Brandon Jackson is one of the best mid-round values in fantasy leagues right now. Vernand Morency is his only competition, and he's questionable for Week 1, continuing a career-long theme of being injury-prone (career-high in carries is 91). Jackson played in a similar zone-blocking scheme in college, so while he's been a little shaky in picking up the blitz so far, his learning curve shouldn't be too steep. The Packers have the makings of an underrated defense, and if the preseason is any indication, Jackson will be heavily involved in the passing game. If a decrepit Ahman Green could amass more than 1,400 total yards in this offense last season, just imagine what fresh legs can do.

Philip Rivers is moving up my draft board. He tossed 22 touchdowns last season, with LaDainian Tomlinson breaking the NFL-record for rushing scores. Think about that. The 7.4 YPA is an elite number, and he started developing a better rapport with Antonio Gates over the second half of the season. Vincent Jackson is also emerging as an excellent secondary option, and while Norv Turner isn't known for engineering big time QB numbers, the exit of Marty-ball certainly bodes well for Rivers' chances of improving upon last year's already-impressive stats. We are talking about a guy with 16 career starts, so there's plenty of room to grow.

There isn't a better late-round value at wide receiver than Ronald Curry. Over the final four weeks of last season, the former quarterback hauled in 33 catches for 339 yards. That fine finish has carried over into an impressive preseason, and no matter how many turnovers Daunte Culpepper commits this season, he has to be considered an upgrade over the team's disastrous QB situation last year. And all signs point to Culpepper, who should at least be able to get the ball downfield, being Oakland's signal caller for the duration of 2007. Teammate Jerry Porter makes for another solid gamble late, but I'd rather own Curry of the two, despite his past injury concerns.

I'm staying away from Larry Johnson this season. I love the way he runs - he's easily the most physical back in the game today - but there are too many red flags to spend a top-5 pick on him. He set the NFL record for carries last season; got a late start to camp, which can often lead to early season injuries since he's not used to physical contact; plays for quite possibly the worst team in the NFL, with an unsettled (to put it nicely) QB situation and a fast detiorating offensive line. Listen, LJ is a beast and will be relied upon by his team more so than any other running back in the league, but there's an awful lot of chips stacked against him.

Don't be surprised if Ladell Betts and Leon Washingon are difference makers in fantasy leagues this season. Clinton Portis' knee tendinits is clearly worrisome, and Betts was a top-5 running back when on the field last season. Plus, the Redskins' run blocking is elite. As for Washington, he's dynamic as a pass catcher and can be effective even if only given 15-20 touches. Thomas Jones, meanwhile, has a mysterious Achilles/calf injury that no owner should feel comfortable about. Also, Cedric Houston is no longer in the picture, and the Jets have the makings of a solid offensive line with D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold developing.

I was all set to hype up Travis Henry big time this season, but obviously a knee injury is something to worry about, no matter how minor they claim it to be. I just don't get all this "Mike Shanahan is fickle with his RBs" talk. He's been that way over the past few seasons simply because Tatum Bell sucks. The Broncos signed Henry to a $22.5 million contract, with $12 million guaranteed. Shanahan actually despises committees and much prefers one guy to carry the load. Henry appeared washed up just a few season ago, doesn't typically catch the ball all that much and has durability concerns, but he ran extremely well last year for the Titans and is more motivated than ever to play for a winning team. There also couldn't be a better fit for the Broncos' one-cut and go system, which is still the elite rushing offense in the entire NFL. The local beat writers basically said the season is over if Henry is out for the season when he went down last week, suggesting just how important those who follow Denver day in and day out view him.

If you double Lee Evans' production over the second half of last season, you get 86 catches, 1,610 yards and 12 touchdowns. This coincided with J.P. Losman developing as a quarterback, so there's some cause and effect here. The Bills revamped their offensive line over the offseason, so Losman should have ample time to go downfield, where Evans is as dangerous as any wide receiver in the game. The Bills also have a pretty terrible defense, so expect the team to be throwing an awful lot while playing catch up in second halves of games this season. Buffalo also lacks a viable second receiver, making Evans the only show in town - also a good thing. As such, Evans should be treated as a top-5 WR, with the upside of finishing the season atop the board.

I'm worried about Brandon Jacobs' ability to stay healthy this season - oftentimes guys that size struggle with injuries despite that being counterintuitive. He's very top-heavy. However, I still see him worth the gamble of a second round pick. Tom Coughlin doesn't get the credit he deserves as a running-game guru. Tiki Barber didn't become an elite back until Coughlin arrived, as all three of his Pro Bowl appearances came under Coughlin's tutelage. The Jaguars also led the NFL in rushing when Coughlin was there, helping Fred Taylor have his best seasons of his career. At a minimum, Jacobs is set to get 80 percent of the carries and all of the goal-line work, something only a handful of backs in the NFL can say.

Adrian Peterson is injury-prone. He also has Hall of Fame type talent. Let's not forget, he did set the record for carries by a freshman in the history of college football during his first year, so he has shown the ability to carry the load. The Vikings have a terrific offensive line, the No. 1 ranked run defense last year (time of possession should always be in their favor) and a coach who will rely on the run with a raw QB at the helm. Chester Taylor is mediocre at best, and Peterson should get the goal-line work from the get-go. You don't want to get too caught up in preseason results, but AD's eight-carry, 70 rushing yards (with a TD) performance last week revealed the type of upside this truly special back possesses. There simply won't be a better fourth or fifth round pick in fantasy leagues this year.