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No, of course it's never too early to talk fantasy football. I mean, sure, if you're like me, you're working on buy-low targets to try and make up points in your rotisserie baseball league before it's too late (I always seem to struggle with batting average), but your football draft is likely about three months away, give or take. Not by coincidence, ESPN.com's first 2013 fantasy football rankings came out at the end of last week, so why not take a look at where the best players in the NFC East fell in those?

• The top NFC East player in the rankings is Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris, who ranks ninth overall and ninth at his position. Morris finished second in the league in rush yards as a rookie in 2012, and my goodness, how far we've come that a Mike Shanahan running back is a top-10 fantasy option.
• Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy, a top-three pick a year ago, ranks 11th overall and 10th among running backs. Chip Kelly likely will use the run game a lot in his first year as Eagles coach, and if healthy McCoy should benefit greatly.
• Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant, who won some fantasy leagues singlehandedly last year with his Week 16 peformance, ranks 16th overall and third among wide receivers, behind only Calvin Johnson and A.J. Green. If you read this blog regularly, you know I have no disagreement with a ranking like this.
• The highest ranking New York Giants player is running back David Wilson, who ranks 32nd overall and 17th among running backs. It's widely believed Wilson will be the feature back in New York this year, and his explosiveness makes him a tantalizing option if he does get the job. But since no one's certain what the Giants will do in terms of carries and how Wilson will handle the carries he does get, this is a guy primed to move up or down dramatically as the preseason unfolds.
• Quarterbacks? Washington's Robert Griffin III ranks ninth overall, and could obviously move up with a healthy preseason. The Cowboys' Tony Romo and the Giants' Eli Manning rank 12th and 13th, respectively, and always seem to land next to each other in these things. And the Eagles' Michael Vick, not yet assured of the starting job in Philadelphia, ranks 16th. Interesting to note that the Eagles' Nick Foles and Matt Barkley rank 35th and 47th, respectively, and that Washington backup Kirk Cousins came in at No. 40.
• Giants wide receivers Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks seem a bit undervalued at 14 and 21, but there's a holdout concern with Cruz and health concerns with Nicks. If those get resolved, those guys likely slide up a good bit.

Much more on this as we get closer to the season, obviously. I know there are a number of you out there who obsess over this nearly as much as I do. At least, I get myself to sleep at night with the help of that belief.

There have been a lot of theories and assumptions, since the Philadelphia Eagles hired Chip Kelly as their head coach, about how much their offense will look like the ones he ran at the University of Oregon. I have generally believed people are assuming too much, since I don't think Kelly himself yet knows for sure how much of what he did as a college coach will or won't work in the NFL. So this approach here by our man Gary Horton is refreshing, as it admits to nothing more than theory and educated imagination.

Gary looked at Oregon film to attain an understanding of Kelly's college tendencies, then watched 2012 Eagles film to assess the way in which those principles might mesh with the plays and personnel Philadelphia was already using. The result is, in Gary's words, "a look at how the Eagles' offense might appear this season under Kelly." I like the "might."

Gary's analysis discusses the speed and volume of plays Kelly is likely to run on offense, the use of tight ends, the run game and the importance of the kinds of athletic offensive linemen the Eagles have. But since it's an Insider piece, I can't give all of that away. You need to go ahead and buy the Insider access. What I will share with you is this part, about quarterback:

Michael Vick should love this offense, and the read-option likely also will be a part of this offensive package, but not the primary scheme. Vick won't have a lot of seven-step drops and unnecessary hits -- the ball should be out quickly with fairly easy reads and not a lot of audibles. There is nothing that Kelly will require that Vick is not capable of doing -- but he must be more consistent.So where does that leave rookie Matt Barkley? A lot of people thought on draft day that he was not a good fit for this offense, with limited mobility to stretch defenses with his feet. However, after watching a lot of USC film, I think he is a good fit. He is accurate in the short-to-intermediate passing game, with not a lot of vertical passes required; he is good on the play-fake; and he has underrated pocket mobility.

