AFC Team-by-Team Notes

Depth charts are in flux entering the second weekend of preseason games. With the regular season less than a month away, here's the latest on every team in the AFC. Evan Silva covered the NFC teams in impressive detail earlier in the week.

Editor's Note: Get Rotoworld's updated rankings, projections, and fantasy analysis in the 2011 Fantasy Football Draft Guide.

Baltimore Ravens

Rookie Torrey Smith looked lost in the preseason opener. Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome wasted no time dealing for vertical threat Lee Evans, who should provide Anquan Boldin with room to operate underneath. A bulked up Joe Flacco is easily the best QB of Evans' seven-year career. The two are a match made in heaven, as Evans' skills are highlighted by a QB with the arm to go deep and Flacco has long needed a receiver with the speed to take the top off a defense. Evans is back on the radar as a bounce-back candidate capable of 1,000 yards. … Somewhat surprisingly, OC Cam Cameron indicated that Ray Rice will play a major role at the goal-line even after the signing of Ricky Williams. Rice scored 45 TDs in his final two season at Rutgers, leaving little question that he can thrive at the stripe. Double-digit scores are possible for the first time in Rice's career. … Ed Dickson hasn't been able to pull away from Dennis Pitta at tight end. The duo isn't without promise down the seam, but they will likely cancel each other out for fantasy purposes.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills don't have depth issues on the offensive line because there's little separation in talent between the starters and the third-stringers. Coach Chan Gailey can scheme with the best of the offensive minds in the game. He'll need to get extra creative after GM Buddy Nix failed to address the "offen-sieve" line. … Coaching staff favorite Donald Jones, undrafted out of Youngstown State last year, will start opposite Stevie Johnson following the Evans trade. Jones carries SI.com's Peter King stamp of approval, which bodes poorly for his chances of fantasy success. We wouldn't be surprised if David Nelson plays more snaps than Jones by season's end. Johnson will have to prove he can beat double teams without a proven NFL talent on the opposite side. … Slot receiver Roscoe Parrish (hamstring) will miss a second straight game. … Fred Jackson will enter the season as the clear-cut starter for the first time in his career, which caps any breakout potential C.J. Spiller might have enjoyed. We are shying away from the Buffalo backfield altogether.

Cincinnati Bengals

The tailspin is coming. Bengals players have "a feeling that this year will be better,' yet "a fear that this year will be the same" as the other debaculous fiascos NFL fans have become accustomed to under owner Mike Brown's watch. … Speaking of which, the best OC Jay Gruden could muster about Andy Dalton's 4.6 yards per attempt against the Lions was that it "wasn't a total debacle." … A.J. Green has been everything he was advertised to be coming out of Georgia, but fantasy owners have to be concerned that Dalton's dink-and-dunk style will put a straitjacket on his production. … Slot receiver Jordan Shipley and TE Jermaine Gresham have the skill-sets to benefit from Dalton's short passing style, but their output will be limited by a run-heavy attack and a spread-the-wealth philosophy through the air. … Cedric Benson's fourth arrest as a pro could land him in commissioner Roger Goodell's doghouse to start the season. Overworked the past two seasons, Benson is an old 28 coming off a plodding 3.5 yards per carry in 2010. He's the perfect storm of ominous fantasy signs.

Cleveland Browns

Peyton Hillis played over 90 percent of the Browns' offensive snaps from Weeks 3-15 last year. Only three other NFL backs (Chris Johnson, Frank Gore, LeSean McCoy) even cleared 80 percent. Hillis' new coaching staff has taken note of his aberrant workload and subsequent December fade. With Montario Hardesty (knee) finally showing signs of life and Brandon Jackson as a third-down possibility, we hesitate to project Hillis as a top-15 fantasy back. … The Browns' only viable standard-scoring fantasy receivers are Mohamed Massaquoi and physical second-round rookie Greg Little. Heading into the second exhibition game, though, Brian Robiskie and Josh Cribbs are still listed as the starters. … Jordan Norwood is a name to tuck away in PPR leagues, as the Danny Amendola clone appears to have the slot role locked up. … Ben Watson may be the only other member of the Cleveland passing game worth a look on draft day. Evan Moore's strong camp gives us pause, however, as he could eat into Watson's production. … Even with one impressive preseason performance under his belt, Colt McCoy remains on our "do not draft" list.

