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ATLANTA FALCONS
The Falcons were one of the league's biggest disappointments in 2013, falling to 4-12 a year after going 13-3. The blame lies on both sides of the ball as the offense (from 7th in point to 20th last year) dealt with a rash of injuries and ineffective line play. while the defense (from 5th in points allowed to 27th) couldn't stop either the run or the pass. Management opted against any rash changes to a proven, veteran coaching staff and will instead hope that last year's injury deluge led to an incongruous win-loss record.
Preseason Game Schedule
- Aug 8 -- Miami 7:00 pm
- Aug 16 -- @Houston 8:00 pm
- Aug 23 -- Tennessee 7:00 pm
- Aug 28 -- @Jacksonville 6:00 pm
What We're Watching
- Will Hard Knocks be a distraction? -- HBO's award-winning series Hard Knocks is coming to Atlanta, and many fans worry the TV show will serve as an unwanted distraction. Every season is different, but past history shows little evidence in support of the show being an albatross.
- How much does Steven Jackson have left in the tank? -- A year ago no one could've imagined the Falcons would miss Michael Turner, but the 2013 ground attack was abysmal (a league-low 1,247 yards) in no small part because Steven Jackson looked like a shadow of his former self (543 yards rushing in 12 games). At 31 years old with plenty of miles on his tires, was Jackson's 2013 a function of nagging injuries or the beginning of a natural decline?
- Freeman vs. Rodgers -- If Jackson doesn't bounce back, there's an opportunity for other running backs to get some shine. Jacquizz Rodgers has the experience, but has averaged 3.6 yards per carry over three seasons. Rookie Devonta Freeman has the all around skill set to play a lead role, but must answer the key questions all rookie runners are faced with -- can he learn the playbook and handle blitz pickups?
- Getting Julio Jones and Roddy White back on the field -- Luke McCown is gone which leaves either 2nd year Dominique Davis or rookie Sean Renfree as the next man up in case of a Matt Ryan injury. Roddy White played 2/3rds of the season but was clearly limited by a litany of injuries (hamstring, ankle, shoulder, knee) and is being treated as a player on the decline in early ADP results. Jones, meanwhile, is recovering from a broken bone in his foot (for the second time) and has yet to practice yet is being drafted as though he never missed a snap. Their respective health will go a long way in shaping not only their own fantasy prospects, but the outlook for QB Matt Ryan.
- Is Levine Toilolo a passable replacement for Tony Gonzalez? -- A look at the Falcons depth chart argues whether the Atlanta front office stuck their fingers in their ears while chanting "na na na na na" when presented with Tony Gonzalez' promise of retirement. How else can we explain a team that's let the best receiving TE in history retire while the likes of Bear Pascoe, Mickey Shuler and Jacob Pedersen are on the roster? Toilolo -- a 4th round pick last year -- is the one player with promise, but scouts never projected the 2nd year TE as a playmaker.
- Replacing Sean Weatherspoon -- A porous defense lost one of its best defenders when LB Sean Weatherspoon tore his Achilles last month. 2nd year Joplo Bartu and rookie Prince Shembo will wage a spirited battle in the preseason for the vacant weakside LB role.
- Did the Falcons do enough to rebuild the offensive line? -- The one upshot of finishing 4-12 was the opportunity to draft high enough to roster Jake Matthews. Matthews is the long-term left tackle but will start his career on the right side. Atlanta also paid big money for OG Jon Asamoah, but talent evaluators are mixed on whether that was money well spent.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Carolina heads back to Wofford College for training camp looking to build of last year's 12-4 regular season record. The Panthers were ousted by San Francisco in the first round of the playoffs, and will look to gain more consistency on offense under 2nd year OC Mike Shula. On defense, the Panthers were dominant (2nd in points, 2nd in yards allowed) and will mainly focus on keeping key veterans healthy for the regular season.
Preseason Game Schedule
- Aug 8 -- Buffalo 7:30 pm
- Aug 17 -- Kansas City 8:00 pm
- Aug 22 -- @New England 7:30 pm
- Aug 28 -- @Pittsburgh 7:30 pm
What We're Watching
- All eyes on Newton's ankle -- Cam Newton opted for surgery to tighten ligaments in his ankle in March, and he remains limited entering training camp. The team will obviously take it easy on Newton during the preseason, but needless to say anything less than 100% recovery would be devastating for the Panthers, not to mention fantasy owners relying on the team's skill players.
- Dare we trust Jonathan Stewart again? -- Stewart only played in six games last year, but entered spring OTAs 100% healthy for the first time in years (ever?). Fantasy owners have all but given up on Stewart, yet at 27 years old and possessing elite skills, Stewart could surprise if he can stay out of the trainer's room. DeAngelo Williams remains a solid contributor, too, but at 31 years old the Panthers have incentive to look elsewhere for major touches.
- Is this year's receiving corp really worse than last season's? -- There's a popular narrative this offseason arguing against Cam Newton because of the 'decimation' of his receiving corps. It's true the Panthers are without the top three receivers from a season ago, but what's lost to many is that those three receivers (Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell, Ted Ginn) were among the league's worst. Steve Smith had an amazing career in Carolina, but he failed to break 100-yards last year and finished with just 745 yards on 64 catches. He was a shell of himself. Rookie Kelvin Benjamin and veterans Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant could conceivably be a more productive trio this year, in which case fears about Newton's fantasy value are moot.
- Replacing Jordan Gross -- Gross was a fixture at left tackle for the better part of a decade and his retirement leaves a vacuum at a critical position. For now the Panthers are saying all the right things about Byron Bell and Nate Chandler, but neither can be considered a sure thing.
