By: Scott Sommers

With training camps, just around the corner, we at are going to break down the training camp battles and let you know how we think they are going to pan out and what they mean to your fantasy team. So without any further delay, here we go.

Arizona Cardinals
Quarterbacks: This is Jeff Blake’s job to lose. Like I stated in an earlier article, he could be worthy of a back-up spot on the roster and good for a spot-play against a weak defense. The Cards like Josh McCown and he may be able to put up some decent numbers if Blake goes down. If Blake is on your roster, don’t get McCown unless you have to.
Running Backs: Smith has the starting job bar now. He could be worth your third or fourth running back. The real question will be what happens if Marcel Shipp outplays Smith in the preseason. That will make things interesting, but won’t change anything. Shipp is viable of a spot only if Smith goes down.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: Freddie Jones disappointed a lot of owners last year, hoping for a sleeper. He still is one, but a lot depends on how Blake plays. The wide-outs will be a toss-up the entire camp. Jason McAddley is the only guy coming back with any real playing experience. He will end up as Blake’s go-to target. Rookie Bryant Johnson and Bryan Gilmore will battle for the other starting spot. Expect to see Johnson take over the third-wide receiver spot for now. If he catches on real quick he could start by the end of the year. Gilmore should be the other starting wide-out. Anquan Boldin will see time, but isn’t worthy of a fantasy spot.

Atlanta Falcons
Quarterbacks: No mystery here. Vick is the man. Doug Johnson will win the back-up job and will only see time if Vick goes down to injury.
Running Backs: Dunn is the starter, but this scenario maybe bigger than Reeves. Duckett was drafted and comes with a high bill. I know Dunn does as well, but Duckett is the one that Blank wanted to see run the ball. Look for a running-back-by-committee (RBBC) by the time the season starts.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: Everyone is all excited about the acquisition of Peerless Price. Price will be starting on one side. On the other side Brian Finneran, who started last year, will be the starter. Expect to see plenty of MarTay Jenkins and Quentin McCord. Jenkins will be the third wideout, while Trevor Gaylor could slide in there as training camp goes on. Tight End Alge Crumpler will be the starter and may be a sleeper this year.

Carolina Panthers
Quarterbacks: Whoever wins this battle may end up only on your roster as a No. 3 quarterback. Delhomme has shown some promise when he took over for Aaron Brooks at different times in New Orleans. It remains to be seen if he can do it over a consistent basis. He has to beat out Peete, who was the starter last year. We all know that Rodney is getting up there in years and may not be around too much longer. My bet is that Delhomme wins the battle because the Panthers already know what they have with Peete. It won’t matter too much for it will be a run-first offense with the Panthers.
Running Backs: Stephen Davis comes over with the starting job in place. I know that Deshaun Foster is talking about coming back and stuff, let’s see how TC goes for him. Brad Hoover is a stud at fullback and will pave the way for Davis.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: The Panthers went out into the free agent market and picked up Kevin Dyson and Ricky Proehl. It would have made a nice quartet of receivers with Steve Smith and Muhsin Muhammad. Alas Dyson goes down and my be lost of the year. Smith and Muhammad will see the bulk of the action. Smith could be a solid No. 3 receiver as well as Muhammad. Smith is more of the break-away guy and may be drafted in some leagues higher than Muhammad. Kris Mangum takes over for the recently-retired Walls and may be worth a severe late-round flier in deep leagues.

