Fantasy: Off-Season Depth Chart Outlook – NFC East

Our Off-season Depth Chart Outlook series continues today with the NFC East division.

What I’m doing here is going team-by-team and taking a look at each team’s roster situation at the four key offensive Fantasy Football positions (QB RB WR TE). I’ll also be speculating on a few potential off-season moves we could see each of these teams make.

List of 2012 Free Agents at the QB/RB/WR/TE positions

Preliminary 2012 Player Rankings

Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo will be back under center in 2012, but he’ll have a new back-up. Jon Kitna has decided to retire, leaving Stephen McGee in line for the No. 2 job in a contract year. Dallas will certainly add some youth to the position to give McGee some competition. Chris Greisen won’t be a threat, but could be in camp.

DeMarco Murray was one of the 2011 season’s breakout stories before an injury landed him on IR. He’s expected to retain the starting tailback job next season, but Felix Jones will press him for snaps. Jones will want to make a big splash in his first contract year. Phillip Tanner will be in camp and will compete for the No. 3 job. UFA Sammy Morris was solid in place of Murray, but there isn’t much of a role for him with the top two back. Chauncey Washington will compete with Tanner.

Miles Austin and Dez Bryant are both signed through, at least, 2014. They’ll return to the starting lineup in 2012. Laurent Robinson is an UFA, but Dallas will do what they can to keep him in town as the No. 3 wideout. The team has the rights to Kevin Ogletree (Restricted), but it’s unclear if they’ll tender him after an underwhelming start to his career. Jesse Holley made the team this past season and will compete for the No. 4/5 job next season. Teddy Williams was given a Futures contract and will compete for a spot within the organization with Andre Holmes, Dwayne Harris, and Raymond Radway.

Jason Witten is signed through 2017 and almost never misses a snap at the tight end position. Martellus Bennett was probably more involved in the offense than you realize in 2011, but the impending UFA is likely to search for greener pastures this off-season. John Phillips is the favorite to step into the No. 2 role, as he is a capable blocker, but management could always add veteran competition. Randy McMichael, Billy Bajema, and Alex Smith fit the bill.

New York Giants

Eli Manning is signed through 2015, but he’s the only quarterback under contract right now. David Carr is an impending UFA, but could certainly be brought back to back up Manning in 2012. Ryan Perriloux has been on and off the Practice Squad and will be a Futures contract candidate.

Ahmad Bradshaw is signed through 2014 and he’ll be back as the team’s feature back next season. Brandon Jacobs stated early in the 2011 season that he already knew he’d be looking for a new team this off-season despite still being under contract for one more year. If the team was considering cutting him loose, his production has obliged. There’s a chance he’s back, but the better bet is that he finds a new home. Danny Ware enters a contract year and will compete with speedster Da’Rel Scott for reps. They’d likely be duking it out for the No. 3 job, as there’s a strong chance the Giants add a more proven veteran to spell Bradshaw. Mike Tolbert, Earnest Graham, BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Jason Snelling all fit Jacobs’ mold. Andre Brown could land a Futures contract.

Hakeem Nicks has another two years left on his deal and will return as a starter. Victor Cruz will look to keep his magical 2011 season going in what will be a contract year in 2012. Mario Manningham is an UFA and could look elsewhere after losing his starting job to Cruz. Former Giants’ star Steve Smith has already been connected to his old team as a replacement for Manningham, but that doesn’t make a lot of sense. Cruz and Smith both see quite a bit of work in the slot. The only way this would work is if Cruz moved out wide more often, but most of his 2011 production came from the slot. A better fit would be a player more of Manningham’s mold like Robert Meachem, Pierre Garcon, Braylon Edwards, or dare I say Plaxico Burress. Ramses Barden will compete with Jerrel Jernigan and Duke Calhoun for reps off the bench. Domenik Hixon is an UFA and the Giants could cut ties after two straight seasons where he spent most of the year on IR. Devin Thomas is likely a goner as a UFA, but could be in camp. Dan DePalma and Isaiah Stanback could be given Futures contracts.

The Giants hold the exclusive rights to Jake Ballard, so he’ll be back in 2012. They could look for an upgrade via Free Agency, but he was productive enough that they might be settled with him atop the depth chart. Travis Beckum will return to his joker role in a contract year. Bear Pascoe is restricted and will return as competition for Henry Hynoski at fullback and as blocking help at tight end. Christian Hopkins is a Futures contract candidate.

