Peerless Price. Yeah, it's the sort of handle some Madison Avenue marketing maven would dream up for a speedy wide receiver, right?

Only problem is that, for much of his '99 rookie season, the second-round draft choice and former University of Tennessee star didn't quite live up to an eye-grabbing first name. The replacement for future Hall of Fame wideout Andre Reed, Price was clueless too many times in training camp and aimless early in the regular season.

In fact, Buffalo offensive coordinator Joe Pendry frequently found it pointless to even include Price in the team's "spread" formations.

Torry Holt is primed for a breakout season in 2000. (AP)

Never, though, did he consider the fluid wide receiver with the deceptive speed hopeless. And the fact the Bills didn't give up on Price early, and then increased his playing time in the second half of the season, figures to prove rewarding for both the team and the player in 2000.

Indeed, in his sophomore NFL season, The Price could be right for Peerless and the Bills.

In the first in a weekly series on potential "breakout" performers for this season -- young veterans who will play more significant roles for their teams in 2000 and who could make a quantum leap in terms of production -- Price is the SportsLine.com pick for the wide receiver to watch.

With the departure of the venerable Reed, released early in the spring for salary-cap reasons and who has signed with the Broncos, Price inherits a starting job.

And the switch at starting quarterback, from Doug Flutie to Rob Johnson, should lend a lot more verticality to the Buffalo passing game, which will dovetail well with Price's strong suit.

"He's so smooth that sometimes it seems he's not moving so fast," said Johnson, whose superior arm strength should boost the a 6.10 yards per pass play rating that ranked in the middle of the NFL statistics last season. "Peerless sort of glides by people and then, when the ball is in the air, he kicks it into another gear and really goes after that thing."

Never mind that, as a rookie, Price started only four games and caught 31 passes for 393 yards and three touchdowns. The recent history of the NFL indicates that, given recent passing trends, wide receivers can advance quickly.

Last year's afterthought can go to this year's afterburners and past production isn't necessarily a barometer of future brilliance. The biggest breakthrough wide receiver of 1999, Marcus Robinson of the Chicago Bears, had four catches for 44 yards in his first two NFL campaigns.

But presented with playing time and a new offensive design in '99, Robinson exploded for 84 catches, 1,400 yards and nine touchdowns last year.

In fact, of the 24 wide receivers who posted 1,000-yard seasons in 1999, 11 of them reached that benchmark for the first time in their professional careers.

The list, even beyond Robinson, was an impressive one: Patrick Jeffers and Muhsin Muhammad, both from Carolina; the Washington duo of Albert Connell and Michael Westbrook; Detroit's Germane Crowell, Marvin Harrison of the Colts, Amani Toomer of the New York Giants, Cincinnati's Darnay Scott, Baltimore's Qadry Ismail and Bill Schroeder of Green Bay.

The list of first-time 1,000-yard wideouts might not be as lengthy in 2000, but there is no lack of candidates. Torry Holt of the Rams benefits from terrific surrounding talent, including the electric Isaac Bruce, and a wide-open attack.

Troy Edwards, the Steelers' first-round choice in '99, needs stability from quarterback Kordell Stewart to reach the next level. Someone from among a young Colts trio including Terrence Wilkins, Jerome Pathon and E.G. Green, must emerge as a viable complement to Marvin Harrison.

Cleveland second-year wideout Kevin Johnson is coming off a 986-yard rookie season. Chicago's Marty Booker could be for the Bears in 2000 what Robinson was in '99. In Kansas City, Kevin Lockett seems ready for a breakthrough. One darkhorse: Philadelphia second-year pro Na Brown.

But for Price, there's more at work than just a catchy name, and the presence of Eric Moulds in the lineup and the tutelage he received last year from Reed should help elevate his game and allow him to fulfill his potential.

There were times in '99 when the moody Reed chafed at his diminishing role, but Price acknowledged the second-leading receiver in NFL history was always there with a word of encouragement for him or a suggestion about how a route might be more effectively set up.

"It was an education from the master," Price said. "Andre was willing to share what he knew. And, let's face it, who knows more than him?"

A big-play threat in college, and a player who relied far more on his speed than techniques or running precise routes, Price seemed to realize about midseason in '99 that merely being fast is not enough in the NFL. There were times he rode a roller-coaster existence in the same game even, but he flashed more than sufficient skills to assure Buffalo officials they hadn't made a mistake selecting him with the 53rd overall pick.

"Definitely there were some rough spots," Price said, "but I always tried to bounce back."

Exhibit A: In an Oct. 24 loss at Seattle, he dropped three passes in the first half, one of them caroming off his chest and into the arms of a Seahawks defender for an interception. But in the second half, Price came back to grab five passes for 106 yards and a touchdown.

That made him the first Bills rookie to post a 100-yard receiving performance since Chris Burkett had seven grabs for 113 yards against the New York Jets on Dec. 8, 1985.

It also made Buffalo cognizant of what perhaps lies ahead for a receiver blessed with superior physical skills.

"All he has to do, we feel, is play," said coach Wade Phillips. "The only thing holding him back right now is (lack of) experience, and he'll get over that this season."