Team report: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Top player in 2006

Joey Galloway, WR: It wasn't his best season by any means. Heck, it probably ranked around his fifth-best or so. However, there wasn't anyone else even close on this one in Tampa last year. Because Galloway's 62 receptions, 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns were so far superior than any of his teammate's numbers, you could argue this was one of the easier picks for this team honor than all but five or six other players in the league.

Top sleeper in 2006

Bruce Gradkowski, QB: Nobody had even heard of this rookie quarterback out of Toledo, but he ended up being the first rookie to start a game at the position last year. Yeah, that's right, before first-round draft picks Vince Young, Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler. He didn't put up spectacular numbers, but he certainly had his moments, incuding four two-touchdown games. He ended the year with nine touchdowns, nine picks and 1,661 yards in 11 starts.

Top flop in 2006

Carnell Williams, RB: A first-round draft pick in almost all fantasy leagues last year, Cadillac could very well be considered one of the top one or two busts in all of football in '06. After setting every rookie running back record in the book through his first three games in '05, Williams has failed to live up to the hype. In 14 games last season, he ran for just 798 yards and one lousy touchdown. You heard that right ... one! And he was the team's No. 1 back. That's just not going to work. He needs to get that turned around - and quick.

Top off-season moves

Jeff Garcia, QB: The savior of the Eagles' season last year has turned his sights towards the Bucs and is currently listed as the team's No. 1 signal-caller. Chris Simms may eventually pass him on the depth chart, but until that happens he has to be considered a major fantasy threat.

Jerramy Stevens, TE: A flop for the Seahawks, Stevens will try to cure a case of the dropsies and make the team as a backup. He has all the skills to stick, but the Bucs already have two legitimate tight ends on the squad (Anthony Becht and Alex Smith), so this won't be as easy as it may seem.

Cato June, LB: A star on Indy's Super Bowl champion squad last year, June will now be making tackles for the Buccaneers in '07. He's coming off a huge season in which he made 142 tackles, intercepted three passes, forced two fumbles and had a sack. Look for more of the same as he'll get to play along side one of the all-time greats in Derrick Brooks.

Ryan Sims, DT: This move will likely help all the defenders around him, as Sims is a proven run stopper who will clear lanes for his linebackers and All Pro cornerback Ronde Barber to make even more plays then they already do.

Top fantasy players for 2007

Carnell Williams, RB: He just has to be better than he was last year, doesn't he? The guy's a top running back on a decent offensive team. If he can't put 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns on the board this season, then they may as well start looking elsewhere.

Joey Galloway, WR: There isn't another receiver on the Bucs anywhere close to him, so he'll put up big numbers by default. They'll probably be somewhere inthe neighborhood of 1,000 yards and 8-10 touchdowns again, like they have been in about four separate years for him. That's just what he does.

Jeff Garcia, QB: If he begins the season as the starter, he's a tremendous sleeper pick. He'll get you a good 3-5 rushing touchdowns over the course of a year just as easily as he'll throw 20 for you. As long as he can avoid the interceptions that are sometimes unavoidable in the difficult NFC South, he'll be a nice guy to own.

Derrick Brooks, LB: One of the all-time great defensive fantasy players will lace them up for another season in Tampa Bay. Brooks is coming off a 121-tackle, three interception year, in which he also scored a touchdown. You give him complementary players like June and Barber and Sims around him and he could be in store for yet another All Pro effort.

Who will surprise in 2007?

Maurice Stovall, WR: I liked this guy when he came out of Notre Dame last season, but an injury kept him out the entire first half of '06. With his speed, he's someone who can step in for Galloway once his legs give way a little and give the Bucs a legitimate deep threat again.

Fantasy depth chart

QB1: Jeff Garcia
QB2: Chris Simms
QB3: Bruce Gradkowski

RB1: Carnell Williams
RB2: Michael Pittman
RB3: Mike Alstott
RB4: Ernest Graham

WR1: Joey Galloway
WR2: Michael Clayton
WR3: Ike Hilliard
WR4: Maurice Stovall
WR5: David Boston

TE1: Anthony Becht
TE2: Alex Smith

K: Matt Bryant