On Thursday afternoon, a group of us at FOX Sports stepped back from making calculations, predictions and cruising headlines to conduct a fantasy football draft of our own. Several of the league members wondered aloud about participating in a draft ahead of the first reporting date, but Roger Rotter and I pressed the issue of whether an off-season really exists in the NFL anymore?

It was a lively and spirited chat room chock full of smack talking and second-guessing. All right, there was an occasional "Attaboy" for favorite sleeper selections or later-round steals.

I thought I'd take a moment to release the roster I assembled in this effort with a comment for each player selected. Roger Rotter has offered a larger work with kudos and questions for each selection in the league on the FOXSports.com site.

 As always, there is a premium on running backs, which offers a quick explanation of the appearance of many backups for later trade bait. I drafted out of the 10th and final position.

1. Carnell Williams - You know that Jon Gruden is going to run Williams hard. It's just a matter of whether the heavy workload wears him down or puts him on the shelf. I wanted a back who was certain to touch the ball 20 or more times each week. Williams fit the bill nicely.

2. Domanick Davis - Davis's injury history frightens me to a degree, but Houston's decision to go defense instead of selecting Reggie Bush made me confident in Gary Kubiak's plans for him. The league rewards you with a point per reception, a factor which boosted him over Ronnie Brown for me in this spot.

3. Tatum Bell - The Denver running game annually ranks among the league's best, and the decision to let Mike Anderson sign away to Baltimore portends to big things for this third-year back. He'll split carries with Ron Dayne, but I'm looking for 1st-round stats out of him on the strength of his near five yards per carry last season and eight scores.

4. Hines Ward - I expect Ken Whisenhunt to put the ball in Ben Roethlisberger's hands more this season with the loss of Jerome Bettis. We saw it in the playoffs with more emphasis on his big right arm and I look for more of the same this year. Ward offers a big reception and TD total in the running offense of the past. A minor shift can make him even more potent.

5. Roy Williams - Can he stay healthy? Will the Mike Martz system work in Detroit? We know he can torch DBs when he's on the field and a run toward double-digit scores is possible. I'm hopeful that he's one of those third-year monster performers.

6. Derrick Mason - He averaged more than 85 catches over the past four seasons and reunites with former QB Steve McNair. Mason performed to his normal level despite the inconsistency of Kyle Boller, who will take a backseat to McNair this year. The TD total is a question mark, but receptions and yardage are not.

7. Jake Delhomme - He's got one of the top receivers in the game in Steve Smith and a new possession receiver in Keyshawn Johnson. The defense offers strong starting field position and some short field opportunities. I thought he was a relative bargain in the 7th round, provided he can placate Smith and Johnson.

8. Joe Horn - Was his 2005 season a sign of things to come, or just another example of the problems within the organization last season? I'm thinking that the truth lies somewhere in between and that the insertion of Drew Brees in the QB role will help invigorate this squad.

9. Mike Anderson - Jamal Lewis is the starter, but I expect Anderson to see 8-10 carries per game as Brian Billick teams his defense with a power running game. Ball control equal victories and solid trade bait at the very least.

10. Drew Bledsoe - TO, Witten and Glenn. The potential here is huge if everything clicks. If not, I've just wrapped myself into a potentially frightening soap opera.

11. Marion Barber - Julius Jones may very well be in the mix for a breakout season. However, I'm not banking on him going a full 16 games based on his injury-riddled past. Barber shone when he stepped into the offense last year, and I expect him to have at least several opportunities to do so again this year.

12. Kellen Winslow, Jr. - We finally get to see whether Winslow, Jr. can live up to the hype. Barring a freak incident in training camp, it's time for the University of Miami product to get after it. He's got the talent and from all reports, he's fully ready physically to get into camp. Charlie Frye will need a safety valve, and Winslow, Jr. sets up beautifully for that role.

13. Baltimore Defense - All the names are coming back healthy: Lewis, Reed, Suggs. Add it all together and there's a chance that Baltimore returns to the top 5 defenses. I'm normally not one to rely on turnover totals and the off-chance of a defensive score, but there's something about this squad ...

14. Greg Jones - Fragile Fred? Maybe, maybe not. I don't think Taylor is done by any means, but Jones has most definitely performed well when called upon. Given the style of the Jaguars offense under Jack Del Rio, I anticipated Jones hearing his number called again.

15. Jay Feely - The Giants are one of the favorites to get to the Super Bowl, and the expectations are huge for Eli Manning and the Giants offense. I expect growth by Manning and company, but I anticipate that Feely will find himself the beneficiary of huge FG opportunities.

16. Matt Leinart - Warner isn't making it through 16 games. I think Warner will put up strong numbers in the games he does start, but I fully expect Leinart to inherit this very talented offense for at least a couple of games. And in the right spot, he can find his way into my lineup.

We'll reconvene to conduct another draft as the opening kickoff to the 2006 season. I'm sure the board will be much different given a few weeks of workouts.