I can't believe how fast this season went by. Hope everyone had a successful run. I managed to win 1 Super Bowl after making it to the semi-finals in 4 of 7 leagues. Not a bad year though I have had much better. As mentioned in earlier weeks I am going to use week the week 17 EOTG to take a look at some of next years potentially rising prospects. This doesn't include the rookie class coming out since its too early to get into those guys until we know who they are going to play for. Instead I'll look at young guys who may step into bigger roles in '05 and potential free agent situations. Its never too early to start looking at next season and as we always said at Red Eye Sports "Championships are won in the off season!"

Defensive linemen
The Arizona situation has a good chance to produce some decent defensive linemen in '05. Bert Berry stepped up this year and became a solid option but the Cards are in search of someone else to pair with him. Calvin Pace showed signs of being that guy early in the season but was later relegated to Dennis Green's dog house. Kyle Vanden Bosch has a lot of potential and finally made it through a full season healthy. Next year he will be 2 years removed from his second knee injury and may be the guy that steps up. That however is all contingent on his being resigned. Vanden Bosch is going to be a UFA.

The Bills defense really stepped up over the second half of the season, especially when it comes to making big plays. Part of the reason was an improved pass rush for their ends. Aaron Schobel is entrenched on one side but the club has been slow to decide between Ryan Denney who opened the season starting opposite Schobel, and Chris Kelsay who will finish the season as the starter. The two shared the position most of the time but Kelsay seemed to be puling away late. He recorded 3.5 of his 4.5 sacks after week 9 and has been seeing the majority of the action at the position over the final month. Kelsay could earn a much bigger chunk of playing time in '05.

The Bears have rotated Michael Haynes and Alex Brown at DE much of this season which has basically kept both of them from making a big fantasy splash but that situation may be resolved this off season as Brown is scheduled to become a free agent. Chicago already had a ton invested in Haynes and Ogunleye so they may not be willing to come off the big bucks to keep Brown around. He's proven to be a decent player and defensive ends are at a premium which generally makes them way over paid as free agents. Hayes made some big plays this season and is ready to take over as an every down guy. If he gets that chance look out. Especially considering he will be playing opposite Ogunleye who will garner most of the attention from offenses. Brown could also become a decent option if he lands in the right place though I personally believe his upside is limited. I consider him comparable to a Chike Okeafor or Phillip Daniels.

Entering this season there was talk in Minnesota that they could have 2 rookies starting at DE. First round pick Kenechi Udeze was a given and has been fairly effective as a full time player but third round pick Darrion Scott's inexperience proved too much for his raw talent to overcome. He will challenge Kenny Mixon for the job again next training camp and may unseat the veteran. Both Udeze and Scott have a lot of potential and the Vikings are looking at is as if the position has been addressed for the next several years.  

Year after year Vonnie Holliday spends more time in the trainers room than on the field and the Chiefs have to be getting tired of it just like the Packers did. He makes way too much money to be watching games from the sideline not to mention the Chiefs may have discovered a stud in rookie 4th round pick Jared Allen who has piled up a team leading 8 sacks on the year. If the contract will allow it look for Holliday to be shopping his services again this off season while Allen becomes the starter opposite Eric Hicks. There will be a lot of change on defense in KC come next year and Allen will be a big part of it. 

Saints rookie DE Will Smith had an impressive season including 30 solo tackles and 6 sacks all despite splitting time with Darren Howard. Howard will be a UFA at seasons end and the club has much needier places to spend the big dollars that he will command on the open market. They drafted Smith in the first round specifically to make the injury prone Howard expendable and the chances of his returning are very slim. This means two things, someone is going to sign Howard to be their full time guy and Smith will no longer have to share his time. If Howard can stay healthy he can be an impact player for someone. It won't be for the Saints though. Meanwhile Smith will pair with Charles Grant to give the Saints arguably the best DE tandem in the game.  

With all the injuries they have had to deal with its a good thing the Eagles stocked up on defensive ends this year. They may have to do the same this off season though. Not only has Hugh Douglas been a bust, he is going to be a free agent and is likely not going to be invited back next season. Derrick Burgess is finally beginning to play the way the Eagles thought he could. It just so happens he is also in a contract year. Philly is not in great cap condition so if Burgess get much interest he may be playing elsewhere in '05. This all brings us back to Jerome McDougle who has been in and out of the lineup with injuries all year but has looked very good when healthy. If he can stay out of the trainers room he will likely be a full time player opposite Jevon Kearse next season and could be a rousing success in a system that provides plenty of opportunity.

It took almost the entire season but the Buccaneers have finally named Dewayne White the starter at DE opposite Simeon Rice. He didn't nake a lot of noise this year but managed 5.5 sacks in just 8 games, most of which while coming off the bench. This kid was a 1st round pick in '03 and has all the tools to be a star. He could break out big in his third season.

