1. Well, the burning question is, who is going to be the Browns’ starting quarterback?  If you were looking solely from a fantasy perspective who would you rather have at the helm?

We all know already what Derek Anderson can do, so in the end, I think this team really needs to give Brady Quinn a chance to start, and start long term.  Anderson had some gaudy numbers two years ago, but when the competition got better in 2008, his numbers tanked, and his picks went way up.  New coach Eric Mangini says it’s an open competition, and it might be, but Quinn has more upside, I think he’ll be the starter, and while he won’t have a lot of 300-yard games, he’ll be okay.  I’d rather see Quinn at this point to see if he was worth the pick.

2. The Browns took a step backward last year from their ten win season of just two years ago.  Is it going to be a complete retooling with Mangini or do you think they can take a big step forward under his tutelage?

After talking to a number of New York folks that covered the Jets, Mangini does have his good traits, as well as his bad.  He can be a good coach, and things really fell apart last season with the Brett Favre fiasco throwing a huge wrench into his plans the day of the first preseason game, oddly enough, in Cleveland.

The Browns talent level is not nearly as good as they thought it was from their 10-6 season two years ago.  They are not a very good team on defense, and they really needed to rebuild that part of the roster.  Then there’s the WR core, which is not deep, and they are counting on DA or Quinn to be a leader under center.

Overall, they are going to be lucky to win 6-7 games this year, but it will be a building block, and if they can keep putting together a better roster, in 2-3 years they will again be able to compete in the division.

3. For us fantasy players Jerome Harrison looks like a good option as far as his speed, receiving and cutting ability, but Lewis seems like he’ll continue to get the bulk of the carries.  Do you think he will hold up? How do you see the running back situation shaking out?

Lewis is by all the means the starter.  Harrison has the potential to be a good change of pace back, but won’t get enough carries to really warrant a start in many fantasy leagues.  Lewis has had to carry the ball quite a bit the past few seasons, and seems to be on the downside of his career.  Lewis’ better games will for sure be 1 through 8, and after that, you for sure want to have 1-2 backs that can start when/if Lewis slows down.

4. Braylon Edwards is an all world receiver, but he’s had his share of difficulties.  With Winslow gone and Donte Stallworth suspended who do you see stepping up to take some of the pressure off of Edwards?  Can Edwards return to his insane 2007 numbers?

He won’t have those “insane 2007″ numbers, but for sure he should rebound from an awful season a year ago when he led the league in drops.  Expect no matter who is throwing to him, he’ll go over 1,000 yards and probably have about 6-8 TD’s.  He’d probably be an Ok #2 WR for fantasy, and a pretty good #3 option.

5. What kind of role do you see Josh Cribbs taking on this season?  He is a dynamic returner, but how much time will he see in the offense?

A lot of people last season were upset that Cribbs didn’t see more of the ball in the offense, and he’s been pushing for more time with the ball in his hands.  Expect to see the team finally give him that shot, and he’s worth a very late pick, as he can sneak in 7-8 TD’s between running and receiving, and even has the arm (played QB in college at Kent) to throw a TD in some formations.  I wouldn’t put too much stock in him though.

1. Obviously, the most talked about addition to the Bills this offseason was the acquisition of WR Terrell Owens. What can fantasy owners expect from the infamous Owens, and will he be contempt in the Bills scheme?

Owens is a rock star in Buffalo.  He’s been borderline dominant on the practice field.  He and QB Trent Edwards have already established a bit of a connection and have routinely hooked up for lengthy touchdowns in camp practices.  There’s no reason to believe that Owens won’t be his usual, highly-productive self this season, as long as Edwards stays healthy and the weather isn’t too brutal at season’s end.  He’ll almost certainly see more throws than any other Bills receiver this year.

2. Running back Marshawn Lynch will start the season suspended for 3 games. When he returns in week 4, should he have any problems securing the starting RB job? Should we expect a RB by committee with Fred Jackson in 2009?

Lynch is still the undisputed No. 1 back in Buffalo.  Fred Jackson and Dominic Rhodes are both very capable and talented understudies, but neither has the burst, wiggle or brute strength that Lynch possesses.  Both will steal touches from Lynch, but don’t worry about any sort of committee here – Lynch is still the guy.  Jackson is very capable, however, and he’s been used as a receiver throughout the spring and summer, so he’s probably worth a bit more than your typical handcuff.

3. Receiver Lee Evans looks to be a sleeper this season, especially with the addition of T.O. What kind of season are you looking for from Evans?

More touchdowns.  There’s this idea floating around that Evans’ numbers will skyrocket simply because Owens is on the team, but there are so many legitimate weapons in Buffalo that it’ll be difficult to keep everyone happy.  Edwards likes to attack a defense’s underbelly and limit his shots downfield, so Evans’ reception totals may drop a bit, or, at best, stay consistent.  Where he’ll improve is in the big play category and in the red zone.  People forget that he scored 16 touchdowns in his first two NFL seasons playing next to Eric Moulds, and 24 over his first three seasons in total.  He can put it in the paint when defenses can’t double him down close.

4. Does Trent Edwards have the skills to breakout and be a top fantasy QB, or is slow, steady progression more of the appropriate expectation level for fantasy managers?

I find it difficult to think in terms of Edwards as a fantasy quarterback, because my main focus is the team, and there are so many question marks surrounding his ability (or lack thereof) to lead this franchise that it’s tough to focus on stats.  Edwards has the skill set to be a highly efficient passer in this league – he’s smart, he’s accurate, and, most importantly, he’s got the weapons to turn short throws into long gainers.  We did a stat projection for Edwards based solely on Owens’ arrival; that should give you a guideline as to what would be ideal for Edwards this season.  We’ll leave it up to your readers to decide on whether or not those numbers constitute an elite fantasy signal caller.

5. Are there any unheralded players on the Bills’ roster that fantasy players should be targeting as sleepers in their upcoming drafts?

Depends on the type of league you’re in.  If your scoring system rewards points for receptions, slot receiver Josh Reed should snag a fair few of those this season.  If you’re in a keeper league, TE Shawn Nelson and WR Steve Johnson have the look of future stars, though they’re not likely to make substantial impacts this season.  If there’s a tight end that can contribute in Buffalo, it’s Derek Schouman – with Robert Royal no longer clogging up the depth chart (and dropping passes), Schouman should put in a 30-40 catch season with a touchdown here and there.  But Buffalo’s offense is not an elite one by any stretch of the imagination.  Owners should stick to the big names for now.

1) Quarterback Tom Brady changed the fantasy landscape with his huge 2007 performance. Many drafters in 2008 drafted Brady in the top 5 picks, so the biggest fantasy question surrounding the 2009 Pats is: What can we expect from Brady and his surgically repaired knee?

I had a chance to attend Patriots training camp and spent a lot of time watching Tom Brady.  My initial impression was that he’s not moving any differently in the pocket than he used to, which is to say…slow.  Brady’s never been a good scrambler, but he’s had very good pocket presence and I had a chance to see that first-hand.  This impression came from a number of other attendees as well as the national media and football analysts.  I think Brady is a good bet from a fantasy perspective.

2) Last season Randy Moss enjoyed a successful (1000+ yds, and 11 TDs) season even without Brady.  Can Moss and Brady pick up where they left off in ’07? What kind of numbers do you project for Moss in ’09?

I’ve written many times that I have a lot of respect for Matt Cassel, but… he simply didn’t have the connection with Moss that Brady does.  Moss is much more successful when you “stretch” him, when you make him go after the ball.  Because he’s 6-4, that usually means it’s out of reach for defensive backs.  Cassel never did this, preferring safer, higher percentage passes.  Unfortunately, that translated to closer to the body, where DB’s could fight Moss for it.

Brady and Moss will pick up where they left off, but I don’t think we’ll see another ‘07.  I wouldn’t put it past Moss to collect TDs in the high teens, though.  I say this because I believe many opposing defenses are keying on Moss and Wes Welker, so Brady will utilize Joey Galloway and Greg Lewis more.  I’ve also seen increased usage of tight ends in the Patriots offense; this is something we haven’t had for a long time.

3) A slew of injuries kept the Pats from establishing a consistent running threat in ’08. Can Laurence Maroney stay healthy long enough to get 200+ rushing attempts, or does newly acquired free agent Fred Taylor receive a bulk of the carries? What should fantasy owners look for numbers-wise from the Pats rushing attack?

Interestingly enough, the Patriots as a total backfield, had the best running game in the AFC East.  They may not mean much given their ease of schedule in 2008, but it’s something.  Everyone who’s visited training camp says Maroney is a beast, that he’s bigger, stronger, and faster.  He’s been making some nice cuts and has really progressed, in my opinion.  Fred Taylor will get some touches, but nowhere near what Maroney will get; he’s the young buck and will be the primary back.  Taylor is their mostly because he went through much of the same stuff early in his career that Maroney is going through.  He’s a mentor and, by the looks of it, it’s working.

4) Veteran speedster Joey Galloway joined the Patriots this offseason, coming over from Tampa Bay. What type of impact will he have for the Patriots in 2009? Are there any other WRs on the roster that might surprise fantasy players in ’09?

Joey Galloway is the one question mark for me.  I’ve seen decent production out of him, but nothing that warrants me not thinking he’s on the downside of his career.  My best guess is Galloway will provide a decoy for other receivers, particularly Moss; throw Joey on the field and the defense has to cover him.  I’m actually looking for very big things from Greg Lewis.  I believe he’ll be the guy who can take the middle while Welker takes underneath and Moss takes downfield.  I’ve also read Lewis has a very long stride, so we may see some downfield duty from him.  Oh, and he’s not bad in the slot, too.

5) The Patriots quietly acquired two Tight Ends (Chris Baker, Alex Smith) who have shown flashes of playmaking ability early in their careers. Do either of these players emerge as pass catching threats in the vaunted Patriots offense?

Training camp has seen an enormous focus on tight ends from a reception standpoint.  Yes, an argument could be made that the departure of FB Heath Evans created the need for “plows” in front of the running backs, hence the acquisitions of Baker and Smith, but Brady’s been tossing the ball to these guys a lot.  With Moss, Welker, Galloway, and Lewis, you won’t see enormous production from the TE’s, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Baker and Smith put up 400 yard seasons.

1. Barber, Jones and Choice are all very good backs.  How do you feel the running back situation will shake out? Will Barber break out as an elite back or will Choice and Jones eat too much into his stats.

This is the question everybody is asking: How will Jason Garrett use his trio of quality running backs? I just got back from training camp and they were using Marion Barber with the 1^st unit, but they were subbing in Felix Jones liberally and even showed sets with both players on the field. I think Barber and Jones are going to share a lot of the carries and the TD’s. If Garrett does the smart thing, he’ll make it a two-back system and share the workload between those two. Unfortunately, Tashard Choice, a talented back, is probably going to get squeezed out of the equation for the most part, unless there’s an injury. I think Barber and Jones will be quality backs for fantasy purposes, but neither will end up in that elite category because they’ll cannibalize each others stats.

2. Roy Williams didn’t make much of an impact after he was brought over from the Lions.  With TO leaving and a full off season to better acquaint himself with the offense and Romo, how much of a leap do you think he’ll take forward?

I wouldn’t expect Roy Williams to have elite, big-time receiver stats this year. There are too many other options on the Cowboys for him to rack up huge production. Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett and the running backs will get a lot of touches in the redzone. What the Cowboys need from Roy is a reliable target that can keep safeties honest, leaving the middle open for the tight ends, and occasionally hit the big play. If he hit 800-900 yards and around 8-10 TD’s, and the Cowboys are winning, that will be just what they want. The Cowboys are determined to spread the ball around this year.

3. The top three receivers after Williams look fairly set with Crayton, Hurd and Austin. Do you see one breaking out of the pack this season?

Miles Austin is the only one who I think could have a significant jump in his stats this year. He’s got the physical tools, but injury and inconsistency have hurt him. If he stays healthy, he could be a guy that no one really saw coming. Crayton is the #2 receiver to Roy Williams so far in camp, and you will get solid production from him, but it probably won’t be anymore than in previous years. Sam Hurd is having a great camp, but there won’t be enough footballs around for him to jump up significantly.

4. There are plenty of offensive weapons for Tony Romo to choose from this season.  Do you see an offense so spread out that no single player (besides Romo) could put up elite fantasy numbers? Or will they start to run the ball more with their three RB’s?

I think they will try to spread the ball around this year. That was part of the reason they let T.O. go. They want to run the ball more this year, but not to the extent it will significantly alter Romo’s stats. This offense can score and Romo is going to get his numbers, he’s still a top fantasy QB. The other guy you can probably count on is Jason Witten, he’s so hard to cover and is Romo’s favorite target. Outside of that, I think you’ll see the production, TD’s etc. spread around to a lot of different guys.

5. Romo’s relationships with TO and Jessica Simpson are over.  There has been plenty of tabloid press regarding that particular threesome, but do you believe their departure will help Romo take over the Cowboys as “his” team and help him concentrate on winning or is that overblown?

Overblown on Jessica, maybe some truth with T.O. If you look at Romo’s numbers, they are consistently good, although I’m sure he wants to cut down on the turnovers. The problem with Romo is the perception that he can’t win in Dec/Jan. How much of that is true, how much of it is on him, is a different debate. But I don’t think his relationship with Jess had anything to do with him on the field. It’s all perception, not reality. Now, am I glad that’s over? Sure, got tired of reading about it all the time. Do I think it changes anything with Romo? No. The reason Romo can take over this team and make it his would have more to do with the departure of T.O.