franchise quarterback. At age 26, he isn’t even close to reaching his potential or maturity as an NFL quarterback. This season I expect him to rebound, but again have weeks of inconsistency. Project for at least 3,400 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.

Will the absence of Michael Turner make any difference?

Not enough of a difference to affect fantasy football owners. Turner was a great in the closer role, finishing up games and giving LaDainian Tomlinson breathers. But he was never good enough to make fans forget about LT, and it won’t be a huge deal that he’s gone unless Tomlinson is injured at some point. In the meantime, keep an eye on Marcus Thomas and Jacob Hester, as those two will be gunning for the primary spot behind Tomlinson.

Is Antonio Gates still the best fantasy tight end?

No, but he’s darn close. Jason Witten has supplanted Gates to be the league’s most productive tight end, mostly due to Dallas’s offensive scheme which favors passing the football. Gates will still have a great season and should be the second tight end off your draft board.

Is San Diego the best fantasy defense?

Yes. San Diego has been stellar the past two seasons at keeping opponents off the board, ranking 1st and 5th in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Plus, the team forces turnovers (they ranked 1st in interceptions last season and 2nd in fumbles) and creates sacks (42 last year).

Are the Chargers favorites in the AFC West this year?

Yes, but the Broncos are a wild card that could find a way to win the division. San Diego also proved last year that it can win in the playoffs and it still has Indianapolis’s number. I expect a solid 11-5 season for the Chargers and a short run in the postseason.

Last season’s bad season can be attributed to the situation at quarterback, right?

Sure, as long as one acknowledges that Rex Grossman and Brian Griese were only part of the problem. Don’t forget to pass blame on the offensive line which struggled to protect whoever stood in the pocket and failed to open up running lanes. And don’t forget that Chicago’s running game without Thomas Jones left the Bears with a pair of running backs who looked as if they were just jogging in place. Oh, and Chicago’s defense - the one that ranked 1st and 3rd in scoring the two season’s prior to last year - should probably catch a little blame, too. After all, it allowed opponents to drop 30+ points on the scoreboard five times last season (the Bears were 1-5 in those games).

But the Bears screwed up this offseason when they chose to stick to with Grossman and Orton, right?

Not necessarily, at least not in the short term. Both quarterbacks are victims of a poor offensive scheme and coaching. It’s not coincidence that the Bears haven’t had a decent quarterback in 20 years. The Bears historically have had good defenses and mediocre (or worse) offenses. Grossman has promise - he showed that in 2006 when he lit up defenses in several games - but he’s still relatively inexperienced, and his supporting cast is weak. Had the Bears drafted someone, he wouldn’t have made a great impact year one or two, so from that standpoint, Chicago was smart to stick with Grossman and Orton.

Alright but who will start?

At this point, I’d say Orton has the edge but Lovie Smith has told reporters that it’s a “tie” at this point. Neither quarterback is noticably better from a mechanical standpoint, but Orton might have a little more mobility (Grossman moves like a boulder in the pocket). I wouldn’t be surprised to see both quarterbacks making starts during the regular season.

Is anyone on this offense worth drafting?

Sure, both Matt Forte (RB) and Marty Booker (WR) are worth taking in a fantasy football draft. Forte is projected to be an every-down back in an offense that prefers running over throwing, so he should get between 275-300 touches this season, so it’s reasonable to project 1,100 rushing yards, 250 receiving yards, and 7 touchdowns this season. Booker, meanwhile, will be the team’s go-to starting wide receiver in an offense with a poor passing game, so project for at least 65 receptions, 850 receiving yards, and 5 touchdowns. Make him a backup wide receiver, perhaps a WR4.

Will Chicago’s defense be better this season?

It can’t be any worse than last season and I fully expect it to bounce back this year. The Monsters of the Midway might not rank in the top five in scoring defense, but I would be surprised to see them not in the top 10.

How will Chicago do?

They’ll have an up-and-down season in a division without a clear-cut favorite. I’ll project a modest 8-8 record and 3rd place finish behind Minnesota and Green Bay.

This much we know about Grant: he has potential. He rushed for 88+ yards in seven of nine games between weeks 8-17, and he broke 100 yards in five of those games. He also scored in seven of the final eight games he played down the stretch, finishing with 8 rushing touchdowns. And his rushing average? A better-than-respectable 5.1 yards per carry. Better yet, his average dipped below 4.0 in just one of the seven games he started. In four of his starts, however, it jumped to 5.4+ per carry.

All things considered, Grant was fantastic last year in what was essentially his rookie season. And the best news is this: he’s going to play a bigger role in Green Bay’s offense this year. He has the potential to break 1,400 yards if gets enough carries, but it’s safer to project for 1,250 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 45 passes for 200 yards. Draft him late in the first round and enjoy the season.