1. Shaun Alexander, Seahawks (5)  Alexander is a TD machine and a great back for yardage.

 2. Larry Johnson, Chiefs (3)  Johnson exploded on the scene last year and won’t have to share time with Priest Holmes anymore.

 3. Ladainian Tomlinson, Chargers (3)  Workhorse that can score receiving, rushing OR passing!

 4. Tiki Barber, Giants (4)  Awesome season last year, but beware…he’s in his 30’s.

 5. Clinton Portis, Redskins (8)  Can go the distance on any carry and is the focal point of the Redskins offense.

 6. Rudi Johnson, Bengals (5)  A battering ram that will be more busy than usual until Carson Palmer is 100%.

 7. Ronnie Brown, Dolphins (8)  Good blend of speed and power, and he doesn’t have to share carries with a pothead anymore.

 8. Cadillac Williams, Bucs (4)  Will have an awesome season as long as Gruden doesn’t run him into the ground again.

 9. Edgerrin James, Cardinals (9)  Weaker offensive line this year, but still an elite back.

10. Lamont Jordan, Raiders (3)  The big guy catches alot of passes to go with his rushing yards.

11. Stephen Jackson, Rams (7)  Coach Linehan will use the run alot more than Martz did.

12. Domanick Davis, Texans (5)  Can catch or run with the best of them….as long as he stays healthy.

13. Jamal Lewis, Ravens (7)  In training camp this year instead of the pokey.  Should bounce back strong.

14. Willis McGahee, Bills (8)  If passing game keeps extra guys out of the box, he should have his best season.

15. Corey Dillon, Patriots (6)  Might have to split carries with Maroney, but he’ll still the the majority of the carries.

16. Reggie Bush, Saints (7)  Will line up all over the field and might have more yards receiving than rushing.

17. Rueben Droughns, Browns (6)  Will score more TDs this season due to an improved line and receivers.

18. Willie Parker, Steelers (4)  If he gets to run near the goal line he shoots up this list.

19. Ahman Green, Packers (6)  Injury risk, but one worth taking.

20. Fred Taylor, Jaguars (6)  Injury risk, but is a dominator when healthy.

21. Dominic Rhodes, Colts (6)  Has a good shot to be the main man for the Colts.

22. Brian Westbrook, Eagles (9)  Weak receiving corps in Philly will mean more work for Westbrook.

23. Kevin Jones, Lions (8)  Could rebound from an off-year, but will Martz let him run the ball enough?

24. Julius Jones, Cowboys (3)  Would rank alot higher if he could stay in one piece.

25. Deuce McAllister, Saints (7)  I still have a feeling that Deuce will lead the Saints in rushing, and get all the goal-line carrries.

26. Chester Taylor, Vikings (6)  Finally get his chance, he could put up numbers like Lamont Jordan did last year.

27. Warrick Dunn, Falcons (5)  Alot of yards, but not alot of TDs.

28. Chris Brown, Titans (7)  Who knows what to expect out of the Titans running game?

29. DeShaun Foster, Panthers (9)  Brittle, but effective when he plays.

30. D’Angelo Williams, Panthers (9)  Waiting for Foster to get hurt so he can take his job and never give it back.

31. Thomas Jones, Bears (7)  In the Bears doghouse, but he did go over 1,000 yards last season.

32. Cedric Benson, Bears (7)  Banged up in camp, but was listed ahead of Jones on depth chart.

33. Frank Gore, 49ers (7)  A warrior that only needs to stay healthy to show off.

34. Curtis Martin, Jets (9)  Near the end of his Hall-of-Fame career because of bad knees.

35. Kevan Barlow, 49ers (7)  Neck and neck with Gore for the starting job in San Fran.

36. Cedric Houston, Jets (9)  Started in Martin’s place last year, and will be first in line this year too.

37. Joseph Addai, Colts (6)  Never was a full-time back at LSU.

38. Tatum Bell, Broncos (4)  Team thinks he’s too small to be an everydown back, but he’s effective when he plays.

39. Michael Pittman, Bucs (4)  Should get more carries to keep the Cadillac fresh this year.

40. Marion Barber, Cowboys (3)  Plays behind injury-prone Jones and gets a lot of carries near the end zone.

41. Samkon Gado, Packers (6)  Power runner that showed alot last season.  Will get a ton of carries if Green isn’t all the way back.