The Titans knew what they were doing when they added 3 defensive ends in the early rounds of the draft this year. Carlos Hall is a solid #3 end but isn't a starter quality player. The Titans used this year to get their trio of youngsters some experience and I believe two of the three will be their opening day starters come next season. Travis LaBoy is likely to be one of them with Antwan Odom and Bo Schobel fighting for the other position. I can however see a scenario where the Titans rotate both ends with Hall remaining in the mix. They will be looking for a couple of these guys to step out from the others. Its a situation to watch closely come training camp. One other twist here is that Hall will be a restricted free agent. If he gets a big offer the Titans will pat him on the back as he heads out the door.

Linebackers
Edgerton Hartwell has spent his brief career playing in the shadow of the great Ray Lewis but may escape via free agency this off-season. Hartwell is scheduled to become a UFA at seasons end. Chances are the Ravens will make a strong run at him but Hartwell is a very good player who could emerge as a fantasy star if he lands in the right place.

There may be a changing of the guard coming at linebacker in Arizona as long time starter Ronald McKinnon is set to become a free agent. His skills have definitely declined and chances are he won't be resigned, at least not as a starter. The Cards have been impressed with Karlos Dansby and believe Gerald Hayes is ready to take on a much bigger role. Don't be surprised if Hayes starts at MLB in '05 and emerges as a solid fantasy option.

The Falcons really like what they have seen from rookie Demorrio Williams this season and so do I. The youngster saw spot duty this year but still managed a few nice box scores along the way. Keith Brooking was moved to WLB where he is basically out of position so that weak link Chris Draft could be better camouflaged in the middle. Williams can play any of the LB positions but is best suited for WLB so don't be surprised if Brooking is back where he belongs next year and Williams starting. Another issue that may come into play is that SLB Matt Stewart is heading toward free agency. Williams doesn't look like as good a fit on the strong side so Draft might get a look there if he is not released or Stewart is not resigned.  

Last week I mentioned that Bengals MLB Nate Webster had to have a second operation on his injured knee and that there are concerns that he won't be completely healthy for next season. Webster is also going to be an unrestricted free agent which all but ensures he won't be a Bengal. Rumor also has it that Kevin Hardy will play his last game for Cincy this week as he is expected to be a cap casualty this off season. There could be 2 starting jobs opening up and they are likely to be filled by Caleb Miller and Landon Johnson with Miller the odds on favorite to land in the MLB position and have the bigger fantasy impact. He's been nursing a bad ankle all this season but looked very good prior to the injury. While Johnson did a solid job in the middle this season he was an OLB in college. Miller on the other hand, was drafted as a middle backer.

Panthers WLB Will Witherspoon is set to become a UFA after the season which makes for a very interesting situation. We have already seen how productive he can be despite playing second fiddle to Dan Morgan most of the time. If he gets out of Carolina and into a better situation Spooney could become a top 10 fantasy LB in a good situation with the right team. The other issue this brings up is who would take over his starting job if he doesn't resign? Carolina has Mark Fields and Brandon Short who are both starter quality guys so they could almost afford to let Witherspoon go. On the other hand with Morgan and Fields having injury issues, they would be making a huge gamble to do so. There is little doubt the club will make an effort to keep him but if he gets a big money offer and leaves look for Fields to move to WLB next year and be a strong fantasy option as long as he can stay healthy.  

The Browns spent a good deal of cash on Warrick Holdman heading into this season and he proved to be a virtual bust. The good news for them is he only had a one year contract so they aren't stuck with him. The question is who will take over the WLB position? Kevin Bentley and Ben Taylor are both injury prone which leaved Andra Davis in the middle and last years second round pick Chaun Thompson as the only sure starters. Thompson played SLB this year but is a prime candidate to move to WLB in '05. If that happens he could make a good fantasy option.

Several times over the course of the season I mentioned the situation with Jay Foreman possibly being done in Houston. I stand corrected in that Foreman is not heading for free agency. This doesn't however ensure that he will be with the club next season. They are still looking for a way to get Kailee Wong on the field along with Jason Babin and Antwan Peek. Foreman is actually entering the final year of his deal and is scheduled to make a phat salary for '05. I expect he will be asked (at gun point so to speak) to restructure his contract. If he isn't willing to do so don't be surprised to see Wong next to Sharper on the inside next year.

I would like to know what is going on inside the heads of the Colts brain trust with regard to David Thornton. Last year he was their best defender yet this season he was not only moved out of the playmakers position in the scheme, but found himself benched in passing situations with his playing time dwindling late in the season. Thornton will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and I have to wonder if he will be back with the club. The Colts are high on rookie Gilbert Gardner who would have given Cato June a tough fight for the WLB job had he not been injured. Could they be looking to play Gardner at SLB in '05? They certainly won't have much cap room to work with after locking up the triplets on offense. There are some teams out there who would sure love to add Thornton, if he lands in the right place he could be a very good fantasy option.  

