DW '09 Season Preview: Tennessee Titans

Last Year: 13-3
Key Additions: WR Nate Washington, WR Kenny Britt

Offense: Kerry Collins returns as Quarterback and his job is to manage the offense as he did a year ago. Smash and Dash, Chris Johnson and LenDale White provide one of the top 1-2 punches in the game. LenDale dropped 30 pounds by staying off the Tequila, so we know he is focused, or at least sober. Nate Washington will join rookie Kenny Britt and Justin Gage as the outside threats. Bo Scaife and Alge Crumpler may contribute a catch or two from the TE position. The strength of this team is the offensive line.

Defense: The Titans play a strong cover 2 defense. A solid, yet injury prone front four will miss All-Pro Albert Haynesworth, who commanded double teams. OLB’s David Thornton and Keith Bulloch are strong against the pass and MLB Stephen Tulloch is strong against the run. It will also be interesting to see if the LB’s have the same kind of success without Haynesworth. The emergence of Cortland Finnegan has helped turn this unit into one the leagues elite.

Fantasy Studs: Chris Johnson: 1228 YDs, 9 TDs. Johnson will continue to get the bulk of the carries between the 20’s but may lose scores to LenDale. Johnson may be more of a factor in the passing game as a security blanket for Collins. LenDale White: 773YDs, 15 TDs.

Prediction: 8-8. Look for the Titans to come back to earth this season. Teams will focus on stopping the run and dare Collins to beat them. The Defense will miss Haynesworth.

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DW '09 Season Preview: Jacksonville Jaguars

Last Year: 5-11
Key Additions: OT Eugene Monroe, OT Eben Britton, OT Tra Thomas, WR Torry Holt, S Sean Considine

Offense: Offensive staple Fred Taylor is gone, making Maurice Jones-Drew the man is Jacksonville. Jacksonville signed free agent tackle Tra Thomas – I guess that William Thomas thing didn’t stck – and also drafted OT’s with their first 2 draft picks. QB David Garrard lost 20 lbs in the off season in an attempt to find the 20 points he lost on his passer rating last year. Unless Torry Holt can rebound from a disappointing season a year ago, this offense will live and die on the wheels of MJD and David Garrard. Former 1st rd pick, TE Marcedes Lewis may be the number 2 option through the air. He has been effective as a blocking tight end but has the ability to step up as a receiver.


Defense: The Jags need 2007 1st and 2nd rd DE’s Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves to attack the passer if they hope to have a productive Defense in ’09. John Henderson and Rob Meier continue to anchor the interior line. Daryl Smith, Justin Durant and Clint Ingram are the linebackers and Rashean Mathis and Reggie Nelson lead an unspectacular secondary. Sean Considine is the favorite to start at Strong Safety. Ouch.

Fantasy Studs: Maurice Jones-Drew: 824 YDs, 12 TDs: Look for these numbers to increase with the departure of Fred Taylor. One ting that could hurt is teams crowding the box due to lack of other threats. Grab him early.
Prediction: 5-11. A one dimensional offense and an average defense does not bode well in a tough division.
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DW '09 Season Preview: Houston Texans

Last Year: 8-8
Key Additions: Brian Cushing OLB, DE Antonio Smith

Offense: The Houston Texans have great potential on offense, led by WR Andre Johnson. Johnson is a beast and can routinely make grabs through double teams. (Egan’s) Steve Slaton led all rookies in rushing last year and comes into the season as the unquestioned starting running back. Slaton is built for this zone blocking attack. There is extra emphasis on QB Matt Schaub to stay healthy this season with backup Sage Rosenfels in Minnesota. Schaub has missed 5 games in each of the last 2 seasons, in which the Texans finished 8-8. A Healthy Schaub could mean a playoff spot. Number 2 receiver Ken Walter and TE Owen Daniels combined for 130 receptions last season. Johnson, amazingly had 115 himself.
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Defense: Superstar DE Mario Williams anchors this young Defense. DeMeco Ryans is a talented MLB coming off of a somewhat down season. 2007 1st rd pick DT Amobi Okoye is looking to come into his own in 2009. Antonio Smith is primed for a big season at DE taking advantage of O-lines focusing on stopping Mario Williams. An improved pass rush will help an undersized and underrated secondary.

