San Diego Chargers 2013 Preview

photo credit: bleacherreport.com

2012 Record: 7-9 (2^nd in AFC West)

2012 Season Review: Going into 2012 it seemed like fans of the San Diego Chargers had been calling for the metaphorical heads of General Manager AJ Smith and head coach Norv Turner for years. Well after yet another disappointing season which featured just seven wins, those fans finally got their wish on the NFL’s black Monday, with both Smith and Turner being shown the door. Lost in the shuffle from all of this has been the substandard recent play of quarterback Philip Rivers, who has certainly taken a step back from his elite play just a few seasons ago. New GM Tom Telesco and head coach Mike McCoy will be tasked with trying to return Rivers to his once-influential self this season.

Offseason Review: Key Additions- DE Dwight Freeney, CB Derek Cox, RB Danny Woodhead, OL DJ Fluker (draft), LB Manti Te’o (draft), WR Keenan Allen (draft)….Departures- OL Louis Vasquez, LB Shaun Phillips, OL Tyronne Green, WR Michael Spurlock….Final Analysis- Much of Philip Rivers’ recent struggles can be attributed to the fact that he’s had one of the league’s worst offensive lines protecting him over that period. Improving this putrid offensive line had to be among the Chargers top priorities this offseason and thankfully it was. Although when it came time to actually make moves I’m not so sure that San Diego did such a great job. They lost easily the best player on this offensive line, guard Louis Vasquez, to division rival Denver as well as seeing his fellow guard Tyronne Green walk to New England. Replacing them will be Chad Rinehart, who was very solid in 2011 before being out for most of last season with injury, along with Jeromey Clary. Moving over from right tackle, Clary has struggled as a blocker for some time now so it may be hard for him to be any worse this season. To replace Clary and Jared Gaither at the tackle positions, San Diego signed King Dunlap and drafted DJ Fluker with their first selection. Dunlap has really just been a middle-of-the-road type guy for a while now, while Fluker was one of the top linemen in the draft yet still should take some time to develop into an NFL talent. So while the Chargers did make a ton of moves as an attempt to improve their abysmal offensive line from a year ago, I’m not so sure how much better they actually made it. This looks like it’ll be a reoccurring problem for them again in 2013. Expanding upon their draft, the Chargers used their next to picks after Fluker on linebacker Manti Te’o and wide receiver Keenan Allen. We’ve seen the talent and promise that Te’o has shown in college, but we’ve also seen him go through a messy off-the-field situation along with getting absolutely manhandled by a pro-style Alabama offense in the national championship. The jury’s definitely still out on this guy, but he’ll have his chance to prove doubters wrong as a starting middle linebacker this season. Allen was considered a first-round prospect by many heading into the draft, but off-the-field issues also played a role in his draft stock falling. He’s an extremely talented receiver that will have an even greater impact on this San Diego passing attack now that Danario Alexander is out for the year.

Strengths: It’s hard to pinpoint an area of strength for this Chargers offense in 2013. They appear to have the potential to be a solid unit, but it always seems like they leave you dissatisfied by the end of the season. That’ll likely be the case in 2013 yet again. Is it possible that Rivers regains his form that has seemingly been lost since somewhere in 2010? Sure, but it’s unlikely. Is it possible that classic underachievers like Malcom Floyd and Robert Meachem combine with the rookie Allen and a rejuvenated Antonio Gates to form a solid passing attack? Sure, but it’s unlikely. Is it possible that Ryan Matthews finally stays healthy for a season and isn’t a total bust? Sure, but it’s unlikely. This unit has so much potential to be at least ranked among the league’s top half this season (they were 31^st in total offense a year ago), but until they prove to the football world that they can actually play to that potential, I just can’t say that they’ll be very strong. But for a defense that was rarely talked about last season yet was among some of the league’s best, the bright spot has to be a stout defensive line unit. San Diego actually ranked sixth in the league last season against the run, and much of that can be attributed to their stellar pair of ends, Kendall Reyes and Corey Liuget. These two were easily among the league’s better and more underrated pairs of ends last season, obviously stopping the run as well as combining for 12.5 sacks. I look for each of these still-developing 24 year-olds to improve this season as the Chargers pass-rush gets better as a whole with the additions of Dwight Freeney and Manti Te’o. Sandwiched in between Reyes and Liuget on the defensive line will be the 6’4” 330-pound mammoth of a man Cam Thomas. He’ll get his first crack as a starter this season and should play an integral part in defending against the run.