- Greg Hardy's legal situation -- DE Greg Hardy was found guilty of assault in July and could be facing jail time and/or league discipline as a result. The appeal process may prevent Hardy from facing sentencing during the football season, but it's unclear whether the team or Roger Goodell will be proactive in the face of the initial guilty verdict. Losing Hardy, even for a few games, would be problematic but Carolina had the foresight to draft Kony Ealy in the 2nd round of the NFL draft to help ease the pain.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
The Saints bounced back last year with an 11-5 record and a playoff victory against the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles. Even though a playoff win has to be considered a success, the Saints likely look back on last year as a missed opportunity. The Saints offense has always been productive during the Payton/Drew Brees Era, but last year's defense vaulted from the cellar (31st in 2012) to the penthouse (4th in points allowed and yards allowed) under first-year defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. This veteran laden team believes the pieces are in place for another title run, and the preseason will likely be unexciting for Saints fans as the focus will be more about keeping players healthy than working out key questions.
Preseason Game Schedule
- Aug 8 -- @St. Louis 8:00 pm
- Aug 15 -- Tennessee 8:00 pm
- Aug 23 -- @Indianapolis 8:00 pm
- Aug 28 -- Baltimore 8:00 pm
What We're Watching
- Stills vs. Cooks -- Marques Colston played well down the stretch and appears set as the #1 receiver for at least another season. He and Jimmy Graham are assuredly Brees' top options, but the Saints used a 1st round pick on the dynamic Brandin Cooks. Most fantasy owners think Cooks slots into the Lance Moore/Darren Sproles role inside as a slot weapon, while 2nd year Kenny Stills will stretch defenses as a vertical threat. Others believe Stills has breakout potential. Are both worth considering, or will Cooks overtake Stills quickly as the 3rd option in the passing tree?
- Replacing De La Puente -- The Saints are in the market for a new starting center, with 2nd year Tim Lelito the favorite entering camp. If Lelito struggles, the Saints have a backup plan in veteran Jonathan Goodwin.
- Clues to the RB roles -- The Saints love to mix and match running back roles, which makes it difficult to get too excited about their fantasy prospects. With Darren Sproles in Philadelphia, are we any closer to a true lead back? Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram and Khiry Robinson are all being drafted, but do any offer value?
- Can the Saints defense repeat? -- The Saints are synonymous with a great offense hamstrung by an impotent defense -- until last year. Can the defense maintain an elite level? New Orleans spent big money on safety Jairus Byrd and has brought in future Hall of Famer Champ Bailey to compete for CB snaps.
- Derek Dimke vs. Shayne Graham -- 37-year old Shayne Graham played two games in place of Garrett Hartley last year and acquitted himself well (2-for-2 FGs, 7-for-7 XPs) but won't be simply handed the job. Derek Dimke and Graham enter camp competing for the job; fantasy owners should pay close attention to this battle as the winner will be a late round kicker for one of the league's top scoring offenses.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
The Buccaneers made wholesale changes after a 4-12 season and soap-opera level conflict between head coach Greg Schiano and starting quarterback Josh Freeman. Enter Lovie Smith, a steady veteran head coach known to have a lighter touch with his players. Smith will have his hands full returning the Buccaneers to prominence and will rely on DC Leslie Frazier and OC Jeff Tedford to fix units that finished 21st and 30th, respectively.
Preseason Game Schedule
- Aug 8 -- @Jacksonville 7:30 pm
- Aug 16 -- Miami 7:30 pm
- Aug 23 -- @Buffalo 4:30 pm
- Aug 28 -- Washington 7:30 pm
What We're Watching
- Understanding Jeff Tedford's scheme -- Tedford, best known as the quarterback guru that produced Aaron Rodgers, will call NFL plays for the first time which leaves more questions than answers as the preseason gets underway. Based on his collegiate tendencies, expect lots of shotgun and spread passing formations. Tedford demands a tremendous amount from his quarterback (his offenses have generally been described as 'complex') and has hinted at a preference for a running back-by-committee approach.
- Is Josh McCown a quality NFL starter? -- The Buccaneers decision to sign Josh McCown in free agency was understandable if you believe his production last year in Chicago (67% completion, 5.8% TD rate, 0.4% interception rate, 8.2 yards per attempt) is indicative of his baseline going forward. Unfortunately, signing a 35-year old journeyman based on five NFL starts when we have a decade of mediocrity to judge against last year, seems tenuous.
- Is Doug Martin a feature back? -- Martin was dominant as a rookie (1,926 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns) but the wheels came off last season. He missed 10 games but was unimpressive in the six he played (3.6 yards per rush, 1 TD). Entering season three, does Martin step back into a workhorse role? The new coaches own Martin no loyalty, and drafted Charles Sims in the 3rd round.
- How quickly can Mike Evans contribute? -- Mike Evans will be given every opportunity to start immediately opposite Vincent Jackson. The 6'5", 230 lbs. has the physical tools to dominate, and a strong preseason will likely drive Evans' ADP up significantly.
- Rebuilding the offensive line -- Is Anthony Collins an upgrade at left tackle? Is Carl Nicks willing to forgive last year's MRSA drama? Will Jamon Meredith hold off Patrick Omemeh at right guard? Was the signing of Evan Dietrich-Smith money well spent?
- Implementing a "Tampa-2" that works in today's NFL -- Smith and Frazier are both seasoned defensive coaches with clear roots in the "Tampa-2" made famous when both were assistants in Tampa under Monte Kiffin. Yet there are questions about whether the conventional "Tampa-2" works effectively in today's NFL. Smith and Frazier believe the Buccaneers roster supports the re-implementation of the scheme that put them on the NFL coaching map in the first place; time will tell.