Best in Class: Take your pick.
This is the deepest pool of free agent receivers that I’ve seen in a long time. Wes Welker, Mike Wallace, Vincent Jackson, Dwayne Bowe, Marques Colston, Brandon Lloyd, Stevie Johnson, DeSean Jackson, Reggie Wayne and Robert Meachem comprise the top 10 free agents, but Mario Manningham, Laurent Robinson and Harry Douglas could also be available next month. Welker seems like a perfect fit for the Patriots’ offense and will likely stay in New England, but Wallace could be available if the Steelers can’t figure out a way to fit him under their cap. When healthy and not in the midst of a contract holdout, V-Jax is one of the more versatile receivers in the league in that he’s a vertical threat with soft hands who can also block in the running game. Bowe, Colston, Lloyd, Johnson, Jackson and Wayne have been, or still are No. 1 options in the passing game and Meachem certainly has the talent to be a No. 1 given his skill set. Teams needing a receiver have no excuse not to address that hole this offseason.

The Biggest Risk: DeSean Jackson
Jackson is only 25 and is drenched in big play ability. But he has 35 drops over the last four seasons, was a ghost at times last year because he was seemingly worried about his contract situation, and sometimes costs his team on the field with his immaturity. Because of his big play ability and success as a punt returner, plenty of teams will be interested in Jackson’s services next month. But with so many other free agent receivers available, teams weary of his inconsistency and maturity issues can cross his name off the list if they want to. His agent must pull his hair out thinking about how much money Jackson has cost himself over the past year.

The Best Value: Brandon Lloyd
Lloyd is still going to be paid like a low-end No. 1 but at 31 he’ll be cheaper than guys like Welker, Jackson, Bowe, Wallace and Colston. He didn’t post the same numbers in 2011 as he did in 2010 but don’t forget that the quarterback situation in Denver was brutal and Sam Bradford couldn’t stay healthy in St. Louis (the team Lloyd was traded to midseason). Even at 31, Lloyd is an explosive downfield threat who also has a large catch radius. The Rams would be wise to keep him in St. Louis but if he were to hit the open market, he could turn out to be a real value for his eventual production.

Best Cost-Effective Bargain: Robert Meachem
Meachem doesn’t have the numbers or name power as other receivers that could become available next month but at 27 his ceiling is still somewhat high. He’s consistent, as he’s averaged a touchdown every 10 receptions in the regular season and has just 11 drops over the last four years. He may never develop into a No. 1 but he’s worth a shot for a team like Jacksonville that is thin at receiver and has other holes to address this offseason (and thus, might not want to spend big at one position). Meachem could wind up being a cost-effective alternative to Jackson, Bowe, Colston and the other big-name receivers in this free agent pool.

Merry preseason, everyone. It’s been a long offseason, but football is finally gearing up again and to celebrate I’m rolling out a new series on TSR entitled “2010 NFL Question Marks,” where I discuss one or two of the biggest concerns that teams have heading into the new season. Granted, some teams have more issues than others, but I’ll primarily be focusing on the biggest problem areas. Today I’ll be discussing the woeful Rams and their concerns at receiver and in the defensive backfield.

When a team earns the right to select at the top of the draft, it’s easy to spot its holes.

And the Rams have a lot of holes.

Outside of running back Steven Jackson and a linebacker corps led by second-year player James Laurinaitis, the Rams have issues at nearly every position. The hope is that young players like Sam Bradford, Rodger Saffold, Jason Smith and Chris Long will step up in due time, but it’s going to be a while before guys like Bradford are ready to make major contributions.

The receiver and defensive backfield are currently the team’s two biggest weaknesses heading into the new year. Wideout was already a concern before Donnie Avery went down to a season ending injury and now that they won’t even have him, the Rams have an even bigger hole at the position.

I’ve been very high on Laurent Robinson since he came into the league as a third round pick of the Falcons in 2007. But despite flashing his potential on occasion, he’s been a dud due to injuries. He caught 13 passes for 167 yards and one touchdown in his first four games last year, then suffered an injury that shelved him for the rest of the season. With Avery out, he has the opportunity to be the No. 1 guy but can he stay healthy for 16 games? He hasn’t yet.

