Chris Redman

Redman will serve as Matt Ryan's backup in 2011.

Redman filled in for Matt Ryan admirably last season averaging 269 pass yards and one touchdown in two starts. He will assume the backup role again in 2010.

Redman is a fine backup for the Falcons behind top-flight starter Matt Ryan. Even if Ryan gets hurt, though, Redman is just a bus driver. He really shouldn't be considered as a fantasy starter in almost any circumstance.

At press time, Redman was atop the depth chart, but the Falcons might well just play No. 3 overall pick Ryan right from the start. Who can blame them, as Redman was a reclamation project, and third-stringer Joey Harrington might be the worst QB in NFL history. Redman actually played decently in a 149-attempt sample, with a 7.2 YPA, 10 touchdowns and just five picks. But Redman only made the Falcons’ roster because of his connection to since departed coach Bobby Petrino for whom he played at Louisville and hadn’t thrown an NFL pass since 2003. And most of the shine on those stats were due to a Week 17 game (9.3 YPA, four TD, zero INT) against a Seahawks team that had locked up its playoff slot early. And two of Redman's other four significant-action games were against the Rams and Saints – both bottom five teams in YPA-allowed. We can rhapsodize about the grit and gamesmanship that Ryan showed at Boston College, but he’s faced a couple guys every week as good as every single player he'll see every single Sunday in the NFL. Yes, his guys are better, too. But only if he steps up and plays to his scouting report. Ignore the preseason, too, as teams play vanilla defenses and use their starters too sparingly for that to be an accurate barometer. On the plus side, new offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey did emphasize downfield, explosive passing in his heyday as Steelers offensive coordinator in the early part of the decade. And WR Roddy White is an emerging playmaker.

Redman's chances of making the team improved dramatically after Michael Vick's indictment was reported. Redman has been out of football since 2004, but he used to play for new head coach Bobby Petrino at Louisville. If nothing else, at least Redman has more experience with the new offense than any of the other quarterbacks on the roster. He will still likely battle D.J. Shockley for the backup position, but it wouldn't be surprising to see the Falcons bring in another quarterback during training camp.

All signs point to Redman starting the season as the No. 1 quarterback. But that's as good as the news gets for Redman. Last year in six starts before his season-ending back injury, he posted modest numbers (1,034 yards, 7 touchdowns, 3 interceptions), and this year the Ravens drafted Kyle Boller in the first round. In this run-first offense, even if Redman can hold off Boller, don't expect much of a fantasy impact.