Jeff Blake - ARI
Jeff Blake, almost unbelievably, ends up in the only place more desolate than Cincinnati these days---Arizona. The entire WR corps is gone, and in its place? Who the hell knows? Maybe they'll come together, maybe not. Blake will be bitching, that we know.

Drew Bledsoe - BUF
The Bills will be a better team, but it will be on the strength of an improved defense and a play-from-ahead focus on the ground game of Travis Henry. Also, Josh Reed will only partially fill the production and coverage draw shoes of Peerless Price.

Kyle Boller - BAL
Apparently ready to be given the job. I predict he will excellent at handing the ball off, and running towards Todd Heap yelling, 'TODD! TODD! COME BACK THIS WAY! HERE! HELP!' Beyond that, I'm not calling my broker on Boller futures.

Tom Brady - NE
Something about last year's 28 scores just says fluke to me. He's a highly competent QB, but I don't see the Patriots putting up those kind of numbers again. The Bills D should improve in 2003, giving New England no real division patsies to hammer.

Drew Brees - SD
Schottenheimer teams just don't air it out and light up the scoreboard via the pass, but Brees is a highly talented kid whose skill is just beginning to overcome his learning curve. With LT he'll have time; with Boston a target. My #s are likely low.

Aaron Brooks - NO
A slight risk on return, as Brooks is semi-fragile, and the Saints are still kind of a flaky team. Sort of a poor man's Vick, he is further along the curve and has more weapons at his disposal, so he may well outpoint Vick--but Brooks' ceiling is nigh.

Mark Brunell - JAX
I hope Mrs. Brunell is giving Mark the love, because he is getting el nada at work. Now he's essentially the stopgap to Garrard's stopgap to Leftwich. Every day, it seems like the gaps are getting smaller. Crikey, he's an ugly beast! Danger danger!

David Carr - HOU
David Carr's numbers are bound to improve in direct inversion to the number of times his ass hits the ground underneath some DL named Bubba. The Texans O-line is not gold quality just yet, but with an extra second in the pocket he could surprise.

Quincy Carter - DAL
I'm sure being anointed starting QB of a Parcells-coached team after competition has both highs (I'm starting! He picked ME!) and lows (Oh good Christ, he picked ME.) But you're not going to get better with your ass rubbing pine. Not great, OK QB.

Chris Chandler - CHI
Like Beuerlein, ancient and rheumatoid--to the point of distracting his teammates in the huddle with all the cracking and scraping. Oi! But like Beuerlein, he'll sit and wait for the new high priced import QB to screw things up--and may well be rewarded.

Kerry Collins - NYG
Collins has never been a big TD thrower, although he is surprisingly adept at piling on the yards. Of course, that's of zero utility in a TD league. Don't expect a lot, and you won't be broken hearted.

Tim Couch - CLE
When Paul Brown (he's still coach, right?) says things like he expects big things from Couch in his role, what the hell? Is he just counting on Holcomb to get hurt (maybe) or be ineffective (less likely, IMO)? Whatever--he's the backup.

Daunte Culpepper - MIN
Better for statheads than NFL wins. Clicked last year only when pressure was taken off by Bennett. This means his success may rest on the skills of Onterrio Smith. Watch Kleinsasser's recovery from foot injury--he's more important than he appears.

Jake Delhomme - CAR
See Rodney Peete, below. Will get shot #2 at the helm of the Panther {rough equivalent to what other teams call passing} game. When that will be, I do not know. The Panthers are not a passing team. Hear me know, and email me later: the Panthers are not…

Brett Favre - GB
Probably the last high-value year for Favre, although who can tell with him. Has the solid #1 in Driver, but is still waiting on the youngbloods to come up opposite him. Taking on Walls makes you wonder about faith in Franks and Davis. But a safe play.

Jay Fiedler - MIA
Rapdily becoming the Troy Aikman of his day--the poster boy for NFL winners, fantasy duds. Fiedler gets the job done and plays to the Dolphins strength--Ricky Williams. Fiedler's flab arm prevents gaudy statistics, but wins games (although not yours).

Rich Gannon - OAK
Rolling right along, expect consistent and solid numbers from Gannon. The window is closing, but Porter has already begun scoring the TDs Tim Brown used to get, and Rice can still play, even at age 216. Look for lots of good TE play this year as well.

Jeff Garcia - SF
Pay close attention to the camp reports on Garcia's back. He is not young, he is not particularly sturdy, and the 49ers are not dominant. But if he's on the field, he and Terrell Owens will do a lot of cooperating, and that's highly valuable.

Trent Green - KC
A big wildcard player. Most people are predicting stasis or a slight dropoff from 2002, including me--but if Holmes is lost, so is he. Otherwise, Vermeil will battle Martz for the overall points crown, and Green will benefit with high bonus numbers.

Joey Harrington - DET
Harrington is Drew Brees without the weapons. Give him a top flight runner and a solid #1 wideout, and we'd all be ordering Ducks regalia. Rogers won't be Randy Moss this year, and the RB situation may unravel during the year. Keep the chin up, Joey!

Matt Hasselbeck - SEA
If Walter Jones does not sign by your draft date, let someone else take Hasselbeck. Jones is THAT important to the Seahawks. He's a trendy sleeper who's now a touch overhyped, but Hasselbeck is certainly an improved player.