Weaknesses: I said in the last section how the Chargers offense really isn’t incredibly strong in any single aspect or position, but the exact opposite thing can also be validly stated. This offensive line shouldn’t be terrible this season (or should at least improve upon last year’s debacle), but I still somewhat look at them as a weakness. The interior guys shouldn’t play terrible together this season, but I still have some major concerns about their pair of tackles. As talented as he may be Fluker will still take some time to develop and adapt to the NFL game, while Dunlap is really not very good at all. To make matters worse, Dunlap will be protecting Rivers’ blind-side in 2013 so that should be fun. If (when) Dunlap struggles this season the Chargers won’t even have a serviceable replacement to call upon. Backup Max Starks isn’t scaring any pass-rushers while Fluker is incapable of playing the position. This ragtag offensive line shouldn’t make things any easier for a San Diego rushing attack which ranked 27^th in the league last season. Ryan Matthews was expected to transcend into the upper-echelon of NFL running backs last season after a stellar 2011. Instead he played in just 12 games, running for only 707 yards and a single touchdown. Now there are major concerns as to whether or not he can prove to be a consistent and reliable NFL running back. This will really be a make-or-break season for Matthews, and running behind a slightly below-average offensive line at best certainly won’t help his chances. Backing up the injury-prone Matthews will be the well-traveled Ronny Brown and the recently-acquired Danny Woodhead. Each of those two guys can be solid in short spurts, but if they are needed to produce as a full-time starter if Matthews was to go down then I wouldn’t feel so confident in them. I expect this rushing attack to again rank in the league’s bottom ten for this season.

Fantasy Breakout Player: With the injury to Danario Alexander depleting this already weak receiving corps, I look for Malcom Floyd to finally have a legitimate breakout season in 2013. For the second half of his eight year career Floyd has been right around a 40-50 reception guy for around 700 yards and a few touchdowns. This will probably be his final chance to propel himself into that second-tier of NFL receivers, as he turns 32 this September. He’ll see a ton of targets from Rivers who, although turnover-prone, is still capable to deliver him the ball. I like him as a solid late-round receiver in most league’s this season.

Best Case/Worst Case: Best Case- Behind a new head coach, Rivers is able to revert back to his stellar form of old. Matthews stays healthy and produces for an entire season, providing a huge boost for the NFL’s 31^st overall offense last season. The defense just as well as it did last season, and San Diego surprisingly contends for a playoff spot. Worst Case- Rivers regresses even further, leading to even more questions about his suddenly shaky future. The defensive pass-rush is sub-par, making things very tough on a lackluster secondary. The Chargers are among the league’s worst team and pick in the top five during next year’s draft.

One Word to Describe This Preview for the Lazy: Delusion? The question mark there was not a typo, as I believe this is a serious question. For years Chargers fans have been obsessed with getting rid of Norv Turner and AJ Smith, with good reason of course. But over that time period their team has gotten worse and worse, something which has seemingly gone unnoticed by most. Now in 2013 Chargers fans will finally get a taste of their team with a new head coach, but will they come to the harrowing realization that the old one wasn’t totally the only guy to blame for their struggles all along?

Prediction: 6-10

Oakland Raiders 2013 Preview

photo credit: justblogbaby.com

2012 Record: 4-12 (3^rd in AFC West)

2012 Season Review: After back-to-back 8-8 seasons in 2010 and 2011 it appeared that the Raiders may have been headed in the right direction and could maybe even contend for a playoff spot in the near future. But last season those good feelings all went down the drain as Oakland limped to a 4-12 record, their eighth season with double-digit losses in the last 10 years. Quarterback Carson Palmer didn’t play terrible, but nonetheless he was traded to Arizona in the offseason after just 25 games as a Raider. Speaking of quick exits, head coach Dennis Allen could be on a very short leash this year in only his second season at the helm, but it’s not like that’s anything new for this franchise. They’ve gone through seven head coaches in the last nine years and their current one really has no hope of being successful this season.

