Michael Fabiano gives Fantasy Football owners a look into next season with his 2006 Player Rankings, which will be updated throughout the offseason based on depth chart changes, personnel moves and injuries.

I must have used the word "unpredictable" to describe the NFL about 100 times last season. Whether it was the September failures of Peyton Manning (some owners asked me if he should be reserved), the lack of production from Jamal Lewis and Tony Gonzalez or the emergence of the ultimate sleeper, Samkon Gado, Fantasy Footballers would have needed a séance with the spirit of Nostradamus to predict some of these unbelievable events.

As much as we might prepare for our drafts next season, unexpected situations are bound to occur again, some to the league's brighest and most productive stars, that could alter the landscape of leagues and our chances of a championship.

Here's a look at 10 possible scenarios that could rock the foundation of rosters and emerge as the biggest stories of the 2006 season, both on the field and in the realm of Fantasy Football.

1. Shaun Alexander can't reach heightened expectations after an unbelievable MVP season. Alexander experienced a statistical explosion with a league-high 1,880 yards and an NFL record 28 touchdowns, and to expect that level of production again could lead to disappointment. Furthermore, the loss of one of Seattle's best offensive linemen, Steve Hutchinson, and the fact that Alexander is on the cover of Madden 2007 (for superstitous owners) could mean trouble.

The bottom line: Alexander will remain one of the first three overall selections in all drafts and an elite featured back barring injuries, but he won't duplicate his immense totals of last season.

2. The presence of Philip Rivers will hurt the productivity of both LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates. Rivers has never started in a regular-season contest and will need to make adjustments, which could make it easier for the opposition to load the line of scrimmage and limit Tomlinson. Should Rivers falter for an extended period of time, it could also mean fewer opportunities for Gates to produce in the pass attack.

The bottom line: Tomlinson is a cinch top-three selection and is talented enough to thrive even if Rivers doesn't flow. Gates, however, could fail to produce double-digits touchdowns for the third consecutive season.

3. Priest Holmes is able to return from his injuries and takes carries from Larry Johnson. All the talk around Holmes, who missed much of last season with an injured neck, points towards a return to the Cheifs next season. While he has little to no chance to unseat Johnson atop the depth chart, his presence in the backfield could mean a decrease in carries and a few lost touchdown opportunities in the process.

The bottom line : Johnson's production without Holmes last season was second to none, and Holmes won't put a serious dent into L.J.'s time on the field should he be able to return.

4. The potential absence of Carson Palmer makes the Cincinnati offense ineffective to start the season. Palmer's rehab has been free of setbacks, but to return from such a complicated surgical procedure on his knee in time for the regular-season opener would be a small miracle. Should Palmer be forced to miss the first two or three weeks, career reserve Anthony Wright will lead the offense in his absence.

The bottom line : The draft values of Rudi Johnson, Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh remain the same, but owners who land them will endure some headaches until Palmer is back under center.

5. Arizona's horrendous offensive line turns Edgerrin James into a far less consistent back. The Cardinals O-line looked like a row of turnstiles for most of last season and was part of the reason the team finished dead last in rushing. With no real improvements in the offseason, James could have trouble in his first season in the desert and become a borderline bust because of where he'll be selected in drafts.

The bottom line : James reamains a true featured back and defenses can't focus on him because of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, but his touchdown totals are certain to decrease.

6. Daunte Culpepper doesn't improve on last season's struggles. Culpepper's futile numbers (1,564 yards, six TDs, 12 INTs, three fumbles) in seven starts last season were a disappointment, and now he must come back from three torn knee ligaments. Without an elite wide receiver like Randy Moss, Culpepper might not be as effective and could falter out of the gate. He must also gain a rapport with his new teammates, which will no doubt take time.

The bottom line : Culpepper will need time to regain confidence in his knee, and he won't produce MVP numbers as he did in 2004. He could fall to the middle rounds in seasonal drafts.