Denver Broncos

Knowshon Moreno is having his best camp as the "healthiest, fittest, and fastest" he's been since entering the NFL as the No. 12 overall pick in 2009. HC John Fox wants to run the ball 30+ times per game, though Moreno is shaping up as a better pick in PPR formats with Willis McGahee looming as a goal-line vulture. … Fox has been impressed with Brandon Lloyd's playmaking ability since the start of camp, but it's fair to wonder how often the Broncos' No. 1 receiver will see the ball this year. As NFL Films guru Greg Cosell points out, Lloyd arrived at a career year in 2010 through the confluence of outstanding play-design and play-calling from Josh McDaniels. It's easy to forget the Broncos were the best play pass offense in the NFL for a long stretch of last season. That won't be the case under Fox. … Eddie Royal and Eric Decker will split production as the second and third receivers. … Kyle Orton's skills merit a QB2 selection in fantasy drafts, but Tebow mania will have him sent to the bench once the season goes in the tank. … Freakishly athletic rookie TE Julius Thomas has already emerged as a red-zone weapon, but he remains behind Daniel Fells on the depth chart.

Depth charts are in flux entering the second weekend of preseason games. With the regular season less than a month away, here's the latest on every team in the AFC. Evan Silva covered the NFC teams in impressive detail earlier in the week.

Editor's Note: Get Rotoworld's updated rankings, projections, and fantasy analysis in the 2011 Fantasy Football Draft Guide.

Baltimore Ravens

Rookie Torrey Smith looked lost in the preseason opener. Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome wasted no time dealing for vertical threat Lee Evans, who should provide Anquan Boldin with room to operate underneath. A bulked up Joe Flacco is easily the best QB of Evans' seven-year career. The two are a match made in heaven, as Evans' skills are highlighted by a QB with the arm to go deep and Flacco has long needed a receiver with the speed to take the top off a defense. Evans is back on the radar as a bounce-back candidate capable of 1,000 yards. … Somewhat surprisingly, OC Cam Cameron indicated that Ray Rice will play a major role at the goal-line even after the signing of Ricky Williams. Rice scored 45 TDs in his final two season at Rutgers, leaving little question that he can thrive at the stripe. Double-digit scores are possible for the first time in Rice's career. … Ed Dickson hasn't been able to pull away from Dennis Pitta at tight end. The duo isn't without promise down the seam, but they will likely cancel each other out for fantasy purposes.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills don't have depth issues on the offensive line because there's little separation in talent between the starters and the third-stringers. Coach Chan Gailey can scheme with the best of the offensive minds in the game. He'll need to get extra creative after GM Buddy Nix failed to address the "offen-sieve" line. … Coaching staff favorite Donald Jones, undrafted out of Youngstown State last year, will start opposite Stevie Johnson following the Evans trade. Jones carries SI.com's Peter King stamp of approval, which bodes poorly for his chances of fantasy success. We wouldn't be surprised if David Nelson plays more snaps than Jones by season's end. Johnson will have to prove he can beat double teams without a proven NFL talent on the opposite side. … Slot receiver Roscoe Parrish (hamstring) will miss a second straight game. … Fred Jackson will enter the season as the clear-cut starter for the first time in his career, which caps any breakout potential C.J. Spiller might have enjoyed. We are shying away from the Buffalo backfield altogether.

Cincinnati Bengals

The tailspin is coming. Bengals players have "a feeling that this year will be better,' yet "a fear that this year will be the same" as the other debaculous fiascos NFL fans have become accustomed to under owner Mike Brown's watch. … Speaking of which, the best OC Jay Gruden could muster about Andy Dalton's 4.6 yards per attempt against the Lions was that it "wasn't a total debacle." … A.J. Green has been everything he was advertised to be coming out of Georgia, but fantasy owners have to be concerned that Dalton's dink-and-dunk style will put a straitjacket on his production. … Slot receiver Jordan Shipley and TE Jermaine Gresham have the skill-sets to benefit from Dalton's short passing style, but their output will be limited by a run-heavy attack and a spread-the-wealth philosophy through the air. … Cedric Benson's fourth arrest as a pro could land him in commissioner Roger Goodell's doghouse to start the season. Overworked the past two seasons, Benson is an old 28 coming off a plodding 3.5 yards per carry in 2010. He's the perfect storm of ominous fantasy signs.

