FanHouse HeathEvans

Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.

Even though they lost franchise quarterback Tom Brady to a knee injury in Week 1, the Patriots managed to finish with a rather impressive 11-5 record in 2008. Impressive because they did so with a quarterback (Matt Cassel) that hadn't started a game since he was a senior in high school.

In most years, an 11-5 record is a lock for the NFL's postseason, but the Patriots became the first team since the 1985 Denver Broncos to miss the playoffs with such a mark. They already started the offseason by placing the franchise tag on Cassel, and it remains to be seen if they intend to trade him off to the highest bidder, or keep him around is a rather expensive insurance policy.

It's time for the most vital Patriots analysis you'll read all year: the fantasy breakdown! Which Pats will be racking up points for your team? And which are better left to rot unloved on the waiver wire?

The Pats are notoriously confounding when it comes to all matters fantasy. The ball gets spread around, and it's darn near impossible to guess who'll emerge as a red zone rock star. Consider: Linebacker Mike Vrabel (of no use to the fantasy drafter) caught three touchdown passes from Tom Brady last year. Meanwhile, starting wide receiver David Givens caught two.

Even 2005 mainstay Corey Dillon (12 rushing touchdowns) looks to be a gamble, as he'll split time with promising rookie Laurence Maroney. And Deion Branch, with his team-high five TD catches in 2005? He might not take the field at all. It seems your best bets are Brady, tight end Ben Watson, placekicker Stephen Gostkowski, and the defense. But if you're looking for a dark horse candidate, take a peek at running back Heath Evans. In the Pats' final exhibition game, as they neared the goal line on their first possession, Evans got his number called three straight times before finally reaching paydirt. And he tied for the team lead in touchdowns in the preseason, with three rushing and one receiving. (Of course, he tied with running back Patrick Cobbs ... who has since been cut. So back to the drawing board there. Like I say, confounding.)