Fantasy Studs: Andre Johnson: 115 Rec 1575 YDs, 8 TDs. Grab him early. Expect his first Double Digit TD season and another 100 grab season. Steve Slaton: 1283 Yds, 9 TDs: Slaton is extra valuable in a PPR league as he may be the second best receiver on the team.


Prediction: 10-6. A healthy Schaub and an improved Defense will lead the Texans to their first winning season in Franchise history. Depth is a concern. A couple of key injuries could have devastating consequences.
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DW Season Preview: Indianapolis Colts

Last Year: 12-4

Key Additions: RB Donald Brown, HC Jim Caldwell, DT Fili Moala

Key Losses: Marvin Harrison, Tony Dungy

Offense: Not many worries on the offensive side of the ball. Not with all world QB Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne and Joseph Addai leading the way. Rookie Donald Brown will help supplement the run game and keep D’s honest. Anthony Gonzalez will take future HOF’r Marvin Harrison’s spot opposite Reggie Wayne. Dallas Clark should see an increased workload with the absence of Harrison. The O-line gives Manning enough time to throw but needs to improve on creating holes for Addai and company.


Defense: Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis provide the speed pass rush but the team struggles stopping the run. The interior line is much bigger than in years past. Bob Sanders health is the key to the defense. When he is on the field he erases mistakes, the problem is that he is rarely healthy. He missed 10 games last year, 12 in 2006 and 10 more in 2004. When he played 15 games in 2007, he was the Defensive Player of the Year. Sanders may not be available the regular season opener due to offseason knee surgery. Safety Antoine Bethea has a cracked bone in his hand and will be fitted with a cast.

Fantasy Studs: Peyton Manning: 27 Tds, 4002 yds: Peyton Manning is still an elite QB. He may not be the fist or second QB taken in your draft but you would be wise to expect #1 or #2 numbers. Reggie Wayne:82 Rec, 1145 yds, 6 TDs. Manning’s go to receiver had a decline in numbers after catching 104 balls in ’07 but looks like a good bet to rebound.
Prediction: 12-4. This team barely skips a beat with Jim Caldwell replacing Tony Dungy and reclaims AFC South supremacy.

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DW '09 Season Preview: Seattle Seahawks

Last Season: 4-12

Key Additions: Head Coach Jim Mora, WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, LB Aaron Curry
Key Losses: LB Julian Peterson, FB Leonard Weaver

Offense: The Seahawks are hoping to rebound from a disastrous 2008 season in which they ranked 28th in total offense, including 29th in passing and 25th in points scored. The team was decimated by injuries on the offensive side of the ball, with QB Matt Hasselbeck, OT Walter Jones and WR Deion Branch all missing significant time. T.J. Houshmandzadeh was brought in during the offseason to help kick start an offense lacking in fire power last season. New head coach Jim Mora will also try to establish some form of a ground game in the coming season, similar to the rushing attack he developed in Atlanta during his time there. The question is, will Julius Jones be able to carry the load while staying healthy throughout an entire season? Overall, they'll certainly be better offensively in '09, barring any injuries like the ones they experienced in '08.

Defense: If you thought the Seahawks offense was pathetic last season, you should take a look at their defense. Their '08 stats were atrocious - 30th in total defense, 32nd against the pass, and 25th in points allowed...only one way to go from here. The Seahawks addressed their issues on defense with the 4th pick in the draft, Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry. Curry will step in right away to replace the departed Julian Peterson. Peterson was 2nd on the team in tackles and sacks last year, so Curry will need to contribute immediately. I don't see the team making any giant leaps this year on defense, but really, how could it get any worse?

Fantasy Studs: WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh: 92 rec, 904 yds, 4 TD in '08. Hasselbeck will have a new favorite target, expect Housh to have a nice season. Matt Hasselbeck: Only played 7 games in '08, but if stays healthy he could be a legitimate fantasy option.

Prediction: 9-7. The NFC West is awful. Read More

DW '09 Season Preview: Arizona Cardinals

Last Year: 9-7

Key Additions: CB Bryant McFadden, RB Chris Wells

Offense: The Cardinals boast the best wide receiving core ( 3, 1000 yard receivers) in the NFC and an accurate QB to get them the ball. Beanie Wells will take departed Edgerinn James carries and split time with Tim Hightower. Word is that Matt Leinart is fighting to keep his job as backup QB. An adequate enough O-line should give Warner enough time to complete passes from the shot-gun formation. The O-line did not miss a start due to injury last year, how will they react if/when that does not happen this year?


