Fox says Portis up; Defense down

[BigSKINBauer]

http://msn.foxsports.com/fantasy/story/3731968


Here is their opinion on the NFC EAST all of the NFC is on the site for anyone who cares.


NFL sleeps this month, but fantasy junkies do not. We search for scraps of newsworthy information, probably assigning too much importance to every press conference, MRI, and rumor. We adjust our rankings out of boredom. All that ends at the end of July.

There will be more fantasy-worthy news in the first week of training camp than the last two months combined. It's something to keep in mind while checking out our final recap of the winners and losers of mini-camp season. Summer heroes often fade away when the hitting starts. Injuries will shake up depth charts and cheat sheets. But after looking at the AFC last time around, let's look at the final summer movers of mini-camp season in the NFC.

NFC East
Dallas Cowboys

Moving Up: Marion Barber, III, RB Bill Parcells knows running backs. He believed in Ottis Anderson when no one else did. He turned the Patriots offense over to Curtis Martin when many doubted the third-round rookie's speed and durability. He traded down in the 2004 draft because he knew Julius Jones could handle the load. He believes he's found another gem in Marion Barber III.

Hardly a coach to heap praise on young players, Parcells has been giddy about Barber's potential this summer. He loves his skills in the passing game, and believes Barber can spell Julius Jones when necessary. Barber looks to have a defined role as a rookie, while veteran Anthony Thomas may have to contribute on special teams just to make the team. We'd take Barber in deep drafts over A-Train.

Moving Down: Quincy Morgan, WR Morgan injured his shoulder in June, ruining a strong off-season for the No. 3 receiver. It's uncertain whether he'll be ready for training camp. The longer Morgan stays out, the further he may fall behind upstarts like Terrance Copper and Patrick Crayton in Dallas.

New York Giants


Moving Up: Brandon Jacobs, RB We've pumped up Tiki Barber's new backup enough this off-season. But if anyone can handle the weight of expectations, it's a 265-pound running back. New York's only mandatory mini-camp ended a few weeks ago and Jacobs once again made a big impression on teammates. The Bettis-wannabe is one of the most interesting backup running back picks for fantasy leaguers.

Moving Down: Plaxico Burress, WR Forget about the new arrest warrants. Don't worry about the deafening silence around the NFL when Plax become a free agent. We're more concerned with the fact Burress skipped off-season workouts with the Giants all summer. It's hard enough for free agent wideouts to adjust to new offenses, especially with a second-year starter at quarterback. Skipping the chance to establish timing is questionable, but not surprising. Expect a slow start for Burress, and expect him to overrated in fantasy leagues.

Philadelphia Eagles


Moving Up: L.J. Smith, TE His back is finally healthy. Smith recently admitted he could barely move at times last season despite playing every game. It helps explain the promising tight end's disappearance for weeks in 2004. While not a great TE1, he should come cheaply this season and could score 8 touchdowns.

Moving Down: Brian Westbrook, RB FoxSports.com's overlooked source of fantasy nuggets, the weekly Off-season Blitz, had a great note about Westbrook this week. The utter lack of movement on a long-term deal for the shifty running back is a bad sign. There are reports that some within the organization still question his durability long-term. The drafting of Ryan Moats, a similar player, would support this claim. It's not a major concern in re-draft leagues, but keeper leaguers should fear Westbrook heading elsewhere. It's hard to imagine another team taking advantage of his unique skill-set.

Also Moving: Terrell Owens, WR The Eagles won't budge on T.O.'s holdout. That much is clear. It's also becoming more apparent that they'd entertain trade offers for him. While the Jerry Porter-for-T.O. rumors look baseless, don't be surprised to hear similar reports in the next month. While we think Owens will show up towards the end of the preseason, the uncertainty makes him a slightly risky pick right now.

Washington Redskins


Moving Up: Clinton Portis, RB Portis packed on ten pounds of muscle this season. He knows Joe Gibbs is going to run him into the ground. The offense has also changed their running attack this off-season to suit Portis's slashing style. They want to open up the field for him. He didn't have much patience in tight spots last season.

Moving Down: Redskins defense Antonio Pierce is gone and his replacement is Lemar Marshall? Fred Smoot is gone and his replacement is Walt Harris? No. 9 pick Carlos Rogers has a stress fracture in his foot and won't be ready for camp. LaVar Arrington has a bum knee and can't stay out of trouble. The no-name defensive line got no help this season. It will take magic for defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to maintain his powerful defense.