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The Panthers hope defensive end Julius Peppers rebounds from a disappointing 2 1/2-sack season.

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The Panthers finished second in the NFC South last season with a 7-9 record. For NFC South coverage, visit Pat Yasinskas' NFC South blog | Discuss Panthers | MAG Preview

ANALYST	PREDICTION
Jeffri Chadiha ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 1   The key to their success is the health of quarterback Jake Delhomme. He has missed 16 of the Panthers' past 20 games, and Carolina has fallen far short of high expectations as a result.
John Clayton ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 2  The return of Jake Delhomme makes the Panthers one of the surprise teams in the league. He can put up 25 points a game for a team that has one of the easier schedules. Unfortunately, Steve Smith's two-game suspension might mean the Panthers start 1-1 or 0-2.
Tim Graham ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 3  Steve Smith is the Panthers' best player, and he's ripping the team apart from the inside-out. The vaunted John Fox two-back system will need to be even more productive.
Jeremy Green Scouts Inc.	DIVISION FINISH: 2  The Panthers learned the hard way last season that a backup QB is invaluable. Veteran QB Jake Delhomme's elbow is healthy, and he is showing good pop. Unfortunately, coach John Fox is on the hot seat, and that means the Panthers must be a playoff team in 2008.
Paul Kuharsky ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 3  Maybe I underestimate Jake Delhomme and overestimate the effect of Steve Smith's season-opening two-game suspension. But the bigger issue is the defensive line, which has been a strength on John Fox's best teams and won't be on this one.
Matt Mosley ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 3  Steve Smith already has set the tone for the season -- and it's not a good one. Losing your best player for the first two games is not the quickest route to the playoffs.
Mike Sando ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 3  The Panthers have been known to disappoint. They've posted two winning seasons since 1997. The burden of proof is on them.
Kevin Seifert ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 3  The Panthers are taking a risk with Jake Delhomme's elbow. What do they do if he can't cut it for the whole season?
James Walker ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 3  The Panthers have too many questions marks: a quarterback (Jake Delhomme) coming off major surgery, a star receiver (Steve Smith) who is suspended and a defensive stud (Julius Peppers) who has lost his mojo. Did I mention this team also has chemistry issues?
Seth Wickersham ESPN The Magazine	DIVISION FINISH: 2  Nothing's improving in Carolina until its sack total (23 in 2007) does. Julius Peppers' reputation has been denigrated enough that he'll be motivated enough to help the Panthers back into playoff contention.
Bill Williamson ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 3  If Jake Delhomme is healthy, the Panthers should be competitive. They had better be or John Fox, one of the better coaches in the league, could see his time expire in Carolina.
Matt Williamson Scouts Inc.	DIVISION FINISH: 3  There are a lot of shootouts in the Panthers' near future. This offense (with a healthy Jake Delhomme) will score plenty of points. But the defensive line -- outside of Julius Peppers -- is very weak.
Pat Yasinskas ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 2  If Jake Delhomme's arm stays healthy and defensive end Julius Peppers shows up, the Panthers could challenge for the division title. If not, coach John Fox will be in trouble.
	CONSENSUS DIVISION FINISH: 3 | NFL standings

BEST OF THE PANTHERS

Best offensive player: Steve Smith. The WR carried the offense last season as the team went through four quarterbacks, and he should benefit from Jake Delhomme's return. Smith will sit out the first two games as a suspension for fighting with teammate Ken Lucas.

Best defensive player: Jon Beason. The linebacker emerged as defensive leader almost instantly as a rookie. He should get only better this year.

Best playmaker: Steve Smith. A threat to score any time he touches the ball, Smith gets double-teamed constantly, but that doesn't stop him from getting open.

Best clutch player: Jake Delhomme. With a healthy elbow, Delhomme makes the Panthers a contender. He's a gunslinger at times, but he's at his best when the game is on the line.

Best unheralded player: Chris Harris. The strong safety became the vocal leader of the secondary last year. He's a big hitter and is almost like an extra linebacker against the run.

