The receiver position has been a source of frustration for Philadelphia for years, from Todd Pinkston to James Thrash to Terrell Owens. To that end, the Eagles moved to outbid at least two other WR-starved squads for the services of former Ram Kevin Curtis, and fantasy owners should take note. Curtis has been forced to play third fiddle in his career, thanks to the presence of potential Hall of Famers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt. However, he'll play a much more prominent role as a No. 2 in Philly behind Reggie Brown, in a pass-heavy offense that suits his skills perfectly. His speed, run-after-the-catch ability, and dependable route-running will make him a regular target for Donovan McNabb and the Eagles' West Coast attack.

Two seasons ago when Bruce missed some time with an injury, Curtis set career highs with 60 catches, 801 yards and six scores. Assuming McNabb returns to health, Curtis is a lock to break those reception and yardage totals. It's early yet, but Curtis looks like a very viable threat as a solid No. 3 in fantasy play. 

Ladies and gents, we have a new fantasy QB to consider. Matt Schaub, the promising yet inexperienced caddy to Michael Vick for the past three seasons, finally has his own gig. His new contract makes it clear that he will be the unquestioned starter in Houston. Schaub has made two starts in his brief career — his first a 188-yard, two-INT outing vs. the Saints in '04 and his second a 298-yard, three-TD exploision vs. New England in '05. He has appeared in 16 other games in spot or emergency duty and has shown a very strong arm, poise in the pocket and an ability to read defenses.

Where does his fantasy value lie as the Texans' signalcaller? Not exceptionally high, despite a skill set that is intriguing. As explosive as WR Andre Johnson is, he's only one reliable target. Behind him, Schaub has only WRs Kevin Walter and Jerome Mathis and second-year TE Owen Daniels. The running game should be better with Ahman Green in tow, but the real problem is the same one David Carr had in Houston: no pass protection. Schaub isn't a statue, but neither was Carr. Without significant improvement up front (Levi Brown anyone?), Schaub's value is sufficiently limited. I'd simply call him a decent fantasy backup with upside in keeper formats. 

Every fantasy draft season, running backs fly off the board in a heartbeat. Backs often make up 80 percent of the first two rounds. Why? Because the RB position is often the thinnest, with true feature, workhorse backs disappearing faster than Pacman Jones' legal defense. With so many teams trending to a two-headed backfield, the pattern appeared destined to continue.

However, as we began the process of really diving headfirst into next year's draft board, I was shocked to see the changes the RB rankings had undergone since the end of the season. Several committee backfields, specifically Chicago, Indianapolis and New England, have disappeared. Other backs still stuck in committees have proven they can overcome them, namely Maurice Jones-Drew, Thomas Jones, Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister. Still others have landed in locales more favorable for their fantasy value, such as Travis Henry and Willis McGahee. 

It all adds up to what looks like as deep a fantasy RB class as I can remember. Of course, it's just April, and I'm certain RBs will still dominate the early rounds, but it's interesting and somewhat comforting to see backs like Thomas Jones, Chester Taylor and Ahman Green sitting just outside the top 20 backs on the board. Provided injuries and rookie additions don't rob us of this newfound depth, this may play a major role in draft strategy come August. Let's keep an eye on it.  

NFL commissioner and protector of personal conduct Roger Goodell sent his message on Tuesday when he suspended Titans CB Pacman Jones for a full season and Bengals WR Chris Henry for eight games for their frequent violations of the law and the NFL personal conduct policy. Fantasy owners fondly view Henry as a big-play touchdown machine with his 14 touchdowns in just nine career starts (and 27 games) over two seasons. In limited time last season, Henry scored nine times and recorded nine plays of 20-plus yards and five of 40-plus yards.

Alas, TD-heavy fantasy owners will have to make do without Henry for at least a half-season and maybe more if the kid can't get his head screwed on straight while he's being docked without pay. The suspension has cost Henry a spot on our top-65 WR draft board this offseason, but it opens up an opportunity for several Bengals. With Kelley Washington now in New England, WRs Tab Perry and Antonio Chatman will have a shot to earn snaps, and one has to wonder if the Bengals will look to pass-catching RBs Kenny Watson and Chris Perry more often. Also, don't be surprised to see the Bengals target a receiver or pass-catching TE (Greg Olsen?) in the draft. They've certainly had success identifying WR prospects, and they have the offense to support a third weapon in the passing game — as Henry proved when he wasn't in the doghouse.