A tidy plan, for sure -- Vick this year into Barkley next. The keys to that are, of course, that Vick can stay healthy and avoid turnovers this year and that Barkley really was a steal at the top of the fourth round of this year's draft. I agree with Gary that Vick is capable of doing anything Kelly wants him to do on offense. The question is whether he will do it, or whether he'll revert to what he's always done in terms of holding the ball too long and trying to make too much out of busted plays because his remarkable skill set leads him to believe he can. There's a theory that part of the problem Vick had under the previous Eagles coaching staff was playcalling, and that an offense that leaves him no choice but to get rid of the ball quickly will lead to success and keep him safer from injury. It sounds as though Vick will at least get a chance to prove whether that theory has merit. Should be fun to find out, for sure.

And as for Barkley, a lot of teams saw reasons not to spend a first-round, second-round or third-round pick on him in a league in which a lot of teams need quarterback help. Sure, in theory he can work in a Kelly offense. But fourth-round draft picks don't often make successful starting NFL quarterbacks. (Same with third-rounders, by the way, which is likely why Nick Foles' name doesn't even come up here.) Barkley and the Eagles have much work to do before they can know whether he's the long-term solution at quarterback.

Got a question about the NFC East? Robert Griffin III's wedding registry? Tony Romo's back? The Eagles' quarterback situation? The Giants' incredibly wild, newsy, action-packed offseason? (I kid, I kid.)

If you do have a question about the NFC East, or if you're just looking for something to do instead of work between noon and 1 p.m. ET today, I welcome you to join our weekly NFC East chat. You just click on these little blue letters right here at any time during that hour and fire away with your questions. I'll do my best to answer them. Hope to see you there.

Hope you guys didn't miss me too much yesterday. I was out buying a wedding gift for a professional football player who's making $7 million a year in salary, plus endorsement money from Adidas and Subway, and didn't invite me to the wedding. Oh no, wait. I wasn't doing that. You'd have to have a serious screw loose to do something like that.

Right?

Links.

Dallas Cowboys

If you thought the Doug Free situation took too long to resolve itself this offseason, don't worry about a repeat. Free's new contract is structured in such a way that requires a much quicker decision by the Cowboys in 2014.

I was in college in Washington, D.C. when the Redskins won Super Bowl XXVI. Jared Green was 2-years old and sitting on his father's shoulder in a postgame celebration. Darrell Green is expecting his son to return the favor should Jared and the Cowboys find their way to the Super Bowl this season.

New York Giants

Tom Coughlin's recently published book, "Earn the Right to Win," is being studied by college football coaches at Arizona State University. Coughlin has said many times on his book tour that the book isn't football-specific and includes life lessons as well. I personally have yet to read it.

Giants draft pick Cooper Taylor has already overcome a serious health scare on his way to the NFL. He's one of the picks about which I get asked about the most, and he's intriguing for this reason as well as the question of how he fits into the Giants' defense.

Philadelphia Eagles

Nick Foles took more first-team snaps than Michael Vick did in Monday's practice. This clearly means Vick's hold on the starting quarterback job is slipping away in record time and that his career is nearing an ugly end. I'm kidding, of course. This doesn't mean that. It means it's mid-May, and Chip Kelly's using practices to find out as much as he can about all of his players. But we'll keep you posted.

Running back LeSean McCoy left practice early due to a knee issue of some sort, but again. May. Anything that doesn't feel 100 percent right at this point in the year is reason enough to stop working so as not to make it worse.

Washington Redskins

Redskins GM Bruce Allen says he's hearing positive reports and has reason for optimism, but that it's too early to tell when quarterback Robert Griffin III will be fully recovered from his offseason knee surgery and cleared to play. This is, of course, the responsible thing to say and the only thing anyone should be saying right now about Griffin's knee. No word from Allen on how ticked off he was to go on Griffin's wedding registry and find out that some fan had already bought the food processor.

It's also too early to tell who's going to play free safety for the Redskins this year, though Tarik El-Bashir has the scoop on the candidates for the job.

Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless discuss Michael Vick's reaction to criticism that he holds onto the ball too long.

Dallas Cowboys

What are the Cowboys' top storylines this offseason? The Dallas Morning News shares its top 10.

Monte Kiffin and Rod Marinelli are already making an impact in Dallas.

