Manning headlines offseason

Needless to say, it has been an interesting offseason. We have seen a lot of player movement with some big-name players changing teams. And we aren't even done yet as some marquee players could still be moved or signed. But for now, we'll give you our take on some of the player movement this offseason.

The biggest signing of the offseason came in Denver. Peyton Manning inked a deal with the Broncos to become their starter for the next several seasons. His neck is the big concern. Can he return healthy and back to his previous form? We think he can get close to his old form but the bigger concern is his surrounding talent. Demaryius Thomas has the makings of a star and should only get better with Manning throwing him passes. Eric Decker isn't a world beater but solid in the other starting role. You can expect the Broncos to add more talent at receiver during the draft. Newly acquired tight ends Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen are good pass catchers but not elite players. Manning should make the whole offense better but probably doesn't have enough talent around him to be an elite fantasy quarterback. Consider him a solid starter but behind the top guys (i.e. Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, etc.).

The Bears added some running back depth and insurance for Matt Forte, who is looking for a new contract. Chicago signed Michael Bush. He is coming off his best season as a pro and should be in the mix for carries with the Bears even with Forte around. Bush could get the goal-line work and around double-digit touches per game in a new run-heavy Bears offense. Bush doesn't have great value with his move but hurts the value of Forte more than anything. Forte will get a few less touches and scores with Bush around.

With Peyton Manning in Denver, there wasn't room for Tim Tebow, so he was shipped to the Jets. Tebow hasn't been anointed as the starter but he'll get work in certain packages behind Mark Sanchez. All this does is hurt the value of both players. Neither will be worth using for fantasy teams sharing work with the other. It wouldn't surprise to see Tebow emerge as the starter at some point. When that happens, he'll have fantasy value as a low-end No. 1 because of his past success as a starter for fantasy teams. His running ability gives him plenty of fantasy upside when starting.

The Redskins made their usual splash in free agency, paying a hefty price to obtain receiver Pierre Garcon. Washington hopes to have found their No. 1 receiver for the next several seasons, giving likely first-round pick Robert Griffin a top target in the passing game. Garcon has solid fantasy value with the move, likely getting many chances in the passing game. Don't expect a monster season but he should be able to help as a No. 2 for fantasy teams.

After taking a year off, David Garrard landed with the Dolphins this offseason. Miami missed out on some other quarterback targets and settled on Garrard to compete with Matt Moore for the starter's job. At this point, you would expect Moore to win the job. He played well last season and Garrard is getting older and has been out of football for a year. But nothing is certain with a new coaching regime in place.

The Patriots added a few more weapons at receiver, signing Brandon Lloyd and Anthony Gonzalez. Lloyd has more upside based off his past history but could be lost in shuffle some with his new team, competing with a lot of weapons for targets. He'll have his big games, though, and is worth grabbing as a low-end No. 2 or No. 3 fantasy receiver. Don't overvalue him based off past success, though. Gonzalez is a good buy-low signing by the Patriots. A fresh start on a good offense could be just the thing to get his career going. He might be worth a late-round flier come draft day.

Cincinnati didn't re-sign Cedric Benson, leaving a hole at running back. They filled that hole by signing BenJarvus Green-Ellis. He'll take over the No. 1 back duties but could split a little more work with Bernard Scott this season. Green-Ellis has some upside in an offense that likes to run. Plus, he should get the goal-line work in an emerging offense. He'll be worth a look as a No. 2 back for the coming season.

The Chiefs got some insurance for Jamaal Charles, who is returning from a torn ACL. Kansas City signed Peyton Hillis. This is a bit of a blow to Charles because even if healthy, Hillis could steal some goal-line work from him. Plus, you can expect Hillis to get a few more carries than your typical backup. Hillis might knock Charles down from elite status just a bit. As for Hillis, consider him a top No. 3 back with a lot of touchdown potential.

Receiver Vincent Jackson signed a huge deal with the Bucs to become their No. 1 receiver. Jackson is obviously a very talented player with a strong history of success but a move to Tampa should hurt his numbers some. The Bucs aren't near as pass happy as the Chargers. Jackson can still get 1,000 yards and near double-digit scores but he isn't an elite option in this offense. Consider him a top No. 2.

The 49ers gave their receiving corps an overall. San Francisco signed Mario Manningham and Randy Moss. Manningham should serve a similar role with San Francisco as he did with the Giants, serving as the No. 3 receiver between Moss and Michael Crabtree. Manningham doesn't have quite the same value, though, playing in a run-first offense. Moss might not be a great fit for this offense, either. It remains to be seen how much he has left in the tank after not playing at all last season. He'll get some chances to make some plays downfield but his numbers could be sporadic. He is worth a gamble come draft day but don't reach too soon.

This signing flew under the radar a bit but might be the best fantasy move for a player this offseason. The Chargers signed Robert Meachem, who should be a great fit for their offense. He is a big-play threat that should serve a similar role to the now departed Vincent Jackson. He has a lot of potential going forward. A season with 1,000 yards and double-digit scores is a real possibility for him. Not sure if he could have landed in a better place.

If you have any questions or comments, please email Jeff Paur at jeff@rtsports.com