Cleveland Browns

Peyton Hillis played over 90 percent of the Browns' offensive snaps from Weeks 3-15 last year. Only three other NFL backs (Chris Johnson, Frank Gore, LeSean McCoy) even cleared 80 percent. Hillis' new coaching staff has taken note of his aberrant workload and subsequent December fade. With Montario Hardesty (knee) finally showing signs of life and Brandon Jackson as a third-down possibility, we hesitate to project Hillis as a top-15 fantasy back. … The Browns' only viable standard-scoring fantasy receivers are Mohamed Massaquoi and physical second-round rookie Greg Little. Heading into the second exhibition game, though, Brian Robiskie and Josh Cribbs are still listed as the starters. … Jordan Norwood is a name to tuck away in PPR leagues, as the Danny Amendola clone appears to have the slot role locked up. … Ben Watson may be the only other member of the Cleveland passing game worth a look on draft day. Evan Moore's strong camp gives us pause, however, as he could eat into Watson's production. … Even with one impressive preseason performance under his belt, Colt McCoy remains on our "do not draft" list.

Denver Broncos

Knowshon Moreno is having his best camp as the "healthiest, fittest, and fastest" he's been since entering the NFL as the No. 12 overall pick in 2009. HC John Fox wants to run the ball 30+ times per game, though Moreno is shaping up as a better pick in PPR formats with Willis McGahee looming as a goal-line vulture. … Fox has been impressed with Brandon Lloyd's playmaking ability since the start of camp, but it's fair to wonder how often the Broncos' No. 1 receiver will see the ball this year. As NFL Films guru Greg Cosell points out, Lloyd arrived at a career year in 2010 through the confluence of outstanding play-design and play-calling from Josh McDaniels. It's easy to forget the Broncos were the best play pass offense in the NFL for a long stretch of last season. That won't be the case under Fox. … Eddie Royal and Eric Decker will split production as the second and third receivers. … Kyle Orton's skills merit a QB2 selection in fantasy drafts, but Tebow mania will have him sent to the bench once the season goes in the tank. … Freakishly athletic rookie TE Julius Thomas has already emerged as a red-zone weapon, but he remains behind Daniel Fells on the depth chart.




Houston Texans

Arian Foster has been stung by leg injuries in the past, and he came down with a strained hamstring on the first day of camp. He's looked good since returning to practice, but this already one bad omen in Foster's quest to repeat as fantasy's top back. … Derrick Ward remains well ahead of Ben Tate in the "handcuff" race. … Andre Johnson, the NFL's leader in receiving yards per game in three of four seasons with Matt Schaub, missed just a few practices after suffering a dislocated finger early in camp. He's safe to draft late in the first round. … Kevin Walker and Jacoby Jones will continue to trade quality games, leaving the duo as waiver wire fodder as opposed to draft-worthy. … Big-bodied rookie Lestar Jean is moving up the depth chart after catching HC Gary Kubiak's eye in practices as well as the first exhibition game. The former Florida Atlantic star is a player to monitor in deep Dynasty leagues. … With a fine camp of his own, Owen Daniels has picked up where he left off late last season. He's locked in as the top tight end to target after the Big Five go off the board.

Indianapolis Colts

Training camp came and went with no sign of Peyton Manning, but he's fully expected to be under center in Week 1. As long as he gets one preseason tuneup under his belt, we won't feel the need to adjust his projection. If Brett Favre can turn in a career passing year at age 40 with new teammates after missing camp, Manning certainly can follow suit. … To hear owner Jim Irsay tell it, fourth-round power back Delone Carter is being "pushed" by undrafted Darren Evans. Carter has sleeper appeal considering Joseph Addai's injury history and mediocre talent level, so this is a battle to watch the next couple of weeks. … Austin Collie has missed a few practices of late with a knee injury. It's not believed to be serious, but worth tracking nonetheless. The Colts' most effective per-play receiver the past two seasons, Collie is a WR2 when healthy. … Speaking of WR2s, Reggie Wayne is heading in that direction with Collie and Dallas Clark back in the lineup. As Manning's weapons fell by the wayside last season, Wayne racked up a career-high 111 receptions even though he failed to separate against quality corners down the stretch.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Maurice Jones-Drew insists his surgically repaired knee is pain-free, but the red flags are piling up nonetheless. Backup Rashad Jennings is expected to see an increased role, rookie Blaine Gabbert is starting to push David Garrard for the starting job, and the offensive line has question marks at two positions. … Even with an impressive camp performance, rookie Cecil Shorts hasn't made headway against a slow-starting Jason Hill for the No. 2 receiver job. While Mike Thomas remains a fine WR3 value as the go-to receiver, Hill and Shorts fall short of late-round flier status. … Marcedes Lewis spent the offseason training MMA style with NFL insider Jay Glazer, but he remains a poor bet to repeat last year's double-digit touchdowns with the quarterback situation in flux. Lewis had never topped two scores in a season before 2010.