New York Giants

Rookie safety Cooper Taylor models himself after former Giants safety Jason Sehorn. “I’m definitely kind of an enigma for the position, not a whole lot of guys like me,’’ Taylor said.

Philadelphia Eagles

Cornerback Brandon Boykin is hoping the experience he gained last season will begin to pay off when he takes the field in 2013.

Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer: "There is no coach in the NFL trying to do more in less time than Chip Kelly of the Eagles. He is one of eight new head coaches and received for that honor an extra three days of practice in the form of an April voluntary veterans minicamp. (Woo hoo!) Otherwise, the Eagles are trying to slip a lot of coaching through a narrow window like every other team, but, unlike most, everything coming through the window is brand new."

Washington Redskins

Jason Reid of The Washington Post: "The biggest news about the Washington Redskins actually doesn’t involve quarterback Robert Griffin III’s reconstructed right knee. It’s still way too early to tell when Griffin will be ready to play -- the Redskins are waiting to find out just like everyone else. What is interesting are the changes on offense the team is expected to make to accommodate Griffin.

CSNWashington.com looks at a crowded Redskins backfield.

» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A look at key players for each NFC East team who are coming back from injuries:

Dallas Cowboys: LB Sean Lee

Lee has been a breakout defensive star for the Cowboys the past two seasons, but he hasn't been able to stay healthy. A wrist injury limited him after a raging hot start in 2011, and after another hot start in 2012 he injured a toe in Week 7 and missed the remainder of the season. The Cowboys' defense is different when Lee is on the field and at his instinctive, playmaking best, and it misses him terribly when he's not. Now set to play the middle linebacker position in Dallas' new 4-3 defensive alignment, Lee is more important than ever to the every-down success of the defense. We easily could have picked running back DeMarco Murray or even perpetually nicked-up wide receiver Miles Austin for this exercise, but the Cowboys' biggest question marks lie on defense, where six starters missed time last year because of injury. Improved health on defense is the surest way for the Cowboys as a whole to improve in 2013, and Lee is right in the middle of it all.

New York Giants: WR Hakeem Nicks

Nicks broke a bone in his foot during minicamp last year, and while he made it back in time for the start of the season, he was not himself all year. Foot and knee problems cost him three games and limited him to 692 yards and three touchdowns on 53 catches (10 catches and 199 yards of which came in a Week 2 game for which he was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week). Without his top wide receiver healthy for much of the year, Giants quarterback Eli Manning was unable to duplicate the Super Bowl-winning magic of the previous season. With Nicks hobbled, defenses were often able to focus more on Victor Cruz, whose production dropped from the previous year's dazzling yardage numbers. Nicks is a vital part of the Giants' passing game, which is the vital part of their offense. When he's at his best, he's among the top all-around wide receivers in the league. He needs to stay healthy for the Giants to function at peak levels.

Philadelphia Eagles: LT Jason Peters

Peters tore his right Achilles tendon twice during the 2012 offseason and was obviously unable to play at all as a result. He was the first of three Eagles starting offensive linemen to land on injured reserve last year, but after the year he had in 2011, his was the absence they had the greatest difficulty overcoming. Peters was essential to the Eagles offense in 2011 as a multi-level blocker who could take out his man at the line and then get upfield quickly and block a linebacker or a safety as well. Without him, the run game suffered, the screen game suffered, and quarterback Michael Vick's ability to succeed when he extended plays suffered. The Eagles need Todd Herremans and Jason Kelce back on the offensive line, and they need first-round pick Lane Johnson to play well at right tackle. But the most important offensive line recovery is that of Peters, who brings something to the equation no one else brings. He needs not only to be healthy, but to play like his old, spry self.

Washington Redskins: QB Robert Griffin III

If you've been living in a cave without access to TV or the Internet for the past six months, it will come as news to you that Griffin tore his ACL in the Redskins' playoff game (yes, they made the playoffs) and had reconstructive surgery in January. While the Redskins believe they have a capable backup in Kirk Cousins, much of their 2012 success was because of Griffin's unique talents and abilities. Even if Griffin is back to 100 percent, the Redskins probably will take greater care with how they use him in the read-option this year. But the threat he poses to defenses as a runner and a passer is not something Cousins or very many other quarterbacks in the league can replicate. The Redskins must be careful not to rush Griffin back from his injury, as he's their franchise quarterback and vital to the long-term success and health of the team. But their 2013 fortunes are tightly tied to the timing and extent of his recovery.