Defense: The Arizona defense should rival last years unit which was one of the worst in the league. Newcomer Bryant McFadden will replace former Eagle Rod Hood at one corner spot but it remains to be seen, if he is an upgrade. Darnell Dockett and Bertrand Berry will provide the pass rush and Adrian Wilson remains as one of the top safeties in the game. Last year the Cardinals allowed 35 or more points, 5 times! If the defense improves, the Cards could sneak into the playoffs.

Fantasy Studs: I am not sold on this being a playoff team again but am sold on this team being fantasy gold. Larry Fitzgerald: 96 rec, 1431 yds, 12 tds. Two straight 1400 yards season will double digit tds, Fitzgerald as is much of a sure thing as there is in fantasy. Anquan Boldin: 89 rec, 1038 yds, 11 tds. A legitimate fantasy #1 receiver who just happens to be the Cards #2. Only downside is he only managed to play in 12 games in each of the last two seasons. Keep an eye on his behavior during camp as he is unhappy with his contract. Kurt Warner: 4583 yds, 30 TDs 14 Ints. The beneficiary of the skill position talent, Warner may have one of the best jobs in football, as it is difficult to incomplete passes in this offense.

Prediction: 8-8. Super Bowl hangover. This team should get to 8 wins due to a cupcake division but will find it tough to be as fortunate as they were last year.
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DW '09 Season Preview: SF 49ers

Last Year: 7-9

Key Additions: WR Michael Crabtree, CB Dre Bly

Key Losses: CB Walt Harris (out for season), WR Bryant Johnson

Offense: Shaun Hill and Alex Smith are battling for the starting QB job in Niners camp this year. Neither player is going to win the MVP anytime soon, but Hill did help the team win 4 out of their last 5 games in 2008 and looks to have the edge. If Michael Crabtree can ever get a contract worked out, the Niners actually have a pretty deep WR corp. Lining up along with Crabtree will be veteran Isaac Bruce and 2^nd year widout Josh Morgan. Morgan showed some promise last year as the No.3 option. RB Frank Gore is coming off his third straight 1000+ yard season rushing and there is no reason to think he’ll slow down this year.

Defense: The defense hopes to improve on their 23.8 PPG given up last year, good enough for 23^rd in the league. The injury of Walt Harris won’t help though, Harris was their leading CB with 3 INT’s in 2008. The team brought in Dre Bly to fill Harris’ spot, but what impact the 11^th year CB will make remains to be seen.

Fantasy Studs: RB Frank Gore: 240 car, 1036 yds, 6 TD in 2008. Not much else on this team to talk about. Gore is a beast, though. WR Michael Crabtree may be a decent pickup, but the longer he holds out the longer it will take for him to catch on.

Prediction: 6-10. They stink.

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DW '09 Season Preview: St. Louis Rams

Last Year: 2-14
Key Additions: HC Steve Spagnuolo, OT Jason Smith, C Jason Brown, LB James Laurinaitis
Key Losses: Orlando Pace, Torry Holt

Offense: The Rams brought in longtime Eagles QB coach Pat Shurmur to run his version of the West Coast offense. Stephen Jackson will continue to shoulder the load and second year receiver Donnie Avery will replace Torry Holt as the # 1 receiver. Second overall pick Jason Smith will replace Orlando Pace as the bookend tackle. Kyle Boller was brought in to push Marc Bulger, but Boller has proven in the past to a pretty bad QB. Bulger must improve on his 22 TD's and 28 Int's over the last 2 seasons.


Defense: Steve Spagnoulo will bring the defensive scheme that he learned under Jim Johnson and implemented with the Giants to the St Louis Rams. One minor difference could be the personnel. Second round pick James Laurinaitis will look to start at MLB, allowing Will Witherspoon to move outside. Former first round pick Adam Carriker will start on defensive line. Howie's kid Chris looks to have a big second season at DE. This Unit will struggle due to years of bad drafting but they are headed in the right direction with Spags.

Fantasy Studs: Stephen Jackson: 253 car, 1042 yards, 7 Td's in '08. Donnie Avery: 53 rec, 674 yards, 3 Td's. He could be a sleeper moving to the Rams # 1 WR spot.



