by John Tuvey
#1) Knowshon Moreno RB Ht: 5-11 Wt: 217 Drafted 1.12 by the Denver Broncos
Moreno and the Broncos were “working feverishly” towards a contract, according to the Denver Post, so it appears as if the end of the rookie’s weeklong holdout is in sight. Then Moreno can begin the process of beating out LaMont Jordan, Correll Buckhalter, Peyton Hillis, and Ryan Torain for carries. The transition for a rookie running back isn’t as difficult as at other positions, but Moreno will still need to prove he’s picked up Josh McDaniels’ offense and can handle the nuances of the position to ensure he gets 250-plus touches in this crowded backfield.
#2) Chris “Beanie” Wells RB Ht: 6-1 Wt: 235 Drafted 1.31 by the Arizona Cardinals
Wells beat Moreno to camp, but in his first NFL practice lived up to his injury reputation by spraining his ankle. Beanie was carted off, but following an MRI the Cards indicated the injury isn’t serious. Missed reps in training camp compound the practice time Beanie missed during OTAs thanks to Ohio State’s later graduation date. Wells is still expected to eventually wrest the starting job from Tim Hightower, but this pushes the needle closer to “later” as opposed to “sooner”. Also worth noting: Wells weighed in at 224, 22 pounds lighter than draft day and 14 pounds less than he played for the Buckeyes last year.
#5) Michael Crabtree WR Ht: 6-1 Wt: 215 Drafted 1.10 by the San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers first-rounder reportedly wants to be paid third-overall money, since that’s where he and his agent figure he should have gone on draft day. The Niners took him 10th and aren’t likely to overpay—what with a run-first mentality being established by Mike Singletary and a decent receiving corps even sans Crabtree—so this holdout shows no signs of ending any time soon. Worse, thanks to foot surgery Crabtree missed all of San Francisco’s OTAs meaning he’ll be far behind the curve once he does show up. It’s already tough enough for wide receivers to transition from college to the pros; mix in all the reps Crabtree has missed and we are dangerously close to the point at which he’s virtually unusable in redraft leagues.
#10) Percy Harvin WR Ht: 5-11 Wt: 192 Drafted 1.22 by the Minnesota Vikings
It took Harvin a little extra time to get his contract kinks worked out; he was the last Vikings rookie into camp, and then the league made he and the Vikings clean up some language before approving the deal. Worse, plans for Brett Favre to direct jump passes and shovel passes Harvin’s way never materialized. The Vikings are still working on getting the ball into Harvin’s hands—he’s already lined up wide and in the slot as well as halfback and quarterback and returned both punts and kicks—but while they appear to be coming up with creative ways to do it they’ll still be relying on Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson. At least Harvin hasn’t been suspended—yet—or missed time with an injury—yet.
#23) James Davis RB Ht: 5-11 Wt: 218 Drafted 6.22 by the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland’s last pick in the 2009 draft has been the first to make himself known at training camp. Helping Davis is a bond he shares with starter Jamal Lewis; the two grew up in the same neighborhood and attended the same high school, though eight years apart. Davis isn’t as big as Lewis, but he’s a better inside runner than Jerome Harrison and right now is the best bet on the Browns’ roster to replace Jamal a year or two down the road. As for his ability to get on the field right away, Davis has already impressed Eric Mangini with his work in pass protection; in other words, Davis is quickly earning the coaches’ confidence. That can only bode well for his future, both immediate and down the road.
#35) Gartrell Johnson RB Ht: 5-10 Wt: 219 Drafted 4.34 by the San Diego Chargers
Johnson has been one of the early standouts at Chargers camp, getting the bulk of the workload early on before the veterans showed up. Eventually he’ll slide behind LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles in the pecking order, but both veterans are essentially on one-year deals. Johnson can cut his teeth on special teams this season, then next year it’s not at all difficult to see him offering a Michael Turner-esque complement to LT as Tomlinson chases after some rushing records. The year after that… well, we all know what happed with Turner.
#38) Jared Cook TE Ht: 6-5 Wt: 246 Drafted 3.25 by the Tennessee Titans
Cook is taking advantage of Kenny Britt’s hamstring injury to receive extra reps in the Tennessee passing game, and the Titans are taking advantage of Cook’s size and athleticism by lining him up outside. The plan is still to use Cook as an in-line tight end, especially once his blocking improves, but right now he’s getting on the field in situations where he can create mismatches and do damage down the field. There may be some impact this season, especially as a tight end who’s playing some wideout, and down the road he could move quickly into that group of pass-catching tight ends (Gates, Gonzo, Clark, etc.) who sit atop the fantasy rankings.