This Friday's links are sorted in order of the populations of the states in which the teams play their home games. Enjoy.

Dallas Cowboys

Jason Witten will be happy to welcome second-round pick Gavin Escobar as a teammate and fellow Cowboys tight end. He'll be happy to help him get acclimated to life in the NFL. But make no mistake: Witten does not believe he's training his replacement. He believes he's got a lot of good years left.

Monte Kiffin will be the fifth different defensive coordinator for whom Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr has played in six years in the NFL. Carr is used to change.

Philadelphia Eagles

There's apparently a new documentary series about DeSean Jackson, and one of the things that's revealed in it is that his relationship with former Eagles coach Andy Reid got off to a shaky start due to some things Reid said about Jackson's family in their first conversation.

The Eagles' other starting wide receiver, Jeremy Maclin, could get a look on punt returns this season. Another chance for Maclin to make the right kind of impression in his contract year. Maclin was a brilliant return man in college.

New York Giants

Dwight Freeney's father says the veteran defensive end would love to play for the Giants but can't because the Giants are "broke." It was a day for connecting veterans still looking for jobs with the Giants, as Charles Woodson's agent said something about them being interested in his client. I have to believe, if the Giants wanted Freeney, they'd have found the money to sign him.

As for the pass-rushers the Giants do have, veteran Justin Tuck is trying to get rookie Damontre Moore in the right frame of mind to contribute right away.

Washington Redskins

Apparently the Redskins remain interested in running back Tim Hightower, who was their starter in 2011 before blowing out his knee and was cut late in training camp last year because the knee couldn't get healthy. The Giants have had some interest in Hightower this offseason as well. Whether Washington, New York or anyone else signs him has to depend on his health. He's well liked and well respected as a multi-talented back who could fill a variety of roles.

Remember that odd burgundy stripe around the collars of the Redskins' white jerseys last year? Yeah, they're not doing that again.

Ashley Fox went over to Philadelphia Eagles practice this week and came away with this column about Michael Vick and his "last chance" to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Ashley's premise is that, if Vick can't hold off Nick Foles and Matt Barkley for the Eagles' starting quarterback job, he's never going to get another one anywhere:

Last season, Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg started the season by giving Vick more pre-snap responsibilities but got to the point that they had to limit his reads and checks. He freelanced often. With a decimated offensive line, Vick had shaky protection and frequently took off running, trying to make a play for a team that had few players who did. That led to bad habits and injuries, which limited Vick to just 10 starts. At the end of the season, when Vick was healthy, Reid chose to ride out his remaining games with the team with Foles. It was a mercy benching.

So this is it for Vick. This is his last shot. Vick has organized team activities and minicamps and training camp to prove to Kelly that he can run his up-tempo offense, master the crazy hand signals being sent in from the sideline, practice through the distractions of blaring music, and make checks and read the defense while still moving the chains. Three and out won't cut it.

Four months. That's it.

"He realizes that it's up to him if he wants to play," Eagles veteran offensive lineman Todd Herremans said.

This is the great mystery of the Eagles' offseason -- whether Vick truly is the man for this job. Kelly chose to re-sign him when he could have let him go, so he must see something that tells him they can do great things together, if only in the short term. But Kelly wants certain specific things from his quarterback, including the kinds of quick reads and quick releases for which Vick has never been known. Vick is the clear favorite to win the job right now, but it's far from inconceivable that Foles or Barkley or even Dennis Dixon could outplay him in camp and make it evident that Kelly is better off using one of them.

Vick is saying all of the right things. Over the past four years, he's been as good as anyone in sports at saying all of the right things. He's re-dedicated himself. He's determined. He's working harder than ever. He's focused. You know... all the stuff he said last spring and summer, too.