Filling in for Avery at the spot opposite Robinson will be Danny Amendola, an undrafted second-year player out of Texas Tech. He did catch 43 passes for 326 yards and one touchdown last year and could be a potential sleeper in 2010, but it remains to be seen if he can be a full-time starter. The same goes for Brandon Gibson and Keenan Burton, two other receivers further down St. Louis’ depth chart.

Perhaps the most intriguing option is rookie Mardy Gilyard, who was a tremendous playmaker at Cincinnati, but someone who has yet to make an immediate impact. He certainly has the talent to be good at this level, but it looks like the Rams will have to bring him along slowly after he failed to impress in camp.

Switching to the defensive side of the ball, Ron Bartell was given a $25 million deal before last offseason and he repaid the Rams by regressing in coverage. He gave up 783 yards and allowed 63.4 percent of passes to be completed on him last year, which included five touchdowns. And he’s supposed to be the team’s best corner.

Bradley Fletcher (knee surgery) was expected to win the starting job opposite Bartell, but he couldn’t beat out Kevin Dockery in camp or preseason. That isn’t good considering Dockery is coming off a miserable year with the Giants and is now expected to start.

The situation appears to be a little better at safety where Craig Dahl and O.J. Atogwe will return, but for as skilled as Atogwe is at forcing turnovers his overall play leaves something to be desired.

All in all, the Rams will struggle again this season. They just don’t have the talent to match up with opponents on week-to-week and both of these positions will hold them back in 2010.

I hate writing intros and I don’t think many people read them anyway. There’s a good chance you’re not even reading this write now, so let’s just get on with it.

(Side Note: This list isn’t directed at fantasy football readers. If owners want to apply this information for fantasy purposes, please, be my guest. But I encourage you to check out my TSR partner John Paulsen’s work if you’re looking specifically for fantasy-related content. Just do so after you read this piece………..you’re not even reading this, are you?)

1. Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs
I’m going to start off with a somewhat obvious candidate in Bowe based on offseason reports (he’s also already shown that he can be productive). But make a mental note (seriously, write it down) that I’ve been high on the former LSU product ever since his performance in the 2007 Sugar Bowl against Note Dame (even though he was arguably outperformed by Early Doucet). After spending a grueling offseason participating in Larry Fitzgerald’s football camp, Bowe is reportedly down to 210 pounds after showing up to camp last year at 240. After spending most of preseason in Todd Haley’s doghouse last year, Bowe is now running with the Chiefs’ first-team offense this summer. At 6’2 and 210 pounds, the problem with Bowe has never been about size or physical tools. His issues have always lied within his work ethic, or lack thereof. But if he’s focused, he could have a tremendous year in Haley’s offense and could go from a promising player to a Pro Bowler in one season.

2. Johnny Knox, Bears
As John wrote in his breakdown of sleeper fantasy receivers last week, it’s hard to pick out just one Bear receiver that could break out this season. That’s because in Mike Martz’s offense, they all could break out. But I’m going with Knox over returner-turned-receiver Devin Hester, whom some believe will be Chicago’s biggest breakout player. Knox has reportedly been targeted more than any receiver in Bears’ camp so far this offseason and he’s the perfect fit for Martz’s up-temp offense. That’s because he not only has elite speed, but he’s also a sound route-runner and he’s already drawing comparisons to Torry Holt in terms of how his game translates in Martz’s offense. Assuming Jay Cutler targets him in the regular season as much as he has so far in training camp, a 1,000-yard season is well within Knox’s reach.

3. Harry Douglas, Falcons
Had I written this piece last year, Douglas would have made that list, too. But after suffering an ACL injury early in camp, the third-year receiver missed the entire 2009 season after showing flashes of playmaking ability as a rookie. This year, he’s healthy again and has already drawn rave reviews from his coaching staff and quarterback Matt Ryan. While Michael Jenkins’ injury might open the door for more opportunities in the passing game, the Falcons want to keep him in the slot so his speed will be a mismatch for nickelbacks, linebackers and safeties. He’ll still be overshadowed by Roddy White in the offense, but assuming his knee doesn’t give him any more problems Douglas could turn some heads this season.