42. T.J. Duckett, Falcons (5)  Beast near the goal-line for Atlanta.

43. Mewelde Moore, Vikings (6)  Good back-up running back.

44. Mike Anderson, Ravens (7)  Had a huge season in Denver and should steal some carries from Jamal Lewis this year.

45. Duce Staley, Steelers (4)  Could be the goal-line back for the Steelers this year.

46. Laurence Maroney, Patriots (6)  Could steal alot of carries from Corey Dillon.

47. Antowain Smith, Texans (5)  Could get alot of carries this season to keep Domanick Davis fresh and healthy.

48. Ron Dayne, Broncos (4)  Can Mike Shanahan really make a good running back out of anybody?

49. Maurice Morris, Seahawks (5)  Good back that’s biding his time until free-agency.

50. Lee Suggs, Browns (6)  Will give Droughns a few breaks this season.

51. Chris Perry, Bengals (5)  Good back-up running back that catches alot of passes.

52. Brandon Jacobs, Giants (4)  TD machine in goal-line offense.

53. LenDale White, Titans (7)  One of Coach Chow’s favorite players at USC.

54. Mike Bell, Broncos (4)  Undrafted rookie that’s rising up the depth chart in Denver.

55. Justin Fargas, Raiders (3)  Third-down back for Raiders.

56. Ladell Betts, Redskins (8)  Betts always produces when he plays.

57. Michael Turner, Chargers (3)  Turner is a great back-up, but Tomlinson never comes out of the game.

58. Kevin Faulk, Patriots (6)  Good pass catching third-down back.

59. Shawn Bryson, Lions (8)  Coach Martz likes his receiving skills.

60. Derrick Blaylock, Jets (9)  Could get a lot of carries if Martin hangs up the cleats.

61. Michael Bennett, Chiefs (3)  Bennett could produce as a third-down back for Chiefs.

62. Jerious Norwood, Falcons (5)  Has been impressive in camp.

63. Maurice Hicks, 49ers (7)  Productive when he plays.

64. Najeh Davenport, Packers (6)  Coming off an injury, but a load to bring down.

65. Greg Jones, Jaguars (6)  #2 behind fragile Fred Taylor.

66. Jerome Harrison, Browns (6)  Good skills, could be ideal third-down back.

67. Nick Goings, Panthers (9)  Always seems to get alot of P.T.

68. Travis Henry, Titans (7)  Tough guy, but probably #3 in line for carries.

69. Moe Williams, Rams (7)  Tough runner with a nose for the goal-line.

70. Marcel Shipp, Cardinals (9)  Had his chance last season and blew it.

71. Adrian Peterson, Bears (7)  #3 in Chicago.

72. Maurice Drew, Jaguars (6)  A little small, but he has skills.

73. Ryan Moats, Eagles (9)  The Eagles will run more this year and Moats is the #2 guy.

74. Brian Calhoun, Lions (8)  Was a great runner in Wisconsin and could push Jones for job.

75. J.J. Arrington, Cardinals (9)  Had a decent year as a rookie, but backing up the Edge now.

76. Tyson Thompson, Cowboys (3)  #3 in Big D.

77. James Mungro, Colts (6)  Could be Colts goal-line back.

78. Vernand Morency, Texans (5)  #3 in Houston.

79. Anthony Thomas, Bills (8)  Could get carries near the goal-line for the Bills.

80. Sammy Morris, Dolphins (8)  Ronnie Brown’s caddy.

81. Verron Haynes, Steelers (4)  Could battle Staley and Parker for goal-line carries.

82. Rock Cartwright, Redskins (8)  Averaged over 7 yards per carry last season.

83. Tony Fisher, Rams (7)  Duking it out with Moe Williams for back-up job.

84. Aaron Stecker, Saints (7)  #3 behind McAllister and Bush.

85. Darren Sproles, Chargers (3)  Kick-returner and #3 running back for Chargers.

86. Musa Smith, Ravens (7)  Big back that is injury-prone.

87. Ciatrick Fason, Vikings (6)  Could be goal-line back for Vikings.

88. Travis Minor, Dolphins (8)  Good receiving back.

89. Shaud Williams, Bills (8)  Small, #3 back for Bills.

90. Kenny Watson, Bengals (5)  Always productive when he plays, but doesn’t play much.

91. Dee Brown, Chiefs (3)  Brown is #3 in KC.

92. Rashard Lee, Raiders (3)  At least he can return kicks.

93. Josh Scobey, Seahawks (5)  Kick-returner and #3 back for Seattle.

94. Bruce Perry, Eagles (9) Coming back from injury-filled rookie season.

95. Ernest Graham, Bucs (4)  Sits on bench every week.

96. Derrick Ward, Giants (4)  Suffered broken foot in camp.

 

 

 1. Chicago Bears  (7)  The Bears have the best defense in the NFL, and they added return ace Devin Hester in the draft.

 2. Pittsburgh Steelers (4)  The Steelers play keep away with their offense, but the defense is still very good and opportunistic.