Offseason Review: Key Additions- QB Matt Flynn, LB Kevin Burnett, S Charles Woodson, KR Josh Cribbs, CB DJ Hayden (draft), OL Menelik Watson (draft)….Departures- QB Carson Palmer, LB Philip Wheeler, TE Brandon Myers, LB Rolando McClain….Final Analysis- The Raiders main weakness last season was their defense. No team aside from the Jaguars had fewer sacks than Oakland last season, so they definitely needed to revamp their front seven, while their secondary was average at best and could definitely use some help. Well they certainly tried to improve upon those positions in the offseason but I’m not so sure that any of their additions will be very effective in 2013. They’ll basically have an entirely new front seven this season after adding two new defensive tackles (Pat Sims and Vance Walker) along with three new linebackers (Sio Moore, Nick Roach, Kevin Burnett). It’ll be hard for this group to be any worse than last year’s, but still I’m not sure how much of an improvement these guys are. The four of them that played in the NFL last season (Moore is a rookie) totaled seven sacks combined last season, so they won’t exactly be giving opposing quarterbacks nightmares on Saturday nights. The secondary also needed help, and again that help was received, but I’m unsure how effective it will be. At cornerback Tracy Porter, Mike Jenkins, and DJ Hayden were all added in the offseason, while Charles Woodson and Usama Young were added at safety. All of these guys will be welcome additions and certain upgrades over the players at their positions last year, but I still don’t see them being all that productive for a variety of reasons. As for this putrid passing offense of a year ago, the front office traded signal-caller Carson Palmer for a seventh round pick in next year’s draft and replaced him perpetual backup Matt Flynn. The one-game wonder Flynn is coming off a season in which he was beat out by third round pick Russell Wilson for the starting job in training camp. Once Wilson proved what he could do in the regular season, Flynn was rendered expendable. He will not have a very large impact on their team this season, positive or negative. Grade: C-

Strengths: There honestly isn’t one unit on this team that I look at and think is in any way a legitimate strength over the competition. I’d say that running back Darren McFadden is explosive and could have a big impact this year if he stays healthy, but that’s the key phrase, if he stays healthy. How many people following the NFL have any faith in McFadden playing out a full season in Oakland? He’s going into his sixth season now, yet he’s only played in 57 NFL games, never playing in more than 13 for a season. McFadden is extremely fragile and injury-prone, and I expect none of that to change running behind this putrid offensive line. If I had to pick one unit on this team to categorize as a “strength” this season though, I guess I’d pick their best one which is the secondary. Mike Jenkins was decent in his short-time in Dallas, but he was frequently making bone-headed blunders and surrendering big game-altering passing plays. Other projected starting corner Tracy Porter will likely be out for a while after suffering a groin injury in a recent preseason game, leaving the other starting spot open to rookie DJ Hayden or Chimdi Chekwa. Both guys are obviously unproven, but Hayden played well last season in college at Houston and can be somewhat productive if he stays healthy. At safety Charles Woodson will be reunited with his old team this season, but the former All-Pro is simply over-the-hill at 37 and will struggle to keep up with receivers down the field in coverage this season. Despite that he will still be important as a mentor for the younger guys in this secondary down the road. Woodson will not have to play extremely well this season though as he’ll be lining up next to one of the league’s better strong safeties in Tyvon Branch. The stud five-year veteran Branch should anchor a unit that will be improved from 2012 and should at least be serviceable going into this season.

