The depth chart will be out soon in advance of the first preseason game, but not quite yet. So some of my predictions will likely change and may change pretty quickly.

QB:

At this point QB Geno Smith has had all the first team reps and all signs point to him as the starter. However, this is all going to come down to which quarterback will get the most out of WR DK Metcalf and WR Tyler Lockett. QB Drew Lock has the physical attributes to allow Metcalf and Lockett to target more of the field than Smith, but he just has not translated that into a game. If Lock can make the most of his time in the preseason showing this ability then he could still pull out the start. But for now it is Smith and Smith will perform somewhere around 2TD and 280 yards per game.

Offensive line:

I really want to see the depth chart to get a good feel for this. But I am looking for the rookies to start out of the gate and for most to be wrong with who will start under center. I am looking for LT Chris Cross, LG Damien Lewis, OC Kyle Fuller, RG Gabe Jackson, and RT Abe Lucas as the starters. If the tackles show up the way I expect then this will be one heck of a unit.

RB:

RB Rashaad Penny has the starting job based on his end of the year performance last year and lack of injury (so far). Penny needs to get through the preseason without injury so he will likely not get many reps. RB Kenneth Walker will get plenty of reps to rest/protect Penny in preseason and should show himself as a solid runner behind this line and a ROY possibility if Penny is injured.

WR:

Metcalf and Lockett will rock. They may have a small drop in performance, but really they will be just fine with Geno at point guard. WR Dee Eskridge is still fighting his hammy which is giving Olympian WR Marquise Goodwin lots of reps to show what adding his kind of speed to the field along with Metcalf and Lockett can do. WR Cody Thompson tried to make himself known in last week's mock game too. And WR Penny Hart and WR Freddie Swain are also not out of the race. Dee may be ready for the first real game and then all the rest have to catch him for #3. But for now there is a fun race to watch.

TE:

Two words. Rookie Tackles. TE Noah Fant and TE Will Dissley will be protecting the quarterback too much to have tremendous fantasy value. But if you talk Fant up enough someone will draft him higher than they should and leave more quality on the table for your fantasy draft.

K:

Yes, PK Jason Myers is still the only kicker on the team. I keep hoping that will change.

D:

The interior of the line looks solid and DE Darrell Taylor looks to have transformed over the off season on the edge to be truly disruptive. DE LJ Collier sprained his elbow in the mock game, but he has not proven himself that valuable. DE Boye Mafe is the guy to watch especially if Taylor keeps playing at the level he looks to be playing at right now. Still a big reach to see him get a vote for DROY though.

Linebackers LB Cody Barton and LB Jordyn Brooks will have the weight of the world on their shoulders and neither of them is LB KJ Wright or LB Bobby Wagner. Brooks is limited right now with a hamstring injury which is scary because even though the projected starters are a big drop from those two names, the depth behind them is concerning.

Safeties SS Jamal Adams and FS Quandre Diggs are rock stars. But Adams now has a broken finger in his way. Will that open a door for SS Ryan Neal or SS Marquise Blair? We will see.

With CB Tre Brown on PUP, CB Artie Burns should get the start along with CB Justin Coleman. But Artie Burns now has an injury too as does CB Sidney Jones. Rookies CB Coby Bryant and CB Tariq Woolen are playing with the first team in practice and likely will for the beginning of the preseason. These guys are fun to watch, but if they are who gets the start they will get burned no matter what their ceiling really is.

The 'Hawks D remain risky in fantasy drafts, but watch Taylor and Mafe for IDP potential.

Let's see how this holds up after a couple of the games that do not matter.

Go 'Hawks!

End.