Philadelphia Eagles

Michael Vick is under contract through 2015 and isn’t going anywhere for the near future. Considering his consistent health issues, the team will need to track down an upgrade behind him on the depth chart. Vince Young is an UFA and was a disappointment this past season. Mike Kafka could move up the depth chart, but the jury is still out on him. It’s unlikely he’d want to come back after being traded away two years ago, but Donovan McNabb makes sense. Jason Campbell, Shaun Hill, and local boy Chad Henne would be on the radar.

LeSean McCoy will be looking to keep up his torrid touchdown pace in what will be a contract year for him in 2012. The team traded Ronnie Brown to the Browns during the 2011 season before the deal was nullified by Jerome Harrison’s failed physical. He’s as good as gone as an UFA. Dion Lewis will be the favorite to take over as the primary back-up to McCoy, but competition via Free Agency could be in order. Justin Forsett, Derrick Ward, and Maurice Morris make sense. Graig Cooper was given a Futures contract and will have a shot at the No. 3 job.

DeSean Jackson is an UFA, but there’s a decent chance he gets the Franchise Tag if a long-term extension can’t be worked out. Of the elite UFA wideouts, Jackson is probably the most likely to be let go (no offense, Vincent Jackson), but I get the impression Andy Reid will want him back in what is a huge season for the head coach’s future in Philly. Jeremy Maclin is locked up for another two years and will be back as the X receiver. Jason Avant is one of the game’s best/underrated slot receivers and he’s signed up through 2014. Riley Cooper worked at both split end and flanker this past season and proved himself as a competent reserve wide receiver. UFA Steve Smith is as good as gone after barely playing down the stretch before hitting IR. 2011 49ers draft pick Ronald Johnson and Danny Woodhead clone Chad Hall were signed to the active roster late in the year and will compete for a roster spot in camp. Jamel Hamler and Mardy Gilyard were given Futures contracts.

Brent Celek has another five years on his deal and isn’t going anywhere. Clay Harbor emerged a bit during the 2011 season and could force the team into a few extra 2-TE sets in 2012. A pass-heavy team, the Eagles don’t like to take Avant off the field much, but Harbor can allow them to throw more often and effectively out of run formations. Brett Brackett will compete for a roster spot after landing a Futures deal.

Washington Redskins

It’s pretty much a given at this point that the Redskins will acquire a quarterback this off-season. If it’s not Matt Flynn, they’ll use an early round pick on one. Rex Grossman is an UFA, but if they (a) draft a quarterback who needs some grooming and (b) don’t trust John Beck, signed through 2012, to handle the offense in the meantime, Grossman could be back on a one-year deal. Jonathan Crompton was given a Futures deal and will compete for the No. 3 job.

Roy Helu and Evan Royster are both signed through 2014 and it’s a safe bet that they will hold down the top two spots on the depth chart going forward. Tim Hightower is an UFA and one would have to imagine that he’ll be looking for greener pastures. The ‘Skins have only two backs on the roster right now, so they’ll look to the draft or dig deep in Free Agency for depth.

Santana Moss was signed through 2013 last season and should be back atop of the depth chart at wideout. That is until Leonard Hankerson works his way into an every down player. Jabar Gaffney enters a contract year and will duke it out with Hankerson for every-down snaps in camp. Hankerson is the superior talent and should beat him out. In three-wide sets, Hankerson and Gaffney would be out wide with Moss in the slot. Donte’ Stallworth is an UFA, but played well after being cut and re-signed during the season. He could be brought back as the No. 4, but he’ll have a ton of competition. Anthony Armstrong and 2011 rookies Niles Paul and Aldrick Robinson will be in the mix. Malcom Kelly and David Anderson are both UFAs and would be buried on the depth chart if they are invited to camp. Terrence Austin and Brandon Banks are both under contract, but will have a tough time finding snaps.

One of the top UFA tight ends on the market is Fred Davis. After a breakout season that concluded with a four game suspension, his best bet this off-season might be a one-year deal from Washington. He was a big part of the 2011 offense and they’ll certainly want to bring him back. Chris Cooley is signed for another two seasons, but is clearly No. 2 on the depth chart and there’s a chance he’s cut loose. Logan Paulsen will be back to help with blocking. Mike Sellers was moved to tight end last year and buried on the depth chart. He’s a candidate for release. Richard Quinn was an injury replacement and will hit the open market. Rob Myers will likely be in camp to compete for a Practice Squad contract.

Follow Mike Clay on Twitter: @PFF_MikeClay