Don't get me wrong here. I believe Vick is earnest. I believe he wants to succeed, and is willing to put in the off-field work that he needs to in order to do it. I don't think he's lazy or aloof or not smart enough to pick up this new offense. What I think is that Vick, who turns 33 next month, is simply what he is, and that you have to take the good with the bad. He can say and do all of the right things in OTAs and minicamps, but when the games start and the play breaks down, nothing's going to stop him from doing what he knows and what he's always known -- holding the ball too long, trying too hard to make the spectacular rescue play instead of dumping it off or throwing it out of bounds and living to see the next play. That's the kind of quarterback behavior that has consistently, throughout Vick's career, led to turnovers and injuries and frustration for his coaches. And if that's what shows up as the season gets closer, Vick's hold on this job is far from secure.

Greetings and welcome to your Thursday edition of the breakfast links, where we work to keep you abreast of what folks around the league are writing about our division's teams. I hope you enjoy.

Washington Redskins

DeAngelo Hall says the plan all along for him was to return to Washington this year at a drastically reduced salary. He says he felt responsible for the salary-cap mess in which the Redskins found themselves, since he believed his contract and Albert Haynesworth's were the ones for which the other teams' owners penalized them. Says he's made enough money.

Robert Griffin III's knee isn't the only injury concern for the Redskins on offense as the offseason program gets underway. Tark El-Bashir runs down the list of the walking wounded that surround Griffin, or Kirk Cousins, as the case may be.

Dallas Cowboys

It is assumed that DeMarcus Ware will make an easy transition from 3-4 outside linebacker to 4-3 defensive end, and he very well might. Players of Ware's talent are capable of more things that we sometimes give them credit for. But Jean-Jacques Taylor writes that the move does carry some risk.

Yes, Phil Costa knows the Cowboys' first-round draft pick could take his job as the starting center. No, Costa does not plan to be a jerk about it to Travis Frederick. Just doesn't think that's the way to do things. Obviously, it's possible that whoever from the duo of Frederick or Costa doesn't win the center's job could win a job as a starting guard, too.

New York Giants

If you believe that the presence of smoke indicates the presence of fire, then you have reason to be optimistic about the state of the Victor Cruz contract talks. Again, I expect that this will get done to the satisfaction of both sides, but if it doesn't get done in the next couple of days, that's no reason to think anything's necessarily gone wrong.

The Giants were hoping to lure free-agent Josh Cribbs to help their kick-return game, but he has instead signed with the Raiders. This likely means running back David Wilson remains the primary kick returner in spite of what's expected to be an increased role in the running game.

Philadelphia Eagles

There are a few Philadelphia Eagles players for whom Chip Kelly's methods and mannerisms are not new or unfamiliar. Those players who knew him at the University of Oregon say he's the same guy he was there.

Matt Barkley is making a strong first impression on the Eagles' coaches and his fellow competitors at quarterback, and it's not crazy to think he's not in the mix to play that position as early as this season.

Some highlights from our regular weekly NFC East chat, which took place Tuesday:

Les (East Windsor, NJ): Assuming Victor Cruz returns to the Giants, what do you see as the pecking order behind him and Hakeem Nicks?

Dan Graziano: I think they'd like Rueben Randle to take a big jump forward and be the next guy in that pecking order. But they brought in Louis Murphy for returns and he could factor in. And they still think Jerrel Jernigan has something to offer. Competition will decide.

Tony D (Guam): Am I the only one that doesn't get all the hate for Doug Free. After getting flip flopped on the line the past couple of years, this might be the reason for his skid. I was watching highlights from just 3 years ago and the dude was mean. Best case scenario, I would like to see a pay cut and stay on the roster. Thoughts?

DG: But come on. The reason for the flip flop was how bad he was on the left side in 2011. You're right about the way he played in 2010, but since the contract he hasn't been remotely the same. Judging on the last two years, he's one of the worst starting tackles in the entire league.

Fran Mc (Philly): A lot of experts are predicting that Eagles' Matt Barkley starts year 2 or 3. My question is why are they assuming his better than Nick Foles? They're from the same conference. Foles was drafted a round higher.

DG: But by a different coaching staff. Look, the plain fact is, anyone who's "predicting" anything about the Eagles' QB situation, this year, next year or the year after, is guessing.

Kenny J (Martinsburg): Has Dan Snyder finally grown into a very good and responsible owner, and will Jerry Jones ever do the same?