-- Pat Yasinskas, ESPN.com

SCOUTS INC.'S FAB FIVE

Scouts Inc. has evaluated and graded more than 2,400 NFL players heading into the 2008 season, giving Insiders a leg up on the competition with exclusive grades, alerts and scouting reports.
Top five players	ANALYSIS
1. Steve Smith Wide receiver 5-9 | 185	(Grade 91) He is an undersized receiver with explosive quickness and great top-end speed. Once he gains a step on opponents, it is all over because he has a great second gear and often pulls away from pursuit.
2. Julius Peppers Defensive end 6-7 | 283	(88) He has unusual size to go with excellent speed, quickness and athleticism. He can come off the edge, turn the corner and close on the quarterback with a great burst. He also has developed excellent counters.
3. Jon Beason Linebacker 6-0 | 237	(83) He is a little short for the position, but Beason plays big and possesses rare speed and excellent instincts. He delivers a good blow when stepping up into the hole to take on lead blockers.
4. Jordan Gross Offensive tackle 6-4 | 305	(75) He is athletic, versatile and durable. Gross has good lower-body strength on drive blocks. Plus, he has good quickness and athleticism on pull blocks and has the balance and control to hit moving targets.
5. Landon Johnson Linebacker 6-2 | 232	(71) He is very versatile, capable of playing all three positions in a 4-3 scheme and nickel linebacker. But Johnson lacks ideal size and power inside. He is tall, with a slender and athletic build.
Player grading scale: Elite (90-100), outstanding (80-89), solid starter (75-79), good starter (70-74)

SCOUTS INC.'S ANALYSIS

Best play option LB Jon Beason had a huge rookie season for the Panthers. Here's a play that will help him continue to put up big numbers. More best plays

Strengths

Improved wide receivers: Steve Smith is a premier wideout, but the additions of D.J. Hackett and Muhsin Muhammad are upgrades that should make an immediate impact. Smith, suspended for the first two games because of a training camp brawl, will benefit from his new teammates' ability to draw attention away from him. Muhammad, even at 35, remains one of the tougher, more competitive receivers in the league. His presence will be felt in the run game (he's a physical blocker) and the short and intermediate passing games. Hackett has the tools to be an effective third receiver.

LB depth: The Panthers have more depth and versatility here than in recent seasons. The additions of free-agent LB Landon Johnson and third-round pick LB Dan Connor improve the overall talent and depth, and both could give the special-teams units a shot in the arm. Moving LB Thomas Davis to the weak side allows him to maximize his speed and take on fewer blocks. LB Jon Beason is emerging as a leader.

Healthy starting QB: Jake Delhomme started great in 2007, then suffered an elbow injury in Atlanta, ending his season in Week 3. If he can pick up where he left off last year -- Delhomme ranked among the NFL leaders in quarterback efficiency and production -- Carolina will bounce back in a big way. Delhomme should be more comfortable in his second season in coordinator Jeff Davidson's offense.

Weaknesses

Defensive line: The once-formidable front four has become one of the Panthers' biggest questions. The line lost strength at the point of attack and depth when reliable veteran DE Mike Rucker retired and DT Kris Jenkins was traded to the Jets. The new line will look and play differently, with an emphasis on quickness into gaps. The shift in philosophy should translate to better penetration against the run, but stamina and durability could become a problem because of a lack of depth. And with no obvious pass-rushing threats outside of DE Julius Peppers, the Panthers will need to be creative with their pressure designs.

Special teams: A lack of leg strength and hang time on kickoffs has caused Carolina field-position problems in the past, so an extra roster spot might need to be set aside for strong-legged kickoff specialist K Rhys Lloyd. The downside is that the move would jeopardize depth at another position. The return game also has been a sore spot for the Panthers. Rookie RB Jonathan Stewart wants to return kickoffs, but he'll have his hands full if he fills the offensive role expected by the team.

Free safety uncertainty: It might be the hottest position battle on the team, but the prize for winning the job at free safety will be getting targeted early by opponents. Rookie third-rounder Charles Godfrey has the best physical tools and range among the candidates, but he'll have to learn the system quickly. Nate Salley has had trouble staying healthy, and Terrence Holt is on his third team in three years.

-- Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles.