This week, Scott Engel goes around the NFC with his "Scout's Eye".

Last week, I focused on pivotal situations from a team-by-team perspective in the AFC. This week, I look at some unique and important situations to watch in the NFC.

Dallas Cowboys: You should not automatically assume that more carries will lead to greatly inflated overall totals for Marion Barber III. Sure, his numbers will be better, but he's still not a top-10 overall pick. With more reps, Barber will command more defensive respect, and he'll often have to work harder for his yards. Plus, he's not going to run away from people too often, so speedy rookie Felix Jones will be used a lot to keep defenses off balance due to his contrast in style as compared to M.B. III. I like Barber, yes, but not in the first round.

New York Giants: Plaxico Burress doesn't have an outstanding No. 2 complement, but that doesn't matter. Eli Manning will spread the ball around well to his other targets, and Burress will float just outside the top five at his position this season. Most notably, Amani Toomer will still make key catches, Steve Smith will continue to improve and maybe even take over as a starter, and Kevin Boss will also make many important grabs. The Giants will have a balanced passing game that spurs a very big year for Burress.

Philadelphia Eagles: I am keeping a close watch on Jason Avant this season, especially if Donovan McNabb goes down at any point. If Kevin Kolb takes over as a regular starter, he may have worked often with Avant in practices and could have a high comfort level with him. I have no hard evidence to support that assumption, but I like Avant and have seen young backups rely a lot on the guys who they've worked out with the most in team practices.

Washington Redskins: I am very scared of the Washington passing game, because if Jim Zorn's offense is anything like Mike Holmgren's hybrid version of the West Coast offense, and I'm sure it is, it will take awhile for the QB to adjust. Matt Hasselbeck was very erratic early in the Holmgren regime. Jason Campbell is sure to struggle too, and his wide receivers won't post good numbers consistently.

Green Bay Packers: The longer Ryan Grant holds out, the more I will worry about his fantasy value. Missing time can affect his conditioning and sometimes makes a player a bigger injury risk, because he isn't up to the same speed as the rest of his teammates. If he has to work with a new QB, the offensive flow could be disrupted by lacking important reps with Grant on the field.

Minnesota Vikings: Just because the Vikings have a shaky passing game doesn't mean opponents can put eight men in the box and hope to contain the running game. Not when the Vikings have the best run-blocking line in the game, which can handle the extra pressure, and when Adrian Peterson can make defenders look foolish with his electric moves. If Minnesota uses Chester Taylor enough to keep Peterson from getting overworked, the results will be much like last year. That means quite a few performances in which Peterson is the clear key to many owners' fantasy victories.

Chicago Bears: I'm looking for Greg Olsen to have a breakthrough season. The Bears are desperately thin at wide receiver, and Olsen can fill in the gaps in the passing game, getting downfield and also making a lot of possession grabs. He may have more upside than any other tight end in fantasy football this season.

Detroit Lions: I'm not getting too excited about Kevin Smith just because Tatum Bell seems to be regarded as a surefire disappointment by most fantasy players. Smith is not a power back, and he runs upright. He may not be capable of carrying a significant workload in his rookie year. I am tempering my expectations on Smith and view him as a good flex player, but not a starting fantasy RB.

New Orleans Saints: The arrival of Jeremy Shockey puts less pressure on Robert Meachem to be a prime target, as he looks to win the No. 2 WR job. Marques Colston and Shockey will draw major defensive attention, allowing Meachem to work against more single coverage and begin his ascent to becoming a quality fantasy starter. This is an important year of transition for Meachem, who is on his way to a true breakthrough campaign in 2009.

Carolina Panthers: Muhsin Muhammad will quickly get pushed back into the starting lineup if D.J. Hackett cannot stay healthy. Muhammad is no longer capable of being a good fantasy starter, but he will command enough defensive respect to prevent defenses from blanketing Steve Smith.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jeff Garcia doesn't get a lot of respect from fantasy players. Yet, as I learned last year, if you get desperate for a decent starter at QB and the rest of your starting lineup is strong, Garcia will not hurt your fantasy team, and you can continue to win with him as a plug-in guy.

Atlanta Falcons: I was high on Roddy White a month ago, as he worked to post fine numbers with bad QBs last year. I've changed my mind a bit on him recently. Opponents now know they must respect him more heading into 2008, and he still has a shaky surrounding cast, so I am now expecting a minor dip in week-to-week production in '08.

Seattle Seahawks: Rookie tight end John Carlson is going to have high demands on him right away. The TE is an integral part of the Seattle passing game, and the Seahawks have obviously chosen to hand the keys to the starting job to him instead of bringing in a veteran. If Carlson proves to be a quick study, he is going to be a significant fantasy sleeper at his position.

Arizona Cardinals: Leonard Pope is recovering from an ankle problem and is reportedly in danger of not being the starter. The latter means little from a fantasy perspective. In two-TE sets, especially near the goal line, Pope will be free to spring loose as a pass-catcher, while the other guy helps the offensive line. Pope still can be a decent fantasy starter in 2008, based heavily on red zone opportunities.

St. Louis Rams: It's now or never for Drew Bennett to show that he can be a quality NFL starter. If he fails, that's bad news for Torry Holt owners. There is really no other wideout on the roster right now who can command the defensive respect that a productive Bennett would. Holt is a shakier pick than you might think. He has been consistent annually, but it's no longer about the past now that the Isaac Bruce era has ended. I'm dropping Holt in my rankings based on this recent train of thought.

San Francisco 49ers: Do not overlook J.T. O'Sullivan as a possible starter for the 49ers and as a decent backup in larger leagues. If the two QBs ahead of him fail, Sullivan knows the Mike Martz system already.

Scott Engel was the Fantasy Sports Writers' Association 2006 Fantasy Football Writer of the Year. You can reach Scott at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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