 3. Tampa Bay Bucs (4)  The Bucs are super quick on defense and rush the passer well.

 4. Philadelphia Eagles (9)  The Eagles are a solid defensive team that has been good for awhile now.

 5. Baltimore Ravens (7)  Drafting Ngata will keep O-Linemen off Ray Lewis…who should have a huge season.

 6. Washington Redskins (8)  The Redskins’ offense will pressure other team into making mistakes.

 7. Indianapolis Colts (6)  Colts fast defense takes advantage of teams trying to play “catch-up”.

 8. San Diego Chargers (3)  Chargers have a quick, opportunistic defense.

 9. New England Patriots (6)  As long as Belichick is putting the X’s and O’s on the chalkboard, the Patriots will have a good defense.

10. Dallas Cowboys (3)  The Cowboys have re-loaded the defense with guys Parcells hand-picked for the job.

11. Miami Dolphins (8)  Saban is a master at defense, and he has alot of good players on that side of the ball.

12. New York Giants (4)  Big, physical defense that gets alot of sacks.

13. Jacksonville Jaguars (6)  Coach Del Rio stockpiled defensive players when he got the job, and now it’s paying off.

14. Carolina Panthers (9)  Defense is opportunistic, and Peppers is a sack machine.

15. Atlanta Falcons (5)  Adding John Abraham will make this a tough defense to deal with.

16. Kansas City (3)  Herman Edwards is a defensive coach, but he’s not a miracle worker.  They do have the best kick-returner in the NFL in Dante Hall.

17. Cleveland Browns (6)  Four new starters on defense will make this a very physical unit.

18. Seattle Seahawks (5)  Under-rated part of the team.

19. Minnesota Vikings (6)  A quick unit that doesn’t make alot of big plays.

20. Green Bay Packers (6)  Young linebackers Hawk and Hodge make this a unit on the way up.

21. Denver Broncos (4)  Imported too many Ex-Browns that weren’t that good.

22. St. Louis Rams (7)  Defense is under construction.

23. Cincinnati Bengals (5)  Losing their best player for the first four games will hurt the defense…..badly.

24. Buffalo Bills (8)  The draft was a good start, but the new blood won’t make that much of a difference this season.

25. NY Jets (9)  Not alot of playmakers on this side of the ball.

26. Arizona Cardinals (9)  Defense not in same league as the Cards offense.

27. Detroit Lions (8)  Defense could be on the field alot…..and that’s not a good thing.

28. Tennessee Titans (7)  Not a lot of playmakers on this side of the field.

29. New Orleans Saints (7)  Rebuilding, just like the city.

30. Houston Texans (5)  Mario Williams can’t do it alone.

31. San Francisco 49ers (7)  Defense will be on the field alot, and they will more than likely be defending short fields because of their inept offense.

32.  Oakland Raiders (3)  A long way to go to just be average.

 

 1. Antonio Gates, Chargers (3)  The undisputed king of tight ends.  A young QB’s best friend is the tight end.

 2. Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs (3)  Gonzalez is the Chiefs #1 receiver.  Almost impossible to stop.

 3. Chris Cooley, Redskins (8)  Was a force last season, and with Al Saunders calling the plays…he could explode.

 4. Jeremy Shockey, Giants (4)  I love watching this guy play.  He’s old-school, and he’s good.

 5. Todd Heap, Ravens (7)  Watch out….he has a real QB for the first time in his career.

 6. Randy McMichael, Dolphins (8)  With Culpepper on board he could make the Pro Bowl.

 7. Alge Crumpler, Falcons (5)  Michael Vick’s favorite receiver.  That shouldn’t mean too much, but if Schaub plays…look out!

 8. Jason Witten, Cowboys (3)  The Tuna loves throwing to the tight end, and Witten is a good one.

 9. L.J. Smith, Eagles (9)  Donovan McNabb has to throw to someone.

10. Kellen Winslow, Browns (6)  A man on a mission.  Safeties beware.

11. Vernon Davis, 49ers (7)  He’ll be the guy Alex Smith is looking for….and soon.

12. Jermaine Wiggins, Vikings (6)  Wiggins doesn’t look the part, but he’s been very good for the Vikings.

13. Heath Miller, Steelers (4)  A carbon copy of Todd Heap.  If Big Ben looks his way….Miller will catch it.

14. Zach Hilton, Saints (7)  Brees likes throwing to his tight end, and Hilton had a good second half last year.

15. Mercedes Lewis, Jaguars (6)  The Jags first round pick has alot of ability, and Leftwich needs someone to throw to.

16. Ben Watson, Patriots (6)  Brady’s receiving corps is looking thin, so he will look to the TE more this season.

17. Dallas Clark, Colts (6)  Clark is a good athlete that catches his share of passes.

18. Marcus Pollard, Lions (8)  Pollard is getting old, but he can still catch the football.

19. Erron Kinney, Titans (7)  Tight-ends catch alot of passes in the Titans offense, but they’re usually short ones.

20. Eric Johnson, 49ers (7)  If healthy, and that’s a big if, Johnson is a good TE.

21. Jeb Putzier, Texans (5)  Putzier should catch alot of short passes from Carr.  It should help Carr from taking a beating again this year.