MLB Kawika Mitchell is another player who is going to be a big part of the Chiefs rebuilding process on defense. Their D improved later in the season especially against the run and it no coincidence that it happened after he took over the starting job. Its also no coincidence that he has put up excellent numbers in recent weeks. History tells us that Chiefs MLB's are generally fantasy studs going back several years. Mitchell is a much more talented player than Mike Maslowski or Monty Beisel who were both one year wonders in the same situation. The difference is that Mitchell is young, healthy and locked up contractually for a long time. He will be the Chiefs man in the middle for several years.

When the Jets drafted Jonathan Vilma in round 1 it was speculated that he and Sam Cowart would play the ILB's in the Jets 3-4 defense. Since that time the Jets have all but scrapped the 3-4 and Cowart has found very little playing time since returning from injury 4 weeks ago. He makes way too much money to be a backup which leads us to two possibilities, either the Jets will bring back the 3-4 scheme (which doesn't seem likely at this point) or they will cut Cowart loose after the season. He is still one of the better linebackers in the league and would have no trouble landing a starting job. Where ever he may end up, if its not in a Jets uniform, he will be a stud.

I have been wondering aloud all season why Orlando Huff has remained the starting MLB in Seattle. Niko Koutouvides is a faster and much more physical player who sure looked like the better option at MLB to the naked eye. We shall soon see just how in love with Huff the Seahawks are as he is scheduled to become a free agent. I believe the club will let him walk unless he comes back at a veteran minimum. With or without Huff I believe Koutouvides opens the '05 season as the Seahawks MLB, a position that holds a great deal of fantasy value. 

Defensive Backs
Both of Arizona's starting safeties Adrian Wilson and Ifeanyi Ohalete are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents this off season. I doubt they will let either of them go without making some effort to lock them up since both guys have proven to be solid players and neither is likely to command big dollars from anyone else. The other point here is that there is no one behind them that is a serious threat.

Cleveland already benched FS Earl Little in favor of Chris Crocker who posted very good numbers before being hurt. Even with the coaching change Crocker will likely return as the starter in '05 and pick up right where he left off. The bigger sleeper in Cleveland however is at SS where over the hill veteran Robert Griffith is likely to be released with last years second round pick Sean Jones taking over at the position. Jones was one of the top safeties in the '04 draft but spent the season on the PUP list. He should be fully recovered by training camp and is a near shoe in to claim the starting job.  

Heading into this season there was a lot of speculation that Terrence Holt would be taking over one of the safety positions for the Lions. For some reason the club decided against making the youngster a starter claiming that he needed more experience. Holt got plenty more experience over the course of this season and is expected to challenge move into the starting job at FS in '05. The Lions play a lot of cover two which holds down the box score production of the safeties but Holt may be able to overcome the scheme. He proved last year as a rookie that he has a knack for making big plays, something the Lions D is in dire need of.

In my honest opinion Donovan Darius is a vastly over rated player but there is always a chance his production is somehow being retarded by the scheme he has played in all his career. When Jack Del Rio took over in Jacksonville the scheme changed but Darius's numbers haven't. That said, he signed his franchise tended and played with a one year contract this season and will be a UFA again this off season. Changing systems could be all it takes to make Darius a good fantasy option so keep an eye on this situation.

Heading into the '03 season Mel Mitchell was set to be the Saints starting SS. Then a knee injury took him out and he was never able to regain the job. Both Mitchell and current starter Jay Bellamy are scheduled to be UFA's this off season. Chances are the club won't resign them both. Mitchell will be 2 years removed from the injury and should be back to full strength come '05. Don't be surprised if the Saints resign him and give him another shot at the starting job. He'll come a lot cheaper than Bellamy and is a lot younger with more upside.

Sammy Knight never exactly panned out for the Dolphins or for us fantasy geeks for that matter. He is looking to become a free agent again this off season and very well could end up changing uniforms again. There is going to be a lot of player turnover in Miami and I expect they will be going with a youth movement that probably won't include Knight. This guy is a very talented player who could very well return to his former glory is he ends up in the right situation.

He made some rookie mistakes this season but the Raiders remain very high on rookie safety Stuart Schweigert. Marques Anderson was picked up during the season when Derrick Gibson was lost to injury and the club likes him as well but Anderson is set to become a free agent. They will likely make him an offer but consider Schweigert their starter of the future. He put up strong numbers this season whenever he saw significant playing time and could emerge as a top 12 fantasy DB in '05 if things fall his way and he ends up starting. The Raiders were loosing patience with Gibson even before the injury so he is a long shot to regain his starting job.

Well that's going to do it for another season. I hope my babblings have helped a few times over the course of the season and I will be looking foreword to returning in '05. Those of you who know me from Red Eye Sports or even as far back as my days at Fantasy Insights will be happy to know that next year the pre-season Eyes of the Guru will be back in all its glory (and detail).

Hope everyone has a great off season and remember what its all about... Just WIN Baby!

John