Kansas City Chiefs

Expected by HC Todd Haley to "take the next step" this season, Jamaal Charles is locked in as a top-four fantasy pick in all formats. He will lead the Chiefs in carries, leaving Thomas Jones in "handcuff" territory. … Matt Cassel's upgrade in weapons is offset by a considerably tougher schedule this year than last. He's a low-upside QB2. … The same factors are working against Dwayne Bowe despite a strong training camp for Cassel's go-to receiver.. Bowe will have more competition for targets in addition to facing fewer cupcakes. … Moving from a pass-oriented offense to a run-heavy attack, slot receiver Steve Breaston is more of a WR4/5 in Kansas City. … Jerhame Urban is running with the starters after Jonathan Baldwin struggled with a hamstring injury and beating the jam in camp. … The Chiefs are moving TE Tony Moeaki around the offense, but his upside is capped by the conservative offense and a checkered injury history. He's in the deepest mix of TE2s the fantasy world has ever seen.

Miami Dolphins

Rookie Daniel Thomas is tumbling down draft boards after a quiet camp. The Dolphins are serious about getting Reggie Bush 12-15 touches per game, leaving Thomas' workload in question -- at least to start the season. Bush is going from turf to grass and a QB who specialized in exploiting mismatches to a QB who specializes in disappointment. Don't fall for the hype. Throw-in a subpar offensive line, and the Miami backfield is a fantasy quagmire.… Chad Henne's ugly training camp carried over to the preseason opener, where he was outplayed by Matt Moore. HC Tony Sparano refuses to open the job to competition, a stance which figures to change after another face-plant from Henne. … Brandon Marshall authored a "relatively quiet" training camp after being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in late July. The Fins' underwhelming QBs are going to put the notoriously mercurial diva to the test this season. It's a season-long soap opera waiting to happen. … Davone Bess remains a viable WR3 in PPR formats, yet borderline unrosterable in standard-scoring leagues.



New England Patriots

Ochocinco is starting opposite Wes Welker, with Deion Branch entering in three-wide sets. Ocho is back on the radar as a WR3 with upside in a finely tuned offense while Branch is a player to shy away from on draft day. Welker's 100+ receptions are no longer money in the bank with Tom Brady spreading the ball around to at least six different targets each week. … Brady is a top-four QB and a safe bet to bypass 30 touchdowns for a second straight season. … Rob Gronkowski now has the look of a top-eight fantasy tight end after eliciting phrases such as "man among boys," "absolute beast," and "unguardable in the red zone" over the past couple of weeks. … Aaron Hernandez has had a strong camp of his own, separating from coverage all over the field. Hernandez is more of a risk-reward TE2. … BenJarvus Green-Ellis is still running with the first team offense as the inside complement to Mr. Outside, Danny Woodhead. BJGE may be hearing footsteps from rookie Stevan Ridley, a more complete back with 222 yards in two preseason contests. We woudn't consider drafting Green-Ellis unless he drops out of the top-35 or 40 backs on draft day. … Second-round RB Shane Vereen (hamstring) hasn't practiced in two weeks.

New York Jets

The Jets are reportedly unconcerned about a skin condition that will keep feature back Shonn Greene out of the second preseason game. Greene is safe to draft as a RB2 in standard-scoring leagues. … Plaxico Burress is a rusty 34-year-old receiver coming off an ankle injury that sidelined him for the majority of camp. There's far more sizzle than steak here for fantasy leaguers. … The Ravens let Derrick Mason go because the 37-year-old couldn't shake free from coverage late last season. The Jets are in a for a disappointment with both veteran wideouts. … Rookie Jeremy Kerley, ticketed for kickoff- and punt-return duties as well as Wildcat QB, has drawn rave reviews throughout camp. He's only worth a look in return-yardage leagues, however. … Dustin Keller is expected to be the primary beneficiary of offensive consultant Tom Moore, who master-minded Dallas Clark's development in Indy. Keller has breakout potential with the Jets breaking in new faces at receiver.

