Due in part to a nasty bite from the injury bug, as well as what can best be described as a squad full of “unique characters,” the Trail Blazers did nothing to climb out of NBA laughingstock status last year. They finished with a horrendous 27-55 record, but fortunately showed a few glimpses of happier days ahead.

The second consecutive disappointing season from Portland has changed the mindset of the front office altogether. For the first time in decades, the Trail Blazers have decided to institute a youth movement and it seems to have quite a bit of potential.

ADDITIONS:	LOSSES:	PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP:
Martell Webster Jarrett Jack Sergei Monia Juan Dixon Charles Smith	Shareef Abdur-Rahim Damon Stoudamire Nick Van Exel Derek Anderson	PG: Sebastian Telfair SG: Ruben Patterson SF: Darius Miles PF: Zach Randolph C: Joel Przybilla

Key Bench Guys / Positional Battles:

Ruben Patterson probably holds the 2 guard job for now, but only by the slimmest of margins. Both Juan Dixon and rookie Martell Webster will be pushing hard for minutes, and are sure to knock Patterson down on the depth chart as the season progresses, making all of them less fantasy friendly.

Portland's Darius Miles Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty Images

The Trail Blazers could go with a big starting lineup with Darius Miles as the shooting guard and either Travis Outlaw or Ruben Patterson starting at small forward. But the bet here is that eventually Webster gets the nod, since he’s one of the few players on the team with three-point range. Worth a gamble in the late rounds.

It’ll also be a miracle if Zach Randolph lasts the season without being dealt, which makes youngster Outlaw a solid option to keep on your radar, as Blazer management is very high on the young player.

Finally Sergei Monia is a dark horse, but could see some time if Patterson is traded. Other than Webster, the only player on the roster with legitimate three-point range, which might be what gets him his playing time.

THE GUY ON THIS TEAM THAT WE LOVE:

Darius Miles is finally going to put all those skills to use as he takes the next step towards NBA all-star. His 60 percent shooting from the three throw line will be difficult to swallow, but a small forward who can average two blocks per game is a rarity and will be a huge boost in rotisserie leagues.

Add to that the 18 points per game on 48 percent FG shooting that he’s going to put up and you’ve got a very underrated fantasy star for the upcoming season.

THE GUY ON THIS TEAM WE SUGGEST YOU AVOID:

You shouldn’t avoid Joel Przybilla altogether, just be wary of his atrocious 52 percent free throw shooting. He proved to be a dominant presence in the paint last year (10 boards and 3 blocks per game after February), but we’re not all that confident he can repeat. Also, don’t forget that Theo Ratliff will be nearly impossible to move in a trade and that will only hurt Przybilla’s minutes.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN 2005:

The continued improvement of the young Trail Blazers, as Sebastian Telfair and Martell Webster prove to be a downright scary backcourt of the future in this league. That being said, missed free throws and turnovers will be commonplace all year long, which essentially translates into very few Ws.