4. Laurent Robinson, Rams
I’ve been high on Robinson for a couple of seasons now and I even dropped a decent veteran last year (I won’t reveal the name so I can save myself some embarrassment) to pick up the St. Louis wideout off the waiver wire in my fantasy league last year. But just as he proved in 2009, he can’t stay healthy. He has good size at 6’2” and 194 pounds, but the key is whether or not the fibula and ankle injuries that derailed his ’09 season will return. The Rams say he’s healthy now and if he stays that way, he could emerge as St. Louis’ best weapon in the passing game. While his production might stay down due to the Rams’ quarterback situation, it’s worth noting that Robinson did catch 11 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown in his first two games last year with a bad Marc Bulger. Health remains is his biggest concern.

5. Brian Robiskie, Browns
Many people are high on Mohamed Massaquoi – and for good reason. He’s being counted on as the No. 1 receiver in Cleveland’s offense (not that that’s saying much) and is more of a deep threat than his teammate Robiskie. However, the former Ohio State product is arguably more polished at this point in his career because of his excellent route-running. He’s not an elite player by any means and Jake Delhomme could seriously hinder his production in 2010, but Robiskie has been impressive thus far during camp and that could translate into a solid regular season. He certainly has the ability to be underrated if he can put everything together this year.

Yesterday, I listed a few sleeper RBs that I’m targeting in the mid to late rounds, and today I’ll tackle the WR position. I’ve already discussed a few 10th-round-type players in the WR preview — specifically Derrick Mason, Malcom Floyd and Devin Aromashodu — so I’ll limit this list to players with average draft positions (ADP) in the 11th round or later.

Johnny Knox (10.11) & Devin Hester (10.11)
I’ve already broken my 11th round rule. Knox and Hester are practically going on the 11th, so I’ll give myself a pass. Truth is, I like all the Bears receivers in Mike Martz’s wide open system, but I’m not sure which guy will finish the best stats. Hester seems built to be a Wes Welker slot-type guy (with more quickness), while Knox has a ton of speed. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune thinks that Knox is emerging as Jay Cutler’s top target and Rotoworld speculates that it’s because of his ability to control his elite speed a la Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce. It’s entirely possible that all three wideouts will have fantasy relevant seasons.

Kenny Britt (11.12)
The second-year Britt did not have a very good offseason, showing up to minicamps out of shape and generally driving the coaching staff crazy. But he’s doing better in training camp, even though he’s currently running with the second team. He is clearly the most talented of the Titans’ WRs and it should only be a matter of time before he’s Tennessee’s top option in the passing game. As a rookie he caught 42 passes for 701 yards and three scores. He was WR51 last year with those numbers, but with just 10 more catches and 150 more yards, he’ll be knocking on the Top 30. Seeing as he’s currently being drafted W47, he should be a good value, even in the 9th or 10th.

Nate Burleson (12.04)
Burleson went for 63-812-3 for Seattle last season and has had an up and down career. But the always-trailing Lions will be forced to throw a lot and Burleson should be able to make hay opposite Calvin Johnson, who will receive most of the attention in the secondary. And let’s not forget that Scott Linehan is the Lions’ new OC, and the last time these two worked together, Burleson went for 68-1006-9 as a member of the 2004 Minnesota Vikings. Don’t expect nine scores, but Burleson should be an effective WR3 or WR4 in PPR leagues.

Chris Chambers (12.10)
Just shoot me now. I had long given up on Chambers ever offering any consistent fantasy production, but then he gets picked up by the Chiefs and rattles off 45-730-5 in the last nine games of the season. Those are WR8-type numbers, people. So what do we do with him this year? Well, I guess if he’s still available in the 11th or 12th round you can do worse. The guy proved he could play in the Chiefs’ offense last season, and that’s something.

Chaz Schilens (13.04)
His foot is still giving him some trouble, but the X-rays are negative, so hopefully that soreness goes away. If it does, Schilens should have a nice year. He finished fairly strong in 2009, with 4.4-53-0.4 over the last five games, and now he finally has a pretty decent QB throwing to him in Jason Campbell. Keep an eye on that foot in the preseason and if the pain starts to clear up, look at Schilens in the 11th or the 12th.