Prediction: 6-10. If the new offensice line can protect Bulger and open lanes for Jackson, this team could surprise but the fact is that they are young and will be lucky to win 6..
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DW '09 Season Preview: San Diego Chargers

Last Year: 8-8

Key Additions: Kevin Burnett ILB, Larry English DE

Offense: The Chargers are coming off of a difficult season in which they only won 8 games. They still happened to win the division thanks to a total collapse by the Denver Broncos and thanks in large part to a 5-1 divisional record. This offense is too good to only win 8 games. Philip Rivers enters his fourth season as the starting QB, coming off of a season in which he threw for 34 TD’s and only 11 INT’s. Ladainian Tomlinson is looking to rebound from his least productive season and is facing many of the same questions Brian Westbrook is facing in Philly heading into the season of his 30th birthday. Darren Sproles, the franchise player, is an explosive backup/change of pace back. Antonio Gates is heading into a contract year coming off of his least productive season since his rookie year. He remains as one of the top three TE’s in the game. Vincent Jackson and Chris Chambers lead a quality wide receiving core.

Defense: If Shawn Merriman can return from a serious knee injury, this defense can return to the upper echelon in the league. DT Luis Castillo and CB Antonio Cromartie are coming off a disappointing years but both figure to bounce back and along with Merriman and LB Shaun Phillips, anchor a strong D. 1st round pick Larry English will also look to contribute as a defensive end.



Fantasy Studs: Philip Rivers is an elite QB who could improve on his numbers with healthy seasons from Tomlinson and Gates. LaDainian Tomlinson: 1110 yds, 11 TD’s in ’08. He will not be the consensus top overall pick as he was in the past few season but could bounce back. Give extra value if in a PPR (point per reception) league as he may figure more into Turner’s pass first attack. Antonio Gates: 60 Rec, 8 TD’s. You cannot go wrong with Gates.


Prediction: 12-4. I am not sure the Chargers will be as good as their record suggests but the weakness of the division will catapult San Diego to a 1st round Bye in the playoffs. Read More

DW '09 Season Preview: Oakland Raiders

Last Year: 5-11

Key Additions: Jeff Garcia QB, Lorenzo Neal FB, Greg Ellis DE, Darrius Heyward-Bey WR

Offense: Jamarcus Russell comes into this season as a bust waiting to happen, and if he struggles in the least bit Jeff Garcia will be there to pick up the slack. Garcia has won at every stop in his career, so don’t be surprised if he is named the team’s full time starting QB over Russell. The Raiders have a three-pronged RB attack that, if healthy, could be one of the best in the league. The combination of Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas and Michael Bush certainly has the ability to wreak havoc on opposing defenses this season. Oakland’s WR core is nothing to write home about, and 1st Round Pick Darrius Heyward-Bey has a lot to prove after being drafted over Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree in the draft. With no go-to receiver on the squad, Heyward-Bey will be expected to contribute right away – a lot of pressure for the rookie out of Maryland.


Defense: The defensive line is full of holes on this team, and the Raiders are hoping Greg Ellis can provide a pass rush threat to this below-average group. The LB core is fast and athletic and they have two solid CB’s in the secondary. Nmamdi Asomugha has turned into one of the best corners in the league and was rewarded with a big contract in the offseason - $28.5 guaranteed. Chris Johnson is the LCB for Oakland, taking the place of DeAngelo Williams last year and doing a hell of a job. If the D-line can’t get any pressure on opposing QB’s expect these guys to be busy all season.



Fantasy Studs: Darren McFadden: 113 car, 499 yds, 4 TD’s in ’08. If healthy, has the ability to be a big point-scorer for fantasy teams. Still hasn’t proven anything as a pro, but the potential is certainly there. Darrius Heyward-Bey: 1st round pick out of Purdue is a speedster and could be considered a HR threat for the Raiders. Rookie receivers are tough to judge, though, I wouldn’t count on him. JaMarcus Russell: 13 TD’s, 8 INT, 2423 yds in ’08. Maybe…if he’s even the starter. He started to show signs of life towards the end of last year, but I wouldn’t recommend drafting him unless you’re desperate.