Kelly Holcomb - CLE
Holcomb won this race, as I'd guessed. There is a chance he falters during the season, but he'll have the bulk of the numbers come totaling time. Useful fantasy production is another matter entirely. The lines are still holding this team back.

Brad Johnson - TAM
Johnson had tossed 20 TDs before, but not since 1999, and never with Tampa. Going from 13 to 22 was a big reason the Bucs earned their playoff bid. Everything broke so well for Johnson and the Bucs, expect a slight downturn, aided by the RB uncertainties.

Doug Johnson - ATL
Here's your big shot, Doug! Turn your debut into big dough, doug! You can dough it, Doug! Seriously, he's not that bad a QB, but it's all a question of how quickly Vick heals. This estimate figures Vick out 4-5 games.

Rob Johnson - WAS
From major starting controversy in Buffalo, to fighting for QB #2 on the Redskins. It's only a matter of time before he's truly hit bottom--starting as a midseason pickup for the Bengals or Cardinals. They have good 12-steps in DC, though. He'll be fine.

Jon Kitna - CIN
With Carson Palmer's sore foot, the heat is off Jon Kitna! He can settle into his familiar 16 or 17-TD pattern, draw a paycheck, and wonder what stadium air feels like in January in Cincinnati. Chad Johnson may help him, but not THAT much.

Byron Leftwich - JAX
Draft him and own the starting QB in Jax, 2004 for sure, 2003 very well by midseason. If it's the latter he'll be awful, but you'll get the truly ugly outings of the way now. Nice as a last pick.

Tommy Maddox - PIT
Watching Maddox, of all people, passing for what--in the Cowher era--qualifies as Air Coryell numbers, was truly a little strange. Can he top 20 TDs again? A more mature Burress, the development of Randle-el and the better hands of Amos Zereoue say yea.

Peyton Manning - IND
Vanilla type guys usually turn out to be good draft values. Peyton Manning is the venti vanilla latte' of NFL QBs. He looked a little freaked in 2002 without Edge, but still completed 66% and threw 27 scores. A surge in Wayne's ability would really help.

Donovan McNabb - PHI
Carries most of the offensive burden on his shoulders, whether by running (6 TDs in 2000 and 2002) or passing (25 TDs in 2001, with only two rush TDs). Lack of a feature back helps his stats (unlike Culpepper), but the WR crew is average and not deep.

Steve McNair - TEN
Generally underrated; plays seemingly every game in pain or without practicing all week, but guts it out and produces points. If Bennett/McCareins can step up for Dyson, McNair may not miss a beat and move into the top 10 easily.

Carson Palmer - CIN
He's had a pretty decent camp and preseason, and job security on the Bengals at QB is not really in their contracts--certainly not with Kitna, anyway. Unlike Leftwich, he could display some great skills early, but he'll have horrible ones too. Dynasty.

Rodney Peete - CAR
Repeat after me: the Panthers are not a passing team. They are not a passing team. Peete will start in Week One; all bets are off after that. Delhomme is a big X factor, but what is a known variable is that the Panthers are not a passing team. The Pan…

Chad Pennington - NYJ
As with Vick, I say….ouch. This is a far more damaging injury, both to the QB in question and the team's hopes of pursuing the playoffs. Atlanta still has a shot, but the Jets do not. Consider Pennington 2004 draft bait this year, unfortunately.

Jake Plummer - DEN
Do ya feel lucky? The ultimate tease--capable of 5 TD games and furious comebacks, but maddeningly inconsistent and prone to ridiculous mistakes. The Broncos make it final audition time for Plummer, and I think the reviews will be mixed.

Patrick Ramsey - WAS
Underestimating the points potential in the Washington offense, including from the QB slot, would be a bad idea this year. Ramsey now has quality targets and a strong arm, and Spurrier's system will create scores with the improved personnel.

Tim Rattay - SF
He may play one day, Rattay. Someday--today? I cannot say, Rattay. What's that you say? No way? I say Garcia may not be okay. Poosay? No way, you say! He's OK! Mmmkay, have it your way. But I would pay for you, Rattay. OK? OK.

Chris Redman - BAL
He'll hold off Boller long enough to earn the start in Week One, but how long can he hold it? Will it matter? The Ravens WR have uniformly failed to blossom so far, and the defense looks almost back to previous team-carrying levels.

Kordell Stewart - CHI
This desperate encounter between the Bears and Kordell Stewart is the kind of thing that makes reality TV unbearable to watch sometimes. You know they're both doomed, but somehow their mutual hope is inspiring. It never works out in the end, though.

Vinny Testaverde - NYJ
Selected off the mantel as currently the best remaining option for the Jets, Vinny will get the nod and probably have somewhat of a nostalgic reunion for a while. Then the AFC East will get brutal and cold, and Vin's decrepitness will begin to show.

Michael Vick - ATL
Ouch. Well, by shaving a month off his totals, it's a dice roll. But if you roll the dice at all, roll them with a guy who has the legitimate talent to set records at the position. A #1 keeper pick.

Kurt Warner - STL
Appears healthy, O-line well improved, Faulk ready for another year, same balls-to-the-wall system. Based on historical skill levels and continued offensive talent, a big rebound is more likely than not.