FanHouse LanceSchulters

Training camps are underway, the NFL season is right around the corner, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Quarterback: Drew Brees is, to me, the third best quarterback in the league. And that's not just because I have a giant man-crush on him. Say what you will about your Tony Romos and Carson Palmers, but I'd take Brees over those two, especially as he appears to be in the prime of his career. All he's done since arriving in New Orleans is put up gaudy numbers through the air, but he plays a heady game based on quick (and good) decisions. He's also a good guy off the field and the unquestioned leader of the team. Mark Brunell was brought in as Brees' backup while project Tyler Palko continues to develop, and while you don't want to see the old lefty play at all, his arm looks good enough in camp to sustain for a couple of weeks if need be. Anything more than that, though, and the Saints are in trouble. Heat Index: 9

Running Back: Running back committees are a bitch for fantasy owners, but none have encountered a mess like this, where four backs are going to get a fair share of touches. Exactly how the carries shake out depends on Deuce McAllister's health; ditto for the productivity of the group. All four backs -- McAllister, Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, and Aaron Stecker -- are talented, but Deuce is the only pounder that can keep the running game glued together. If he's in the lineup, expect Bush to flourish, with Thomas making a solid impact as well. If he's not, Thomas takes on a larger role and, though he rolled up Chicago for over 200 yards from scrimmage in Week 17 last year, it remains to be seen whether he can be a full-time NFL back. Luckily, Deuce has looked healthy so far. Heat Index: 7

The NFL FanHouse crew loves what we do. AOL pays us handsomely at all to watch football games we'd mostly be watching anyway. It's a pretty great job. But let's be honest: not every game is fun to watch (Bills 13, Jets 3 -- I'm looking at you). Some of them are more painful than a Shannon Sharpe monologue. And we have to watch every one of them. So with the GAME OF THE CENTURY having maybe possibly decided who the best team in the NFL is, we put our heads together and tried to figure out the worst. Feel free to cast your vote in the comments.

Tom Mantzouranis: Where to begin discussing the worst team in the NFL? There are two winless squads and a number of others who appear lost. I have to watch two of the most offensive -- the Rams and 49ers -- on a weekly basis, and the decision between those two is a tough one. By appearances, they're the same team -- overwhelmed coach, terrible offensive line, injured backfield, lack of vertical game, decent defenses made to look worse by their ineffective offenses, imploding morale.

The 49ers have two more wins than the Rams, but they also haven't had to face quite the adversity the Rams have. Things have gone freakishly bad for St. Louis, particularly on the offensive line, where three guys out for the year, six of the nine on the opening day roster have missed time, and no one is playing in the original spot they began the season at. They've also missed both starting corners, a handful of receivers, and a starting linebacker at points this season, not to mention only getting one quarter out of Steven Jackson in the last five weeks. I think the Red Sox have outscored both in the last two months. That being said, the Rams rank above the 49ers in almost every relevant offensive and defensive category despite the injuries. Granted, there's not a lot of separation between the two, but the Rams prevail nonetheless. The 49ers might be the worst team in the league.