Oakland Raiders

Darren McFadden was off to a "spectacular" start to camp before coming down with a freak orbital bone fracture. He's already resumed non-contact practices and should be 100 percent by the season opener. McFadden comes with Rotoworld's approval as a top-10 fantasy pick. … Once Jacoby Ford went down with a broken hand, rookie Denarius Moore began stealing the show in camp. Moore has not only been the Raiders' top receiver, but often the best player on the field. The difference between Moore and previous rookie sensations such as Marques Colston and Mike Williams is that the latter two were locked in as starters early in camp whereas Moore's role remains up in the air. At this point, he's just a late-round flier behind Ford. … To no one's surprise, Louis Murphy (hamstring) and Chaz Schilens (knee) are injured again. It's safe to remove both receivers from cheatsheets. … Kevin Boss' receptions are projected to increase in Oakland, but he isn't nearly the receiver that Zach Miller was. Boss remains pure TE2 material.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The early signs suggest Ben Roethlisberger is not only in the best shape of his career, but also committed to having the best season of his career. As much as we love Matt Ryan as a breakout fantasy star, we still haven't moved him ahead of Big Ben in our projections. … Rashard Mendenhall is a rock-solid first-round pick as one of the few workhorses extant in the NFL. … If Mendenhall wasn't the most impressive player in camp, it's only because second-year WR Antonio Brown stole the show. Emmanuel Sanders should regain the third-receiver role as soon as he returns from foot surgery, but Brown has successfully held off Jerricho Cotchery thus far. The best fantasy advice at receiver is to avoid Nos. 2-5 and target Mike Wallace, who is aiming for the first 2,000-yard receiving season in NFL history. … Big Ben singled out Heath Miller for a strong camp, but it's fair to wonder if the tight end will concentrate on blocking duties again with the offensive tackles in question.

San Diego Chargers

Antonio Gates (plantar fasciitis) is expected to be close to 100 percent by the season opener, but it's a bit of a concern that the injury was still an issue to enter camp. Considering Gates' history with foot and ankle injuries, he's a high-risk fantasy investment early in the fourth round. We'd advise letting someone else take the plunge unless Gates drops a round or two. … After a hype-filled offseason based in large part on a Week 17 drubbing of the Broncos, Ryan Matthews' ADP has dropped a full round since camp began. Mathews is still the lead back, but Mike Tolbert will siphon goal-line and passing-down work while racking up 150 touches in a complementary role. Mathews is a low-end RB2 with upside while Tolbert is a RB3. … Vincent Jackson had a pair of top-12 fantasy seasons under his belt before last year's contract mess. We have him projected at No. 8 with Gates entering his decline phase. … Malcom Floyd is just the third option in the passing game with V-Jax back. Let someone else draft the deep threat as a WR3.

Tennessee Titans

The National Football Post's Andrew Brandt, Vice President of the Packers from 1999-2008, predicts that Chris Johnson will return to the Titans with a new contract in hand a week before the season opener. The lockout was a handy reminder that no disagreement of substance gets settled in the NFL until the last minute. As Gregg Rosenthal pointed out earlier this week, Rotoworld has no qualms about taking CJ2K at No. 1 overall as long as his return meets Brandt's prediction. Matt Hasselbeck provides stability at QB, coordinator Chris Palmer plans a run-oriented offense, and the new staff can't possibly have as much trouble getting the ball in Johnson's hands in space as the previous one did. … The only Tennessee receiver worth drafting, Kenny Britt is an elite talent shrouded in mystery. His early-camp hamstring injury should be a non-issue by the time Week 1 rolls around. The NFL confirmed that discipline is pending for Britt's three offseason arrests, but there's no way of knowing whether it will be a four-game suspension or a slap on the wrist. As long as Britt isn't slated to miss more than one game, he's a bargain at his current sixth-round ADP. … Palmer has big plans for promising first-year starter Jared Cook, and the Nashville Tennessean is predicting the tight end will lead the team in receptions. Cook has breakout potential as a borderline TE1.

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