DG: I think Snyder has honored his contractual promise to stay in the background and let Shanahan run the team the way he wants to run it. I don't imagine Jones will ever make such a promise.

Blog might be light today, folks, just FYI. Heading up to Bristol for a meeting, and that means lots of time on the road. I promise I'll make it up to you tomorrow, or at least in September. Meantime, we have links.

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles running back LeSean McCoy is being sued for assault as a result of a December incident on a party bus. McCoy's attorney is saying the charges are false and merely an attempt to get money from McCoy, and certainly that does happen with pro athletes. If that's what this is, it'll blow over. But if he were to be found liable, yes, that could land him in trouble with the NFL as well.

One of the features of Chip Kelly's offense will be option routes for wide receivers that allow them to adjust the routes they run based on something they see in the coverage. It's going to put a lot of additional responsibility on DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin & Co., and is yet another aspect of the offense that will make it more complicated for the quarterback. There is much to learn and practice in these next four months.

Washington Redskins

Brad Gagnon recently wondered whether the healthy return of Brian Orakpo could make the Redskins' pass rush the best in the NFC East. It's not a ridiculous idea, what with the Giants having taken a step back in that department last season and the Eagles' and Cowboys' pass-rushers having to learn new positions.

Can you make a case for Alfred Morris as the Redskins' best player? One national writer recently ranked him that way. I guess the point is you can't assume a fully healthy Robert Griffin III, but obviously, if you could ...

Dallas Cowboys

Tim MacMahon says that the blame for the Doug Free fiasco belongs with Free, not with a front office that gave him a contract the market demanded after his big 2010 season. And I agree with Tim's basic point. Free is the one to blame for not living up to the deal. But the contract does appear to have been structured in a way that has caused the team more problems than it had to. And I still don't understand why Free hasn't been released or forced to take a pay cut.

And sticking with our friends at ESPNDallas.com, Calvin Watkins writes that the team has to be happy about what a quiet offseason wide receiver Dez Bryant is having. Those in the Cowboys front office who believe in jinxes can't be happy with Calvin.

New York Giants

The World Wide Web was buzzing Tuesday with a lot of rumor and innuendo about the Victor Cruz contract situation nearing a resolution. But Ohm writes that there's nothing new to report and nothing imminent.

Cooper Taylor is a rookie to watch this offseason, as the manner in which he ultimately fits in the NFL is a matter of some question. Is he too big to play safety and too small to play linebacker? I'm thinking he's a special-teams star right away and could factor into sub packages as early as 2014.

One of the day's news stories is that former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb is going to retire as an Eagle, and it sounds as though the team is planning to honor him at one of its home games in 2013. Obviously, this is the right thing to do for the greatest quarterback the Eagles have ever had. And while McNabb will long be remembered as a player who presided over an era of consistent excellence in Philadelphia, that era will be remembered for the fact that the Eagles made it to five NFC Championship Games but never managed to win a Super Bowl.

This is the curse of Eagles stardom, of course. No matter how great an Eagle you were, you never won a Super Bowl, and the Eagles' fans are starved for that satisfaction. But all of that said, McNabb's parting with the Eagles was not acrimonious, and he deserves a nice send-off. I imagine he'll get one, though I'm sure there will be a few who show up and boo the guy who kept coming so close but never could get the job all the way done.

One thing about this, though: Some have suggested (including McNabb, I think) that this could be done before that Thursday night game in Week 3 against the Chiefs, because longtime Eagles coach Andy Reid, who now coaches the Chiefs, will be on hand. Nice idea, but if it were me I'd do it some other week. I think the Reid return is going to be its own circus, and that the fans' feelings about Reid are still too raw and negative to mix those up with McNabb's big day. Reid will someday have his own day in Philadelphia, but I'd keep McNabb's separate from that particular game this year. Just my $0.02.

So if you're sitting around at work and you have an NFC East-related question that you just can't get out of your head and you want someone else's opinion on the answer, I have just the thing for you. It's our weekly NFC East chat, which takes place at noon ET every Tuesday, including today. All you do is you click on these little blue letters right here, any time between noon and 1 pm ET, and you arrive in a virtual chat room in which you can ask me anything you want about the division. It works great. Can't wait to see you there.