Weaknesses: Trust me when I say that the 2013 Oakland Raiders will have quite a few things to be concerned about this year. First let’s start with the one that’s the most obvious, the quarterback. Right now it’s looking like Terrelle Pryor will be the opening day starter just based on the fact that he’s been slightly less terrible than Matt Flynn in the preseason. Pryor’s been in the league for two seasons now although he really only saw game-action last year, playing in six games while completing less than 50 percent of his passes and throwing for a measly 155 yards. I wouldn’t feel too confident in him under center this season but I guess he’s a better option than Flynn right now. Although it’s not like it’ll really matter who will be under center for Oakland this season because they’ll probably have no one to throw to. The Raiders top three receivers right now are Denarius Moore, Rod Streater, and Jacoby Ford. Those three combined for 90 receptions with 1,325 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. That’s less than what most of the league’s top receivers recorded by themselves. Simply put, Moore is the only receiver on this unit that I have any confidence in this season, and he’s just an average NFL talent at best right now. On defense this front seven is an absolute mess. On the defensive line Lamar Houston is a very talented end who led the team in sacks last season with four while playing very solid defense against the run. But he likely won’t be getting any help this season from his fellow lineman. The other three guys on the line, end Jason Hunter and tackles Pat Sims and Vance Walker, are all just mediocre. They’ll probably be an improvement over the old unit, but I highly doubt they’ll have any sort of positive impact this season. Their linebacking corps is pretty much the same story. Outside linebacker Kevin Burnett is one of the better players on this defense overall as he really has no major weaknesses, but he’s surrounded by little talent. Nick Roach is just a mediocre talent while the rookie Sio Moore has yet to prove himself. Similar to recent years, don’t expect much pressure to be supplied by this front seven this season.

Fantasy Breakout Player: By default their top receiver Denarius Moore will be getting a ton of targets this season. Whether Flynn or Pryor ends up taking the reins for most of the year under center, their inexperience will cause them to be looking for a solid target to count on. Moore isn’t a great NFL receiver, but on this team he’s a number one type guy. He’s probably a solid late-round draft pick in deeper leagues as a third option at receiver.

Best Case/Worst Case: Best Case- Pryor starts the season under center as the number one guy, and he’s surprisingly able to hang on to the job. McFadden stays healthy for the first time in his career, giving this offense a dimension which it previously lacked. The defense is average yet still better than last year, and the Raiders astoundingly finish around .500. Worst Case- The two quarterbacks play hot potato with the starting job as neither one of them plays well enough to hold it down for any extended period of time. The new additions on the defense prove mostly to be busts, leaving a unit that is among the league’s worst. With putrid units on both sides of the ball the Raiders flop to a 14-15 loss season, giving them the first pick in next year’s draft.

One Word to Describe This Preview for the Lazy: Hopeless. We previewed the Jaguars a few days ago and I used “debacle” for them. That’s because I was saving “hopeless” especially for the Raiders. Somehow, someway this Oakland team has even less hope than the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars, and let’s be honest, they know it too. There is just no chance in the world that this team wins any more than six or seven games this season at the very most. I just see no way of anything better than that happening. They might be best off tanking the season and hoping that one of the top quarterbacks of next year’s draft class falls into their lap.

Prediction: 3-13

Kansas City Chiefs 2013 Preview

photo credit: kcchiefs.com

2012 Record: 2-14 (4^th in AFC West)

2012 Season Review: There was really nothing positive that came out of 2012 season in Kansas City. Things looked promising for the Chiefs going in as some had them challenging the Broncos for the division title, but a barrage of injuries, terrible quarterback play, and lackluster coaching stopped that train right in its tracks. None of this mattered in comparison to the terrible murder-suicide that occurred at the team’s practice facilities on December 1^st. Going into 2013 the Chiefs needed to revamp both their mindsets and their personnel. That was accomplished when they traded for quarterback Alex Smith and signed Andy Reid to become their new head coach.

