Boom or Bust – NFC

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After looking at surprises and disappointments in the AFC, let’s examine players who will come out of nowhere in the NFC, along with those who will fall flat this year.

NFC East

1. Philadelphia Eagles

Bust: Duce Staley – Staley has already soured his relationship with head coach Andy Reid with his holdout. Plus, the Eagles like Correll Buckhalter and want him to be the starter.

Sleeper: Freddie Mitchell – He’s been disappointing in his first two years, but he’s looked impressive in camp. Mitchell is Philadelphia’s leading receiver in the preseason, and Thrash and Pinkston are not exactly Bruce and Holt.

2. New York Giants

Bust: Jeremy Shockey – The spohomore tight end is getting a lot of pub because he’s playing in New York. He’s good, but he’s not the top TE. Todd Heap and Tony Gonzalez are better.

Sleeper: Kerry Collins – Collins had his best season last year, throwing for over 4000 yards. He has a solid group of wide receivers to go with Shockey and Tiki Barber catching everything out of the backfield.

3. Washington Redskins

Bust: Trung Canidate – Canidate has struggled in the preseason and has a fumbling problem. Ladell Betts and Kenny Watson are on his tail while Chad Morton will get some time on third down.

Sleeper: Taylor Jacobs – The rookie WR will be the #3 guy behind Laveranues Coles and Rod Gardner. With two top receivers ahead of him, he could produce better numbers than Josh Reed put up last year.

4. Dallas Cowboys

Bust: Quincy Carter – Carter is a mediocre quarterback who will eventually be replaced by Chad Hutchinson, assuming he hasn’t been already.

Sleeper: Troy Hambrick – With good size for a RB, Hambrick will be the every down back. He has averaged 4.7 yards/carry for his career.

 
NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers

Bust: Bubba Franks – The Packers signed pass-catching TD hawk Wesley Walls at tight end, which can’t be good news for the current pass-catching TD hawk at TE.

Sleeper: Robert Ferguson – Ferguson should beat out Javon Walker, who has had problems with drops, as the 2nd receiver behind Donald Driver, who started out as the #2 last year.

2. Minnesota Vikings

Bust: Doug Chapman – Chapman was slated to start over the more talented Onterrio Smith before his injury. Now, he probably won’t get his job back when healthy.

Sleeper: Onterrio Smith – Mike Tice wants a player as explosive as Michael Bennett at RB and Smith should get that opportunity now that Chapman is injured. He could wind up being the Clinton Portis of this season.

3. Chicago Bears

Bust: Anthony Thomas – Thomas a terrible season last year and Chicago wants to get other backs involved. Add that to the fact that the o-line is in shambles.

Sleeper: David Terrell – A big target who the Bears like to use in the red zone, Terrell has shown flashes in his first two years.

4. Detroit Lions

Bust: James Stewart – Unfortuantely, Stewart will be forced to miss the 2003 campaign. Olandis Gary takes over as the team’s starting RB.

Sleeper: Joey Harrington – Harrington showed potential last year and should get better with an excellent QB developer in Mariucci.

 
NFC South

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bust: Michael Pittman – Impending legal trouble has the team worried, which is why they picked up…

Sleeper: Thomas Jones – He’s outperforming almost everyone, finishing second in the preseason in rushing. Maybe he’s finally ready to break out.

2. New Orleans Saints

Bust: Donte Stallworth – Stallworth has been hampered by a hamstring injury, and Jerome Pathon is a solid receiver who could push him for playing time.

Sleeper: Jerome Pathon – Pathon will be the starter opposite Joe Horn if Stallworth is out for a period of time. With the explosive Saints offense, he should produce if given the opportunity.

3. Atlanta Falcons

Bust: Peerless Price – In his first year as a #1 WR, Price won’t have Eric Moulds to take away coverage. With Michael Vick out, he will struggle even more.

Sleeper: Warrick Dunn – Dunn will be relied upon even more with Doug Johnson at QB. He had eight games of 100 or more total yards in 2002, all coming after week 8, including both playoff games.

4. Carolina Panthers

Bust: Mushin Muhammad – Muhammad is getting older and has the terrific trio of Rodney Peete, Jake Delhomme, and Chris Weinke throwing to him. Not good times.

Sleeper: Carolina Defense – I’ve seen them drafted behind much shakier D’s. They were #2 in the league last year and bring back most of the unit.

 
NFC West

1. St. Louis Rams

Bust: Jeff Wilkins – Wilkins should kick a lot of PAT’s, but don’t expect many field goals from the shaky kicker.

Sleeper: Kurt Warner – Warner looks to be healthy and back in MVP form. Not good news for opposing D’s.

2. Seattle Seahawks

Bust: Darrell Jackson – Due to the emergence of Koren Robinson, Jackson has been relegated to #2 duty. He was a disappointment last year even before his injury.

Sleeper: Koren Robinson – An emerging star who has all the talent in the world, Robinson became more consistent as the season went along.

3. San Francisco 49ers

Bust: Jeff Garcia – Back problems don’t go away and you never know when they will flare up again.

Sleeper: Tai Streets – Streets has TO to occupy the opposing defenses. He quietly caught 72 balls last year and with J.J. Stokes gone, he won’t have competition for the #2 job.

4. Arizona Cardinals

Bust: Pick One – The whole team is terrible and I wouldn’t touch any Cardinal with a 10 foot pole except…

Sleeper: Marcel Shipp – Shipp ran for over 800 yards last season despite starting only six games and getting 20+ carries in only three. If Emmitt gets hurt or is put into a retirement home, Shipp should produce.

 
Anthony Milazzo is currently living in South Florida. He has too many fantasy teams to count, and when he’s not watching, reading, or playing sports he’s in college studying to be a CSI.

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