Antonio Gates will likely lead the Chargers in targets, but Floyd will be counted on to use his big frame (6’5″, 225 lbs) similar to the way Vincent Jackson did.

Floyd showed big play potential last year catching 45 passes for 776 yards (17.2 yards per catch). His career ypc is 16.5. He’ll have to improve on his one TD though. However, with Vincent Jackson (6’5″, 230) out of the mix, Floyd will be more likely to get them. Legedu Naanee (6/2″, 220) just doesn’t have the size Floyd does.

Assuming V-Jax doesn’t play for the Chargers Floyd could be a steal in fantasy drafts. His current Mock Draft Central ADP is 69th (25th WR). It’s a little bit of a risk going with a somewhat unknown commodity, but sometimes you need to take risks to win. In all likelihood you can get the number one WR on a pass-first team as a WR3. What’s not to like about that scenario?

What are your thoughts on Malcom Floyd? Would you want him as your WR3?



Also check out:

- 2010 Top 30 Fantasy QB Rankings
- 2010 Top 50 Fantasy RB Rankings
- 2010 Top 60 Fantasy WR Rankings
- 2010 Top 25 Fantasy TE Rankings
- 2010 Top 25 Fantasy Team Defense Rankings
- 2010 Top 25 Fantasy IDP Rankings
- 2010 Top 15 Fantasy K Rankings

Read more San Diego Chargers news on BleacherReport.com

I've been in a similar situation as a high school coach, but not with the same ramifications. The players I cut were not trying to feed their family with a job in football, and they were merely relegated to the junior varsity. They still had a chance to play and compete.

The stakes are much higher in this case, and I do not envy Cable one, little bit.

Several Raiders have already been cut. Fullback Chane Moline, wide receiver Paul Hubbard, offensive guard Allen Smith, and tight ends Tony Stewart and Eric Butler were all released earlier this week. However, this will not be the end of roster cuts.

There will be more. Many more—21 more to be precise.

Following the most recent cuts, there are currently 74 players listed on the Raiders' official website. The league requires that every team have only 53 players on the active roster when the regular season starts.

Some of the released players will be picked up by other teams, some will be signed to the eight man practice squad, and some will be out of work altogether.

Let's begin with some preliminaries...

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(Satire)

Dear Adam Schefter,

I don't care if you heard Seabastien Janikowski just had a lap band surgery.

I don't care if you heard Richard Seymour's kid just got a D on a test.

I don't care if you heard Jason Campbell just named his new pet I Hate Snyder.

I don't care if you heard Darren McFadden is going star in 'The Wild Hogs 2'. 

I don't care if you heard Tom Cable switched to DirecTv. 

I don't care if you heard Al Davis got caught scouting a wide receiver that runs a 4.5. 

I don't care if you heard Asomugha was planning to run for President.

I don't care if you heard Lamarr Houston was entering Anger Management.

And I certainly don't care if you heard Matt Leinart was going to be traded to the Raiders. You know why?

Because the only "insiders" in the organization are Al Davis and John Herrera, any other information is false on principle.

The Raiders just released an official statement:

"ESPN’s Adam Schefter is once again making untrue statements about The Oakland Raiders, this time regarding Matt Leinart. The Raiders have never discussed trading for Leinart.

The Raiders are very happy about their quarterback situation."

Adam, you're better than that. I can't wait until the next time you report something false!

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

The San Diego Chargers are one of the favorites to make it to Arlington, Texas, the site of this season's Super Bowl. The biggest game in the industry.

The city of San Diego, the fans, and even the media are buzzing about the potential of the team that's about to embark on what could be the franchise's best run since they made it to the big game back in 1994—a run that ended with a blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers, whom at the time, had not only more talent, but also more consistency.

If you look at 2010 San Diego Chargers, consistency will be the key for a legitimate run at the Super Bowl at Cowboys' Stadium.

They have a well above average quarterback in Philip Rivers, a running back that could be a star in the making in Ryan Mathews, an offensive line led by one of the best centers in the league in Nick Hardwick, and a wide receiving corps who, despite the absence of Vincent Jackson, still has a lot of talent and ability. They also have a defense that, despite their troubles in the secondary, was still giving ugave up less than 20 points per game last season.

The talent is there. It's what they do with it during the season that counts the most.

The Chargers play in a division that lacks any real threat at the division crown, so getting into the playoffs is merely a formality unless this team takes themselves far too seriously.

When you look at the first half of their schedule, there's no reason that the Chargers shouldn't at least be able to win seven of those nine games, if not eight.

They will have Jacksonville, Arizona, New England, and Tennessee at home, and will be on the road for Kansas City, Seattle, Oakland, St. Louis, and Houston. Those nine teams were a combined 59-85 in 2009, and three of which (Arizona, New England, Houston) finishing above .500 last year.