Offseason Review: Key Additions: QB Alex Smith, CB Sean Smith, CB Daunta Robinson, TE Anthony Fasano. OL Eric Fisher (draft), TE Travis Kelce (draft)….Departures- DT Glenn Dorsey, DE Ropati Pitoitua, QB Matt Cassel, QB Brady Quinn….Final Analysis- The Chiefs definitely picked a bad offseason to desperately need a quarterback. Their situation last year was grim, with neither Matt Cassel nor Brady Quinn being able to even play average football under center. As a result both of them no longer are with the team, leaving the Chiefs in need of a replacement. Now in any other offseason this wouldn’t have been much of a problem, Kansas City had the first overall pick in the draft and with it they could select the best overall quarterback. Except this year’s class included unimposing guys like Geno Smith, EJ Manuel, and Mike Glennon at the top of the list. So that wasn’t an option. OK, plan B then, they could trade for a decent quarterback, surely some team will be looking to unload a signal-caller for cheap they thought. Well this year their best options were Alex Smith and Nick Foles. They went with the former and will be heading into 2013 with Smith under center. Now Smith is not a terrible quarterback, in fact the last two season’s he’s actually been pretty decent in San Francisco. But when you consider that if the Chiefs had the first pick in the draft a year earlier or later they’d be looking at Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Teddy Bridgewater, or Johnny Manziel as their quarterback of the future that really has to bum some people in Kansas City out. I can’t necessarily penalize them for this as they really had no other options and at least addressed the need. What I can penalize them for though is selecting offensive tackle Eric Fisher over Luke Joeckel with the first overall pick. The Chiefs made it clear they’d be going with an offensive lineman at number one and in my opinion Joeckel was the better overall talent. Aside from that the Chiefs didn’t have that bad of an offseason, revamping their secondary with corners Sean Smith and Daunta Robinson while holding on to key free agents like receiver Dwayne Bowe, offensive lineman Branden Albert, Dustin Coquitt. Despite missing out on a franchise-altering quarterback this offseason could’ve been a lot worse in Kansas City. Grade: C-

Strengths: The strong-suit of this Kansas City offense in 2013 will undoubtedly be their potent rushing attack. Their lead back will be the lightning-quick Jamaal Charles, who was able to rush for over 1,500 yards and five touchdowns last season despite coming off a season-ending ACL tear that required surgery the year before. Charles is a playmaker that thrives in the open field and can burst out a long, game-breaking run at any moment. He is coming off a foot injury that has hampered him through most of training camp and the preseason, but assuming he’s recovered from that by week 1 he should be one of the league’s better and more explosive backs this year. Making things easier for Charles to come back and produce after his injury will be this stellar offensive line, which after the addition of Eric Fisher in the draft now includes four first and second rounds picks. Fisher will soon spend his time as the blind-side protector for years to come, but for this season he’ll be on the right side while fellow first round selection Brandon Albert anchors the left. The line looks even stouter when you see Rodney Hudson and Jon Asamoah on the interior as center and right guard, respectively. If the injury-prone Albert can stay healthy then the only question mark on this line will be the left guard position. Charles should feel very confident running behind them in 2013. As for the defense, I’m really impressed with both of their outside linebackers, Tamba Hali and Justin Houston, who combined for 19 sacks last season and only figure to get better as this defense improves overall as well. That should make things even easier for this already talented secondary which features big-name guys like Brandon Flowers, Sean Smith, and Eric Berry. Those three, along with fourth-year safety Kendrick Lewis, form a very talented secondary on paper that I am looking forward to watching play this season.