7. The loss of Terrell Owens limits Donovan McNabb's production. McNabb's value is a point of contention for owners -- I've received tons of feedback on him this offseason -- but the loss of Owens will be hard to overcome from a statistical perspective. McNabb doesn't run much (6.1 YPG last season) anymore, and the lack of a true and dependable option in the pass attack will lead to inconsistent levels of production throughout the season.

The bottom line : McNabb won't finish in the top five in points at his position and monstrous stat lines will be few and far between, but he'll remain a regular starter across the board.

8. Buffalo's problems at the quarterback position hurts Willis McGahee's production. The Bills field a career reserve in Kelly Holcomb, a potential bust in J.P. Losman and Craig Nall at quarterback. None of these three will scare defenses -- and neither will a core of wide receivers that includes Peerless Price and Josh Reed -- so McGahee could face countless stacked fronts all season.

The bottom line : I'm a little worried about McGahee. He's talented without question, but the talent around him has taken a nosedive and frustration could set at midseason.

9. Reggie Bush shares carries with Deuce McAllister and loses touches near the goal line. Unless McAllister has a setback with his knee, head coach Sean Payton will utilize both McAllister and Bush in the backfield. In that scenario, Bush would remain more valuable in drafts but will not receive close to 300 carries overall. In a shared role, Bush would lose some all-important looks near the end zone.

The bottom line : Bush has far more value in leagues that reward points for receptions, but he'll fail to rush for 1,000 yards if McAllister is on the field for at least 14 games.

10. Steve Smith crashes back to earth after an incredible season and postseason. Smith was an absolute stud last season (1,563 yards, 12 TDs) and a record breaker in the postseason, but the addition of Keyshawn Johnson and the presence of a more versatile featured back in DeShaun Foster could mean fewer opportunities on offense. Carolina's offense is based on the run, and the team won't have to force it into Smith as often.

The bottom line : Smith remains one of the top receivers to choose in drafts, but like Alexander he'll be hard pressed to duplicate his acheivements from last season.

Reader Feedback

Rick Tittsler: Thanks for all the hard work, feeding our Fantasy Football addictions. When will CBS SportsLine release its 2006 product?

M.F.: We're hard at work on the release of the new product and expect to have it live and available in the coming weeks.

Manny Gomez: Michael, what sort of numbers do you project for Julius Jones next season?

M.F.: Injuries are a concern, but Jones should reach 1,000-1,200 yards and six to eight touchdowns. He's a viable No. 2 back in most formats.

Justin Coomes: Should I retain Carnell Williams or Ronnie Brown?

M.F.: Brown's value is on the rise now that Ricky Williams is in Canada, but he could still return in 2007 and alter Brown's value. Regardless of the Williams situation, however, I still like the Cadillac in this case.

Sergio Silvestre: How can Chris Chambers not be ranked in the Top 10 at the wide receiver position?

M.F.: Chambers went ballistic from a statistical perspective in the second half of last season to reach his final numbers, but questions at quarterback are a bit of a concern. I have him ranked 13th -- not bad for a receiver with one 1,000-yard season on his resume.

Dave Sanders: Edgerrin James ranked fourth at the running back position is too high. I think he should be either seventh or eighth.

M.F.: The rank list includes points for receptions, which is the reason Edge remains fourth. For those owners who don't rewards points for catches, however, James would fall behind Tiki Barber and Clinton Portis.

Mailbag

Jason Karlin: I can retain two of these four players: Peyton Manning, Clinton Portis, Steve Smith or Fitzgerald?

M.F.: Manning is too valuable to release since he's the unquestioned No. 1 quarterback in Fantasy Football, and the lack of true featured backs around the league makes Portis more attractive than either Smith or Fitzgerald.

Rick Jacob: Can you project Chester Taylor's numbers this season in Minnesota?

M.F.: I think Taylor has the potential to record 30-40 receptions, 1,200-1,300 all-purpose yards and five to seven touchdowns, though he'll lose some goal-line looks to Ciatrick Fason.

You can e-mail your questions to us at gridguru@commissioner.com Be sure to put Attn: In the Trenches in the subject field. Please be aware that due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses or answers to all questions.

Michael Fabiano is the champion of the 2005 Gridiron Guru League II.