Wih the first pick in the 2007 NFL draft, the Raiders selected QB JaMarcus Russell. Needless to say, he's not going to be the first pick in your fantasy draft next fall, and in many non-keeper formats, he may not even be drafted at all. The Raiders will likely aim to keep him on the sideline for at least a few games, perhaps by adding a veteran passer or using last year's punching bag, Andrew Walter.

However, it's worth noting that all of last year's first-round QBs ended up finishing the season as the starter, as did second-rounder Tarvaris Jackson in Minnesota. When he does ditch the clipboard for the huddle, Russell will likely have big-play receivers and the size and strength to make up for the Raiders' shoddy play up front. Still, Oakland has a long way to go before it proves their miserable offense will put up points.

Russell will essentially be a high-upside speculation pick as a backup fantasy quarterback. He's not likely to make a significant impact in Year One, but then again, recall that's exactly what we said about Vince Young. 

Ladies and gentlemen, the first rookie drafted in your fantasy leagues this fall will be Calvin Johnson. Truth be told, it doesn't even matter where Johnson landed, but it certainly doesn't hurt that he appears to have landed in Detroit in an explosive Mike Martz offense and with a capable QB in Jon Kitna. That won't change if indeed he's on his way to Tampa, either, considering Jeff Garcia and Jon Gruden are calling the shots there and Joey Galloway is still stretching field and demanding attention from opposing defenses.

One day, and it's not as far off as you think, Johnson will be the No. 1 WR in fantasy football. Where should he be slotted before he even steps on an NFL playing field? I'm tempted to immediatey make him a top-20 receiver, perhaps as high as No. 17 overall immediately behind Andre Johnson and Marques Colston. I know I'd take him before Darrell Jackson, Hines Ward and Laveranues Coles.

Traditionally, running backs are the quickest fantasy performers to make an impact, and despite the presence of offensive MVP Chester Taylor, there's no reason Peterson can't follow in the footsteps of last year's stellar rookie class featuring Maurice Jones-Drew, Reggie Bush and Joseph Addai, among others.

With a passing game that is led by Tarvaris Jackson and Bobby Wade, the Vikings now have the ability, with Peterson and Taylor, to run the ball as much as 40 times per week. And you might think opposing defenses could simply stack the box, but with their left side of the offensive line featuring Bryant McKinnie, Steve Hutchinson and Matt Birk, they have the potential to dominate even when defenses know what's coming.

With that line, Peterson has definite opportunity, but his workload with Taylor and his health remain to be seen. With that in mind, I'm tentatively slotting Peterson in at No. 24 on the RB cheat sheet, immediately behind Brandon Jacobs and just ahead of Cadillac Williams, Warrick Dunn and Julius Jones. Peterson has as much upside as any back stuck in a job share. As for Taylor, his value takes a significant hit. He'll likely lose a ton of carries and most, if not all, goal-line looks. Drop him down into the 30s on your RB rankings.   

Ted Ginn Jr. was the second receiver taken in the NFL draft, but he's light-years behind Calvin Johnson in fantasy value. As a receiver, he's got the straight-line speed to hand in a huge play every now and then, but he has to show significant improvement in route-running and contributions underneath and across the middle before he can be considered a consistent fantasy weapon.

However, Ginn does have elite special-teams ability, and much like the Bears' Devin Hester, could add a lot of fantasy value to the Dolphins' defense/special teams. If your league counts special-teams touchdowns, bump Miami's team defense up your board a few spots. However, Ginn will likely go undrafted as a fantasy receiver.  

What was your favorite moment of the Anthony Thomas era? His stint as the featured back in Buffalo, ushered in by the Willis McGahee trade, came to a swift conclusion with the selection of Cal RB Marshawn Lynch with the No. 12 pick in the draft.

However, before you drop Thomas off your RB cheat sheet and throw Lynch into your top 25, let's not forget about the growing trend of committee backfields, and the possibility that could be the approach in upstate New York. Lynch has never been the 300-carry workhorse, even at the college level, and he comes with concerns about a lingering back injury. He also still has to learn an NFL playbook and grasp the intracacies of pass protection, while Thomas is an experienced veteran who knows the Bills' scheme inside and out. 

Thomas clearly sees his fantasy value drop; he was at No. 31 on our draft board, partly because we knew he would likely welcome in an impact rookie before the season. Lynch is the more explosive player and probably replaces him in the 30s. Thomas should fall into the 40s where older, complementary backs like Dominic Rhodes reside.