Their final seven games down the stretch, four at home against Denver, Oakland, Kansas City, and San Francisco, and three on the road against Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Denver, will be the deciding factor on just how determined they are to get to the ultimate prize.

If there was ever a schedule set up for the Chargers to have home field advantage throughout the playoffs, this is the year to get it done.

This is the year where one-and-done isn't an option anymore. This is the year where they put it all together and make their biggest run since the Natron Means days.

Win the games they're supposed to win, take care of business, and let the rest work itself out. They have the talent, but consistency will be the name of the game for this 2010 team.

Read more San Diego Chargers news on BleacherReport.com

Coming out of the University of Utah in 2005, Alex Smith was a quarterback destined for supposed greatness.

He was a quarterback that lost only one game as a starter in college, finished fourth in the Heisman voting (USC's Matt Leinart won) and graduated from college with a 3.74 GPA, mind you a football player graduating from his university before entering the draft is nearly unheard of today. 

Of course, Smith was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers, thrown into the pro game way too early, suffered greatly, was benched, got injured and is now currently trying to work himself back into this country's spotlight. 

This season, Smith is the starter in San Francisco and has been given one of the better opportunities in football.

The 49ers play in currently the worst division in football. Seattle and St. Louis are rebuilding projects, and their only competition, Arizona, is having major major problems at quarterback, going from Kurt Warner to a mash of Matt Leinart/Derek Anderson/Max Hall is like going from driving a Mustang to driving a Honda. 

If the 49ers do not make the playoffs this year, Smith will be dropped and the organization will look to rebuild. Not that Smith can't do it, but if one looks at his prior professional history, the odds are not in his favor.

All in all, Smith will not be relied too heavily this season. San Francisco has one of the better defenses in the league led by ILB Patrick Willis, DB Nate Clements and S Dashon Goldson. This is a top five defense that holds their opponents to under 18 points-per-game. 

The 49er running game has been very good since they drafted RB Frank Gore out of the University of Miami back in 2005, and although he is a player that has a dirty habit of missing a few games each year, when he's playing and getting his touches, there are few who are more dominant. 

With the emergence of Tight End Vernon Davis, as well as the play of second-year star wide-out Michael Crabtree, Smith now has a bevy of different weapons to use. Davis is perhaps the best tight end in the NFC (with apologies to Dallas's Jason Witten and Green Bay's Jermichael Finley) and it is fantastic news that he has finally gotten out of his head coach's dog house and into the game.

Crabtree, following in the tradition of diva wide receivers, decided to hold out for nearly half of last season. He got a late jump on his rookie year, but still performed well once he got into the game. San Francisco is also introducing Tedd Ginn Jr. this season. Ginn Jr. is a good player who was drafted by the Miami Dolphins way too early in the 2006 draft (ninth overall), and did not live up to those impossible expectations, and was traded over the off-season when Miami picked up WR Brandon Marshall.

But back to Smith, because this season will all depend on his play. 

Smith will live up to his potential this season and lead the 49ers into the post-season. After years of being labeled a "bust" by nearly every NFL talking head, he will prove all of them wrong.

Smith was never a bad player, he was just put into a bad situation. Now he has a team around him that will allow him to use all of his skills, and in return, he will take them to places they've never been.

Read more San Francisco 49ers news on BleacherReport.com

In other ways, the Raiders are still in transition.

Just how much transition are they in?

That largely depends on the result of the battles for positions on the team. I expect Thursday's game against the Seattle Seahawks to be played hard because some of these battles may come down to it.

Turn the page to have a look at them.

Begin Slideshow

If the trade happened, it would be three former first-round quarterbacks on the Raiders roster.

Leinart doesn't seem to fit what Oakland likes to do, so why would the Raiders be showing interest? Especially for a QB that has underperformed, yet still insists he should be a starter in the league and has a contract that goes vastly above his value next year. Plus, of all the offensive positions, quarterback seems to be set in stone for the Raiders.

Injury.

Last week Jason Campbell was taken out of the game for a stinger. It was later reported that Campbell also suffered a wrist injury. It didn't seem like a problem at first as Campbell was seen doing some light throwing on Monday.

If Campbell's injury might be worse than advertised and causes him to be out an extended period of time, the Raiders could be looking to find some insurance to presumably back up Bruce Gradkowski.

The Raiders could just be testing the waters. It doesn't make much sense to pick up Leinart who has expressed an unfounded sense of entitlement to the starting quarterback job in Arizona. The Raiders have made it a point to stay away from players who will cause problems.

If they Raiders really wanted Leinart, for whatever reason, it would be better to gamble on the chance he gets cut and pick him up in free agency. Either way, it looks like Leinart's time in the desert will be ending.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

You have your quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers to worry about, but a productive tight end can be an incredibly valuable commodity.

The top-tier fantasy tight ends in the league are Antonio Gates, Jason Witten, Dallas Clark, and, as of last year, the San Francisco 49ers‘ Vernon Davis.