Mohamed Massaquoi (13.04)
Let’s be clear — I’m not high on Jake Delhomme or the Cleveland passing game. But anytime you can get the top option in a passing game, no matter how bad it is, in the 13th freaking round, you have to take notice. Massaquoi is entering his second season after posting a respectable 34-624-3 as a rookie. We know two things about the Browns: 1) they’ll have to throw a lot to stay in games and 2) if Jake Delhomme likes a guy he will force the ball to him. If Massaquoi becomes that guy, he could take a big step forward stat-wise in his sophomore season.

Laurent Robinson (14.01)
Robinson got off to a great start in 2009, catching 11 passes for 141 yards and a TD in the first two games before going down with a season ending leg injury that required surgery. There has been little in the way of news coming out of St. Louis, but everyone expects him to start for the Rams this season, provided his leg is sufficiently healed. If it is, he could very well pick up where he left off last season — the Rams will be throwing a lot late in games trying to catch up, and that’s a recipe for PPR success.

Jacoby Jones (14.09)
Labeled as ‘immature,’ Jones has finally won over his head coach with his maturity this offseason. Now, if he can only beat Kevin Walter out for a starting job. Jones surely has more physical ability, but Walter is a good route runner and has soft hands. Jones is a flyer, for sure, but if he can beat Walter out for the WR2 job opposite Andre Johnson, a 1,000-yard season is well within reach.

Mike Williams (14.02)
The reviews have been rave for the rookie out of Syracuse. He has already won the starting split end job and has impressed Peter King, Pete Prisco and even Adam Schefter, who says that Williams “has star written all over him.” Now it’s important to keep in mind that Williams is a rookie, but when a player is impressing this much for a team in desperate need of a playmaker at WR, fantasy owners should take notice. I’d definitely look to draft Williams in the later rounds, but don’t wait too long.

Donnie Avery, Laurent Robinson and Jason Smith are still largely inexperienced.

Sam Bradford, Mardy Gilyard and Rodger Saffold are really inexperienced.

That’s why the Rams’ decision to pass on Terrell Owens today was the correct one. This is a team in rebuilding mode and adding a 37-year-old receiver coming off a bad year and who has a history of criticizing quarterbacks isn’t ideal. Can T.O. still contribute in the right situation? Yes, but not in St. Louis.

Some are quick to point out that T.O. wasn’t a distraction last year in Buffalo. That’s because he couldn’t have been a distraction – the team was awful and so was he. Does anyone really think that he would have kept his mouth shut if he had posted solid numbers week in and week out and the Bills still lost? Not a chance.

The Rams are better off in the long run. Avery, Robinson and Gilyard all of upside – Owens doesn’t. Besides, what’s the best case scenario if the Rams sign T.O.? He plays well and they go 4-12 instead of 2-14? It’s saying a lot that Owens would even be worth two wins, so signing him would almost seem unnecessary for St. Louis.

Cincinnati, however, is a different story. They made the playoffs last year, have a veteran quarterback at the helm and in their offense, they have enough playmakers so that T.O. wouldn’t be the focal point (unlike if he landed in St. Louis). Not to mention, their locker room isn’t as inexperienced as the Rams’ is and one would think that Chad Ochocinco would nullify anything Owens brought to the table in terms of personality. Carson Palmer wouldn’t stand for being treated like a 2-year-old either.

The Bengals are a decent fit for T.O. – the Rams are not. We’ll see if Cincinnati eventually pulls the trigger on a contract for Owens. My guess is they will.

In other Rams-related news, FOX Sports is reporting that the team is close to signing No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford.

The Eagles acquired linebacker Will Witherspoon from the Rams at the trade deadline on Tuesday. In exchange for Witherspoon, St. Louis acquired wide receiver Brandon Gibson and a 2010 fifth round pick.

Witherspoon had been playing the weak side linebacker position for the Rams, but he has experience in the middle, which has been a weakness for the Eagles since Stewart Bradley was lost for the season in training camp. Stewart’s replacements, Jeremiah Trotter and Omar Gaither, are fine against the run but have been a liability in coverage.

Gibson was a sixth round pick of the Eagles’ in April. He impressed Philadelphia’s coaching staff in training camp, but was never going to see the field with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and others in front of him. St. Louis has had a major need at receiver, especially since Laurent Robinson was lost for the year with a knee injury.

As expected, the trade deadline came and went without any big names being dealt. Rumors circulated last week that Brady Quinn, Joshua Cribbs and/or Terrell Owens might be traded, but nothing came to fruition.

Check out all of our 2009 NFL team previews.

Offseason Additions: Jason Brown (C); James Butler (CB); Kyle Boller (QB); Billy Bajema (TE).

Offseason Losses: Torry Holt (WR); Orlando Pace (OT); Pisa Tinoisamoa (LB); Nick Leckey (C); Anthony Becht (TE); Fakhir Brown (CB); Jason Craft (CB); Dane Looker (WR); Brett Romberg (C).

Player to Watch: Laurent Robinson, WR.
The Rams acquired the former third round pick from Atlanta this offseason and thus far, he has impressed. He’s already solidified the No. 2 receiver position across from Donnie Avery and could emerge as the Rams’ top playmaker in their passing game. At 6’2, 194-pounds, Robinson has excellent size, speed and has demonstrated this summer that he can catch the ball in traffic. Injuries forced him out of Atlanta, but he’s making a name for himself in St. Louis and could become a household name by the end of the season.

Team Strength: In the past three years, the Rams have invested two first round picks in their defensive line and with the guidance of former Giants’ defensive guru Steve Spagnuolo, the unit could become a strength this season. Of course, that will depend on whether or not former second overall pick Chris Long can take the next step in his development and if former ’07 first round pick Adam Carriker can stay healthy. Defensive ends tend take a couple years to develop, but Long has the drive and tenacity to inevitably succeed. Although he’s getting long in the tooth, Leonard Little still brings plenty to the table as a pass rusher and could help free up Long to make plays on the other side. Assuming Carriker and Little can stay healthy and Long blossoms in his second year, the D-line could be one of the few positives for the Rams this season.

Potential Weakness: Even with the additions of free agent Jason Brown and second overall pick Jason Smith, the O-line is still a work in progress. In fact, Smith still can’t beat out the ineffective Adam Goldberg at right tackle. Alex Barron (who is in a contract year) will fill the void left by long-time starter Orlando Pace at left tackle. Barron is athletic and has a good reach to help protect quarterback Marc Bulger’s blind side, but he must cut down on the false start penalties that plagued him last year. Left guard Jacob Bell was a massive free agent bust last season, although he put on 15 pounds this offseason so that he won’t get pushed around as much in the running game. Perhaps the biggest weakness is at right guard, where the team failed to upgrade over the inconsistent Richie Incognito.

Outlook: Spagnuolo worked wonders for the Giants’ defense in New York, but he has his work cut out for him in St. Louis, where the talent the Rams do have needs to be molded. Expect the Rams to keep the ball on the ground with Steven Jackson this season and not rely on the fading Marc Bulger and a talented, but inexperienced receiving corps to win games. The O-line upgraded at center with Brown and could do much worse with Barron at left tackle, but it’s troubling that Smith can’t beat out Goldberg on the right side. Defensively, the line could be a strength as long as Little and Carriker can stay healthy and Long develops, but the Rams are putting a lot of faith in rookie James Laurinaitis (who struggled getting off blockers while in college) at middle linebacker. Re-signing Ron Bartell will boost the secondary, but the Rams are ultra-thin in their defensive backfield, especially after trading corner Tye Hill to the Falcons for a seventh round pick.

The Rams will struggle again this year, but Spagnuolo is setting the groundwork for brighter days in St. Louis. If Bulger can stay healthy and motivated, the Rams have enough offensive talent with Jackson, Avery and Robinson to be effective. But the more likely scenario is that this team will sink to the bottom of the NFC West again.

2009 Prediction: Fourth, NFC West.