Chicago Bears
Quarterbacks: Kordell Stewart is suppose to be the guy, but he will have Chris Chandler and Rex Grossman to watch out for. Stewart’s biggest thing is that he has to play consistent to hold onto the starting job. He should be able to do that in the Bears’ offense, which plans on running him much more. Something that Chandler can’t do. Chandler is a decent back-up. He always had solid years with the Falcons, but he isn’t worth drafting. Grossman is a decent idea in keeper leagues, but more likely than not, you could get him on a waiver move. Stewart will win the job, but how long he holds it into the regular season might be a different story.
Running Backs: Most fantasy owners are hoping that Anthony Thomas gets his game back. What needs to be watch is how Thomas will react to a little competition from Peterson. Peterson needs a huge TC and pre-season to knock Thomas out of the starting gig. Now that Leon Johnson is gone, the goal line carries will only go to the feature back. I see Thomas holding on and having a big year.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: One spot isn’t in question and that belongs to Marty Booker. Dez White and David Terrell will be fighting for the other spot. White seems to be more polished of the two right now, but if Terrell can convince the Bears coaching staff he can handle it, he would be a much better starting wide-out than White. Terrell has all the physical tools. Look for Terrell to win over White before camp breaks. White will be a solid third wide-out, while Bobby Wade will see time in four-receiver sets.

Dallas Cowboys
Quarterbacks: For right now, the battle is between Quincy Carter and Chad Hutchinson. Don’t be surprised if Parcells doesn’t like either one and brings in a wild-card to take over. That is all foresight, so for right now, I like Hutchinson to win the job. Even with that being said, he still shouldn’t be drafted unless you are in a 20-team league and don’t use team quarterbacks.
Running Backs: After all the smack, Hambrick was talking last year, he finally comes into camp as the front-runner and what does he do? He shows up fat. Well, we all knew that Parcells wasn’t about to let that go on for long. And it didn’t. Hambrick is still the guy, but Wiley is pushing for playing time. He may end up as the third down back, limiting Hambrick’s value in some leagues, who give points for receptions.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: Joey Galloway and Antonio Bryant are expected to be the starters this year. Galloway had an average season catching six touchdowns. Considering that the Cowboys passing game was pretty much non-existent, that is stellar. Terry Glenn comes back to Parcells, skirt and all. Ok that wasn’t fair, but even with the game’s best quarterback, Glenn failed to produce again. Everyone is hoping that he will regain his rookie form. The only thing he will be lucky to do is see the field as the third wide-out. Ken-Yon Rambo and Reggie Swinton will battle it out for the fourth spot. Expect Rambo to get that spot and eventually push Glenn, not that it matters that much.

Detroit Lions
Quarterbacks: This is Harrington’s job, even though Mike McMahon had a great mini-camp. Harrington struggled last year due to several reasons. Expect great strides from him, but not enough to hold down a fantasy starting spot.
Running Backs: Mooch likes to use the RBBC and don’t be surprised if he uses it in the Motor City. Stewart has been solid when he is playing, enough to hold the third spot on a fantasy team. The Lions have brought in a ton of running backs with Pinner and Bryson to go along with Staley. Stewart will hold onto his starting job, but we may see the back-up get a lot of touches. I expect Bryson to win it and get a chance to show what he can do.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: The addition of Charles Rogers automatically upgrades the Lions corps. Az Hakim looks to be healthy again after a nasty season-ending hip injury. Scotty Montgomery may start the season, but should finish the season as the team’s third wide-out.

Green Bay Packers
Quarterbacks: This is Brett Favre’s spot until he decides to step down. Keep an eye on the battle between Craig Nall and Doug Pederson. Nall was a stud in NFL Europe and if the Iron Man ever does go down to injury, Nall could put up some big time numbers in this offense.
Running Backs: Green is the man as long as the Packers can keep him on the field. He missed a pair of games last year and missed parts of several others due to injury. If he is on the field, he is a top five running back. He doesn’t catch as many passes as he did in previous, but he is still a threat. Davenport and Smith will battle it out for the backup role. Davenport seems to have the upper hand, but Smith is only two years removed from his huge season as a Dolphin. Davenport could win the job, but will only seem time if Green goes down. Don’t forget about Tony Fisher, who could come out of no where and grab this job.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: A young, but rapidly improving group. Driver exploded on the scene last year, but will need Walker or Ferguson to pick it up on the other side. Walker should win the other starting spot, but it won’t matter to much as the Packers like using a lot of three-wide receiver sets. Bubba Franks is a big threat in the red zone and will hold off Davis again.

Minnesota Vikings
Quarterbacks: Culpepper struggled a bit last year, but that certainly won’t affect his status in the eyes of the Vikings organization. The Vikings got Gus Frerotte to back him up just in case.
Running Backs: With the foot problems that Bennett is having the running back spot is wide Doug Chapman, Moe Williams and Onterrio Smith all will be vying for the starting job. Smith is much like Bennett in size and speed, but he is a rookie. This smells of a RBBC. Look for Williams to be the team’s main guy until Smith gets to know the offense a little better. Williams, who rushed for 11 scores, won’t lose that role at all. He will be someone to pursue if you are in a basic scoring league.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: Moss found out what life is like without Carter. Alexander was brought in last year and he turned out to be a big-time bust. Enter D’Wayne Bates, who was solid last year. Now that he will have a starting role, he may be what the Vikings’ offense was missing last year. A guy that can make the catch and kept the chains moving. Bryon Chamberlain is the forgotten man in the offense. He is a solid blocker, but he was a stud receiver a few years ago. His spot isn't in jeopardy, but his stats are.

New Orleans Saints
Quarterbacks: For the second season in a row, Brooks experienced the December swoon. If he goes through another spell again this year, the Saints have Todd Bouman, who was brought in from Minnesota. Bouman has looked good in limited opportunities and brings a strong arm, which is key to the Saints offense. If Brooks goes down, grab Bouman, who will be the back-up.
Running Backs: Deuce was loose last year and it will continue. Curtis Keaton and James Fenderson will battle for the back-up job just in case. It isn’t out of the question since Deuce was hurt a bit in college. Expect Keaton to win the job, even though this could turn into a RBBC if Deuce was out.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: Horn and Stallworth will hold down the starting spots. Even though Pathon was brought in last year, he has lost his starting spot and will be the third wide-out. Lewis, who is an excellent kick-returner and Gardner will battle it out for the fourth spot. Look for Gardner to win this spot and keep Lewis on the special teams.

New York Giants
Quarterbacks: Kerry Collins is firmly entrenched as the Giants starter after posting career highs in completion percentage and passing yards. Jesse Palmer has the back-up role sealed, while Jason Garrett will continue to add to his pension with another year as the third-string qb.
Running Backs: Tiki Barber seems to finally become a stud running back. With that and Ron Dayne pulling his tricks (being fat and not working out), the Giants still don’t seem to give him any love. They brought in Dorsey Levens, who may end up being the goal line back. Watch the pre-season games and see how often Levens carries that will give up a good idea of what Fassel wants.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: Toomer and Hillard make up a very under-rated duo. The third spot is where the battle will be. Dixon and Carter have proven that they can only get injured. The Giants coaching staff like Dixon’s speed, but he has to stay on the field. Shockey is a stud tight and will see the ball even more now that Campbell moved on. Look for him to be a huge factor in the red-zone.

Philadelphia Eagles
Quarterbacks: There is no question that McNabb is the Eagles starter, but Detmer and Feeley each proved that they can do the job. Look for Detmer to hold onto the back-up role and will only be called upon unless something happens.
Running Backs: Staley is under the gun in Philly with a contract issue and the return of Correll Buckhalter, Duce’s job is on the line. The Eagles are enamored with Buckhalter with his size and speed. If he can stay healthy there is a chance that he will win the spot. Worse-case for Buckhalter is that he is the goal line back, making Staley’s value not so much. Westbrook will see time as the third down back.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: Thrash and Pinkston are the starters, while it is do-or-die time for Freddie Mitchell. Mitchell had a chance last year to grab a starting spot, but blew it. Pinkston looks to be the Eagles main guy, but Mitchell must perform in the third spot or else he won’t be there next year. Chad Lewis is the starting tight end, but he lost a lot of touchdown to Jeff Thomason. LJ Smith will see a lot of time in the two tight-end set and could steal more from Lewis.