Prediction: 5-11. Even if Garcia starts a majority of the games, this team still hasn’t done enough to improve much from last year.
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DW '09 Season Preview: Kansas City Chiefs

Last Year: 2-14
Key Addidtions in ’09: QB Matt Cassel, HC Todd Haley, GM Scott Pioli, LB Mike Vrabel, LB Zach Thomas, WR Bobby Engram, DE Tyson Jackson
Key Losses: TE Tony Gonzalez, QB Damon Huard

Offense: New GM Scott Pioli and the Chiefs believe in Matt Cassel. Matt Cassel stepped in for injured Tom Brady last year and threw for 3600 yards, 21 TDs and 11 Ints while leading the Patriots to the brink of the playoffs. Great pickup, right? Maybe. The difference here is the New England had arguably the best skill position players in the league and KC does not. Dwayne Bowe may be a step away from an elite WR but how much will Tony Gonzalez’s departure hurt him? Tyler Thigpen is an adequate backup QB and may challenge Cassel after throwing for 18 TD’s and running for 3 more in ’08. The Cheifs scored more points when Thigpen was given the keys to Chan Gaileys spread offense. Larry Johnson will look to revive his career after an injury plaqued 2008. Jamaal Charles and Kolby Smith will be used to keep LJ fresh. If the Chiefs hope to compete, they will need Johnson to revert to his 2006 form and for Bobby Engram to fill the # 2 receiver role for Cassel. This offense may struggle, but still put up yards and points due to consistantly playing from behind.
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Defense: The Chiefs are coming off of a season in which they registered 10 sacks, fewest in the history of the 16 game schedule. They are now moving from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense that leaves former LSU Tiger Glenn Dorsey out of position at DE opposite fomer LSU Tiger Ty Jackson. Former Pat, Mike Vrabel and former Nittany Lion Tamba Hali will man the OLB’s for KC. The Chiefs used their first 3 draft picks to improve the D. This unit will also most likely struggle.


Fantasy Studs: Dwayne Bowe: 86 Rec, 1022 yds, 7 TD’s in ’08. He is clearly the #1 option in this pass happy offense and has hovered around the 1000 yard mark in each of his first two seasons. He should look to improve with the upgraded QB position. Matt Cassel: 21 TD’s, 3693 yds. Fantasy risk considering the drop in talent around him but should put decent enough numbers in K.C.’s 4 wide out, spread offense. Larry Johnson is hardly a stud anymore but could be a mid round sleeper if he can get back to the days where he was the consensus #2 overall pick.



Prediction: 4-12 Scott Pioli brought in a number of veterans to make a quick turnaround but will more than likely find that hard to come by.
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DW '09 Season Preview: Denver Broncos

Key Additions in ‘09: Brian Dawkins, Knowshon Moreno, Kyle Orton

Offense: Jay Cutler is out, Kyle Orton is in. Translation: good luck, Josh McDaniels. Orton is the bad news for Denver; the good news is RB Knowshon Moreno, the Broncos 1st Round Pick from Georgia. Moreno is an elite talent and an all-around thread on offense. He is projected to be the starter for Denver this season, with backups Lamont Jordan and former Eagle Correll Buckhalter pitching in as well. Another positive going into this season is the offensive line - they are a solid group and have all five starters returning from last year. If Brandon Marshall shows up at camp and can remain healthy and happy, the Broncos may have a decent offense in ’09. I just can’t get past Kyle Orton, though. With Jay Cutler this team could hope to compete with the best, without him I just don’t see it happening.


Defense: The other big offseason story in Denver was the signing of Philly fan-favorite Brian Dawkins. Dawkins will bring stability to the safety position, something Denver was lacking last year. He had a solid year for the Eagles last year and looks like he has a couple of good years left in him. Champ Bailey is still a shutdown corner, and if he can stay healthy will probably be one of the best in the league again. One issue with the secondary is age, with all four starters being over 30 - durability could be a factor down the stretch for the old-timers. The D-line is the real issue on Denver’s defense. Their DE’s have one combined start among the four on the roster, and I dare you to name one of their DT’s. They need someone to step up or it could be a long season for the group. They have solid depth at linebacker and should be productive as a unit. DJ Williams is expected to have a breakout season at ILB.


Fantasy Studs: Brandon Marshall: 104 Rec, 1265 yds, 6 TD’s in ’08. He’s a lock to be a fantasy stud, back-to-back 100 reception seasons in ‘07 and ‘08. Knowshon Moreno: 1st round pick out of Georgia should be the starter right out of the gate. He was one of the best RB’s in college football last year and is a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield. Eddie Royal: 91 Rec, 980 yds, 5 TD’s in ’08. Royal had a breakout rookie season in ’08 and if he can repeat that performance will be worth taking in any league.


Prediction: 6-10. Kyle Orton is no Jay Cutler - I think they struggle this season

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