22. Doug Jolley, Jets (9)  Jolley is a good receiver, but he’s under utilized by the Jets.

23. Jeramy Stevens, Seahawks (5)  If Stevens just caught the passes that hit him in the hands, he would rank much higher.

24. Bubba Franks, Packers (6)  Franks is slowing down, but Favre will be looking for him in the Red Zone.

25. Ben Troupe, Titans (7)  Catches alot of passes, but doesn’t get alot of yards.

26. Daniel Graham, Patriots (6)  Graham is a good receiver and should increase his receptions this season.

27. Steve Heiden, Browns (6)  Tough as nails throwback.  If you draft Winslow…..you better draft Heiden too.

28. Anthony Fasano, Cowboys (3)  Rookie from Notre Dame is a good receiver.

29. Alex Smith, Buccaneers (4)  Smith is just scratching the surface of his potential.

30. Bryan Fletcher, Colts (6)  Fletcher was a find for the Colts as a rookie.  His role could expand.

31. Dominique Byrd, Rams (7)  Rams TE job is open and Byrd is a good receiver.

32. Leonard Pope, Cardinals (9)  Rookie TE has the upper hand in Arizona.  He’s a big target.

33. Stephen Alexander, Broncos (4)  Good hands, but lacks speed.

34. Adam Bergen, Cardinals (9)  Bergen looked decent as a rookie, but he’s a possession type receiver.

35. Jim Kleinsasser, Vikings (6)  Better blocker than receiver.

36. Joe Klopfenstein, Rams (7)  Will battle Byrd for starting spot.  Has good hands.

37. Anthony Becht, Buccaneers (4)  Over-rated every season.

38. Courtney Anderson, Raiders (3)  Tight-end is an afterthought in Raiders offense.

39. Desmond Clark, Bears (7)  Bears starter, but doesn’t get many balls thrown his way.

40. Jason Dunn, Chiefs (3)  Gets an occasional bone thrown his way.  Usually near the end-zone.

41. Christian Fauria, Redskins (8)  Redskins will use the tight-end alot.  You could do worse.

42. Kris Mangum, Panthers (9)  Tight-ends block in Panthers offense.

43. Robert Royal, Bills (8)  Starting TE for the Bills, but not much of a receiver.

44. Ernie Conwell, Saints (7)  Dependable, but not flashy receiver.

45. Matt Schobel, Eagles (9)  Decent back-up, value spikes if Smith is injured.

46. Aaron Shea, Chargers (3)  Decent possession receiver.

47. Reggie Kelly, Bengals (5)  Not used much in the passing game.

48. Kevin Everett, Bills (8)  Good pass catching TE, but he missed his rookie season in Buffalo due to injury.

49. David Martin, Packers (6) Good speed, but under-utilized in the offense.

50. Chris Baker, Jets (9)  Not much of a pass catcher.

51. Daniel Wilcox, Ravens (7)  Now you’re reaching.

52. Itula Mili, Seahawks (5)  Would rank higher but he missed all but two games last season.

53. Tony Scheffler, Broncos (4)  Good receiver if he gets a chance to play.

54. Dwayne Blakely, Falcons (5)  I know Vick likes the TE……but…..

55. Visanthe Shiancoe, Giants (4)  You don’t even want him if Shockey gets hurt.

56. Jerame Tuman, Steelers (4)  Rarely gets to go out for a pass.

57. Dan Campbell, Lions (8)  Good hands, no speed.

58. Mike Seidman, Panthers (9)  Never used in the passing game.

59. Mark Bruener, Texans (5)  Good for one catch a game.

60. Kyle Brady, Jaguars (6)  Also good for one catch a game.

61. Randal Williams, Raiders (3)  You don’t want him.

62. Tony Stewart, Bengals (5)  Until Marvin Lewis realizes that tight ends are eligible receivers…you don’t want him.

63. Justin Peele, Dolphins (8)  Good blocker.

64. John Gilmore, Bears (7)  Just say no.