Davis, after scoring a grand total of nine touchdowns combined in his first three years in the league, exploded in 2009 to lead the league with 13 scores.

At 6’3″, 250 pounds, with incredible speed, Davis is a matchup nightmare capable of putting up elite wide receiver numbers.

If Alex Smith can find him consistently, he has the potential to even improve on his 2009 performance this season.

However, Jason Witten has been one of the most productive tight ends in the league for quite some time, and has proven to be Tony Romo’s favorite target.

Despite scoring just two touchdowns, Witten still racked up 94 catches for 1,030 yards in 2009.

So, let’s run a little fantasy draft hypothetical out there: Assuming Gates and Clark are already off the board, and you’re in the market for a tight end, do you go with Davis or Witten?

There are a few questions surrounding Vernon Davis’s situation going into the season. Most of them with regards to his quarterback, Alex Smith.

Obviously, if Smith struggles, Davis’s numbers will suffer as a result.

Despite the 13 touchdowns, Davis was only targeted in the red zone 13 times all of last season. This number will almost certainly have to go up in order for him to repeat or improve upon last season’s performance.

While there’s lots of uncertainty with the 49ers’ passing game, Davis’ production cannot be ignored.

Witten has one of the league’s top fantasy QB’s throwing to him in Romo. He has been very durable in each of his first seven pro seasons, having played in all-but one game.

With the Cowboys’ offensive line battling injuries and age so far this preseason, don’t be too surprised if Romo doesn’t have as much time as he’s used to in the pocket.

This could actually prove beneficial to Witten owners, as the former Tennessee Volunteer is Romo’s trusty safety valve.

Unfortunately, Witten was targeted in the red zone just seven times all of last season.

As with normal football, touchdowns are the name of the game in fantasy football.

Witten has scored just six total touchdowns in the past two seasons.

The combination of upside, plus last season’s touchdown barrage, makes Davis the more appealing option.

Witten could easily top 1,000 receiving yards yet again, but the lack of red zone targets and scores in the past couple of seasons is certainly cause for concern.

This writer rules in favor of Vernon Davis.

For tons of NFL and fantasy football coverage, head over to NFL Soup.

Read more San Francisco 49ers news on BleacherReport.com

The Cardinals have reportedly shopped the tenth overall pick from 2006, after coach Ken Whisenhunt designated Derek Anderson as the starter for the Cards.

The Bills have denied any discussions or inquiries for Leinart.

In Oakland and New York, Leinart would be further insurance behind starters Jason Campbell and Eli Manning, because the backups for each starter, Bruce Gradkowski and Jim Sorgi, continue to have injuries.

The Bills however, hypothetically need someone to challenge Trent Edwards for the starting job.

The Raiders hypothetically need a washout quarterback with a Heisman Trophy to his credit.  Yet, it seems that owner Al Davis has already christened Jason Campbell as the next Jim Plunkett.

If the Raiders make any moves before the season, i pould personally prefer signing tailback Derrick Ward, or trading for guard Logan Mankins or tackle Jared Gaither.

Personally, I think New England would make the most sense for Leinart, as a backup behind Tom Brady.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Why?  

Of all the teams that live by the ground and pound offensive philosophy, the 49ers are the mirror image of it.  

The 49ers would love nothing more than to keep testing their two HUGE rookie additions in Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis in the running game.  Both Frank Gore and Anthony Dixon have done more than they should in the running game this preseason.  

Also, keep in mind that the majority of coaches in the NFL will leave their starters in a lot longer so when the season starts, the first team players are ready to go. 

With the tough competition going on with the defensive line, Norv Turner and Ron Rivera will get a good look at who will step up to the challenge and show who's capable of taking double teams especially against an offensive line that is built for the running game.

Questions of whether certain guys can be every-down linemen will arise and whether the system of a rotation along the defensive line will work better in the long haul will be answered.  

What also makes this game important is the fact that the Chargers will be facing five out of the first six teams that are more than likely to run the ball a lot.  The Chiefs, Jaguars, Cardinals, Raiders, and Rams will try to test the Chargers run defense.  

The Chiefs, with a struggling Matt Cassel, will likely to run the ball more with Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles.  The Cardinals with a struggling Matt Leinart will likely run the ball more with Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells.  

The Raiders will try to establish a running game against the Chargers.  The Jaguars always have been known to have their strength in the running game.  

Lastly, the Rams will love to run the ball more if they're planning on using a rookie QB this season.

Look no further than this game to see if the Chargers defense has truly been fixed.  If the defense holds, the Chargers could very well be a team to be reckoned with as they're nearly unstoppable on offense.  The only thing that could stop the Chargers offense is itself.

Looking at it from the offensive side of the ball, the Chargers should get a pretty good look going up against a 3-4 defense other than their own as they'll prepare to face another 3-4 defense in the Chiefs for their season opener.

Read more San Diego Chargers news on BleacherReport.com