Stock Rising

	Big things were expected from Antonio Bryant when he was drafted out of Pitt. This may be the year he starts paying dividends. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

By Richard Harris, Special to SI.com

Antonio Bryant (WR, Cleveland): Thanks to the trade that sent WR Andre' Davis to the Patriots earlier this week, the Browns' top three wideouts, Bryant, rookie Braylon Edwards and Dennis Northcutt, saw their stock rise slightly. Of that group, Bryant is the top candidate to produce decent fantasy numbers this season. He's already developed a good rapport with Trent Dilfer and should be the new quarterback's primary target, with Edwards and Northcutt left to fight it out for the No. 2 spot. In the Browns' last six games of 2004, Bryant caught 31 passes for 415 yards and four TDs. If you project those numbers over a full, 16-game schedule, it equates to 83 catches for 1,107 yards and 11 scores.

Mewelde Moore (RB, Minnesota): A couple of weeks ago, I wrote that Moore was in Coach Mike Tice's doghouse for numerous reasons, and he was third on the depth chart behind Michael Bennett and Moe Williams. I also noted that, when push came to shove, I expected the Vikings to turn to Moore, and not Williams, if the oft-injured Bennett needed to be replaced. It turns out that Bennett suffered a sprained neck last week, and his status for the start of the regular season is in doubt. Apparently back in the good graces of the consistently fickle Tice, Moore will get the starting nod against San Diego in the third exhibition game, and given that he has been the team's most impressive back in the preseason, rushing for 86 yards on 11 carries (7.8 per carry), he might just hold onto the No. 1 job.

Kevin Curtis (WR, St. Louis): It is only a matter of time before Curtis, a third-year speedster out of Utah State, displaces the aging Isaac Bruce as the Rams' No. 2 receiver. I don't see that taking place this season, but stranger things have happened. In the last four games of the 2004 season, Curtis had more yards (369) than any Rams wideout, including two 100-yard games in the playoffs. He's also off to very hot start this preseason. In two games, Curtis has a team-leading seven catches for 142 yards and three touchdowns.

Ryan Moats (RB, Philadelphia): For the third time in the last four years, Eagles' RB Correll Buckhalter suffered a season-ending knee injury before the regular season even started. At a minimum, the team was counting on the 225-pound Buckhalter to do the dirty work in short-yardage and goal-line situations. Now, Moats moves up to the top backup spot behind starter Brian Westbrook. Under Coach Andy Reid, the Eagles have often used a platoon system at running back, and that will likely continue to be the plan since Westbrook is not the most durable back in the league. A rookie out of Louisiana Tech, Moats rushed for 3,176 yards and 28 TDs on 499 carries in college, averaging 6.4 yards per pop, and he boasts an impressive 5.7 yards-per-carry average thus far in the preseason. Like Westbrook, Moats is a quick, explosive runner who lacks ideal size, so the Eagles may add a power back, such as Dorsey Levens, who has been called upon before when Buckhalter has gone down, or Philadelphia native Eddie George.

Tim Rattay (QB, San Francisco): I noted last week that Rattay was making a strong case to be the Niners' starting quarterback this season. After back-to-back lackluster performances from Alex Smith, the top overall pick in the draft, the team decided that it was wise to begin the season with Rattay, who did not hurt his cause by posting a QB rating of 141.2 in the first two preseason games. For his career, Rattay has completed 61.3 percent of his passes and has a solid TD-INT ratio of 19-12. His biggest problem last year was his inability stay healthy. In fact, Rattay averaged 287 passing yards in his first six starts before several injuries significantly affected his ability to perform. At some point, the Niners will realize that they don't have a prayer and will give the rookie a shot. Still, Rattay should be a nice backup and bye-week replacement, at least in the first half of the season.

Keep an eye on

Paul Edinger (K, Minnesota): For what it is worth, our old buddy Mike Tice has said the kicking competition between Edinger, a free agent from Chicago, and incumbent Aaron Elling too close to call. Well, I'll go out on a limb and make the call for Tice and say that Edinger will be the Vikings' kicker this season. During the preseason, neither kicker has done much to distinguish themselves. Elling has a stronger leg for kickoffs, but his career field-goal percentage of 70.4, including 5 of 10 from 40-plus yards, is hardly enticing. Edinger, on the other hand, has a career percentage of 75.3 percent, including an impressive 53-of-76 from 40-plus yards in five NFL seasons. Edinger did struggle in his last two seasons in Chicago, but in Minnesota, where he'll be kicking mainly inside and for a team with an explosive offense, he has the potential to be one of the season's more pleasant surprises.