St. Louis Rams
Quarterbacks: Martz has stated that Warner is his guy, but if he struggles like he did last year, Bulger will come in and take over again. Watch Warner in the preseason, if any of his injuries come back, Bulger will be in there quickly.
Running Backs: Faulk has rededicated himself and looks to regain the top spot in the fantasy world. Gone is Canidate, who was a bust. Lamar Gordon looks to have the back-up role, but nothing is a sure thing. Reynolds could sneak past Gordon on the depth chart if he can prove his hands.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: Bruce and Holt are mainstays, but the other two spots are up for grabs. Troy Edwards of Steeler fame tries to join the Show on Turf, but it remains to be seen if he can handle the third spot. Rookies Curtis and McDonald may move past Edwards during the season, but not during camp.

San Francisco 49ers
Quarterbacks: Garcia is a lock as the starter, while Rattay has the back-up role filled as well.
Running Backs: The team that has driven almost everyone nuts in the past two years may finally be settled this year. Barlow and Hearst are both exceptional running backs. So Far, Erickson hasn’t decided if he is going to name just one guy to handle the role. He may very well make it a RBBC, but if he goes to just one back, it will be Barlow.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: Owens and Streets, who came on last year, will hold down the starting spots. Wilson will be the third wide-out, making the Niners receiving corps pretty cut and dry. Eric Johnson will continue to be the Niners tight provided he stays on the field.

Seattle Seahawks
Quarterbacks: After losing his job in 2001, Mat Hasselbeck comes into this season as one of the hottest qb’s. He lit up defenses the last seven weeks of the season, including a 400+-yard performance in the final game of the season.
Running Backs: Alexander may have been one of the most inconsistent running backs last year. Maurice Morris will be the back-up and could see some time on the field this year. He won’t be the guy unless Alexander gets hurt.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: The Seahawks are set at wide-out with Koren Robinson, Darrell Jackson and Bobby Engram. Engram is the third wide-out, while Bannister should win the fourth spot. Itula Mili holds the starting tight end spot thanks to Stevens latest fling with the law.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Quarterbacks: With the Super Bowl win, Brad Johnson tightens his grip on the starting job. With Jim Miller ailing, Chris Simms and Shaun King will battle it out for the second spot. Simms should wind up winning the job now that he is out of Texas. He has all the tolls, but just needs experience. The Bucs were hoping to give him some time, but with Miller a question mark, Simms is quickly a guy to watch.
Running Backs: Pittman’s legal troubles have pretty much put him out of job. Even though he is on the roster and may play in the pre-season, his days are numbered. Enter Thomas Jones, who the Bucs traded for. They want a play-maker and Jones has shown on a few occasions to do that. Even if Jones is the starter, Steckler will see plenty of time, while Alstott will be the goal line back again. It is the RBBC at its’ finest.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: Keyshawn Johnson, Keenan McKardell and Joe Jurevicius hold down the top three spots and that won’t change during the season. Karl Williams and Green will battle just to see the field during warm-ups. Dilger was brought in to stretch the field, but how many catches he gets is another thing. He won’t be looked at often. Dudley is a target in the red zone, but that is about it.

Washington Redskins
Quarterbacks: The Fun and Gun is back and ready to fire. Spurrier has already announced that Ramsey will be the starter. Rob Johnson, who has floundered the past couple of years, will be the back-up. Don’t surprised if you still see the carousel in the quarterback spot
Running Backs: While the quarterback situation was bad, the running backs are even wore. Three running backs all have legit ideas about becoming the starter. Canidate was brought in from St. Louis and has big-time speed. But he is inconsistent and if he does the same in Washington as he did in St. Louis, he won’t be the starter for long. Betts looks to be the back-up at this moment, but if he has a strong camp, he could win the job. In my opinion, Betts looks to be the better bet of the two. The odd guy out may be Watson. If he does get cut, watch where he goes. He could contribute to another team. Morton will see time as a third down back.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: Gardner and Coles will be the starting wide-outs. Both have already proven themselves and if the offense clicks early, they both could have big season. Rookie Taylor Jacobs is making a strong push to be the third wideout. If he secures that spot, he could have a season similar to Reed and Stallworth’s season last year.