Odd Men Out (NFC South): NFL Veterans Most De-Valued by New Rookie Picks
Dorian “The Trashman” Colbert, Rosterwatch.com

Atlanta Falcons

It’s all bad news for running backs Jacquizz Rodgers and Stephen Jackson, as Devonta Freeman is primed to unseat both as “fixtures” (a real old, creaky one in the case of Jackson) in the Falcons offense. Initially thought to be more of a change-of-pace guy that would predominantly play on passing downs, Freeman showed us through the draft process when evaluating him live and speaking with folks close to the Florida State program to be more of an all-around back. Freeman could take the lead back role as early as this season.

Carolina Panthers

The backfield in Carolina will be a committee, we know that, but we’re not sure where draft pick RB Tyler Gaffney fits in. He will have a hard enough time making the roster, much less challenging for significant snaps.

On the WR front, there’s plenty of playing time to go round even with Kelvin Benjamin looking like an every-down player. Someone else is going to have to step up, and hopefully Jerricho Cotchery can continue his productive ways since leaving Pittsburgh. No veterans values are brought down by the addition of Benjamin because the Panthers don’t have any veteran WRs on contract who ever had any fantasy value to begin with.

New Orleans Saints

Can you really call any of the Saints backs, aside from Pierre Thomas, veterans in the NFL? They’ve been around, but they haven’t seen a ton of playing time. The backfield is as murky as ever this season, including the addition of RB Tim Flanders. Flanders is a low-profile name, and he’ll have to be impressive to make an impact in New Orleans, but he was the Southland Conference’s all-time leader in yards and TDs so we can’t put it past him to move up the rankings.

New WR Brandin Cooks will get a ton of playing time this season, but he is filling the vacuum left by Darren Sproles and Lance Moore in the slot, so he’s not really stealing anyone’s shine.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa pulled in quite a few talented rookies at skill positions in this year’s draft, so there is bound to be some shaking going on. RB Doug Martin was looking to have a bounce-back year after a disappointing 2013 season, but power runner Charles Sims is bound to eat into his playing time along with Mike James and Bobby Rainey who return in Bucs uniforms. The rookie in Sims has not devalued Martin as much as new OC Jeff Tedford, who like Dolphins HC Joe Philbin is committed to a committee at the RB position. What we’ll have to watch is who gets those goal line carries early on.

First-round stud WR Mike Evans could be the yin to Vincent Jackson’s yang in the receiving corps, or he may very well be the yang to his yang. I think they can work in complementary roles, but their playing styles aren’t entirely different. Someone who could be taking TD’s from both of them is TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Another tall receiver, ASJ is already penciled into most people’s lineups as the starter at tight end in Tampa. Good luck to Tim Wright and Brandon Myers in seeing targets this season.