Weaknesses: Similar to most teams in the NFL today, the Chiefs offense just can’t have it both ways. They’ve got an electrifying-when-healthy running back behind a solid offensive line, giving them a very potent rushing attack. But they’ve got a very weak passing game to compliment it. Their quarterback, the newly-acquired Alex Smith, has really never been more than a serviceable NFL talent for the 49ers since being the first overall pick in the 2005 draft. He’s never thrown for more than 3,144 yards, 18 touchdowns, and a completion percentage over 61% in a full-season, yet he also hasn’t thrown more than 10 interceptions in a season since 2009. Smith is mediocre to say it in short. Some may call him a bust, some may say they saw it coming, but all can agree that he’s not really anything that special. Maybe that’s all Kansas City needs from him this season, nothing special, just to be smart with the ball, make the easy throws, and manage a game, who knows? But from looking at Smith’s talents and the receivers that he’ll be throwing the ball to this season, nothing special is really all the Chiefs are going to get. This crop of receivers is pretty pedestrian to say the least, with their lead-man Dwyane Bowe not even playing all that impressive last season. Nonetheless, Bowe got a new contract in the offseason and it’s up to him to anchor this group. Jonathan Baldwin was traded in the offseason, so there’s a spot open for grabs behind Bowe at the number two. It’ll probably go to Donnie Avery, who had a very nice season last year and can probably be counted on for steady production. Although the versatile Dexter McCluster definitely could break into the role if he plays well enough. McCluster is probably one of the best all-around athletes on this team and even though his numbers aren’t great, he’s still an important member of this offense. The Chiefs don’t have a terrible group of top three guys, in fact couple them with tight end Anthony Fasano and this group isn’t half bad. But how effective Smith can be getting them the ball is the main thing that concerns me.

Fantasy Breakout Player: The explosive Jamaal Charles should have a career year in Kansas City behind a rock-solid offensive line this season. When healthy, Charles is one of the more explosive and versatile backs in the league, capable of breaking off a 50-plus yard run at almost any moment. Now, his carries should go down this season under pass-happy head coach Andy Reid, but he should make up for that with a great season catching passes out of the backfield. Look for him to approach 50-60 receptions and upwards of five receiving touchdowns this year if he plays a full 16 games. He’s a top 10 fantasy running back and should be a first or second round pick in pretty much draft this season.

Best Case/Worst Case: Best Case- Smith proves to be an effective game-manager in his first season in Kansas City, as the Chiefs offense plays well throughout the year. The defense, which had four Pro Bowlers last season, comes together as a unit to be among the league’s best. The Chiefs steal an AFC wild card spot and make the playoffs just a year after their 2-14 debacle. Worst Case- Smith struggles mightily in a new situation as the Kansas City passing attack is among the league’s worst. Jamaal Charles battles injuries for most of the season, rendering him basically ineffective and unimportant. The defense plays well but it can’t make up for the struggles of the offense, and the Chiefs are again picking in the top five of next year’s draft.

One Word to Describe This Preview for the Lazy: Surprise. With the additions of Smith and head coach Andy Reid it’s not crazy to think that the Chiefs could make a surprise playoff appearance this season. For that to happen, a bevy of things will have to go their way. It’s a long-shot, but who knows?

Prediction: 7-9

Denver Broncos 2013 Preview

photo credit: gazette.com

2012 Record: 13-3 (1^st in AFC West)

2012 Season Review: Heading into last season not many people expected the Denver Broncos to be the AFC’s number one overall seed, in fact some even had them missing the playoffs altogether. Coming off an injury and playing in a new situation for the first time in his career, there were just too many question marks surrounding quarterback Peyton Manning. And through the first five and a half games of 2012, those question marks seemed completely validated. The Broncos were sitting at 2-3 and were down 24-0 on Monday Night Football in San Diego. But after rattling 35 straight unanswered points for a victory in that game, Denver would win 10 more in a row for a 13-3 record and the AFC’s number one overall seed. They did bow out of the playoffs early with a disappointing defeat at the hands of the Ravens in the divisional round, but nonetheless they’ll head into this season as the favorite to represent the conference in the super bowl come February.

Offseason Review: Key Additions- OL Lewis Vasquez, WR Wes Welker, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, LB Shaun Phillips, DT Sylvester Williams (draft), RB Montee Ball (draft)….Departures- DE Elvis Dumervil, LB DJ Williams, CB Tracy Porter, S Jim Leonhard….Final Analysis- It’s clear that the biggest move of the Broncos offseason was acquiring former Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker in free agency. In his time in New England Welker was consistently among the league-leaders in receptions, providing Tom Brady with an always viable intermediate target. He should come to Denver and fit right in with his fellow top receivers Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas, both of whom had stellar seasons in 2012 as well and should only improve this year as their chemistry with Manning further develops. Welker was not the only major acquisition that this team made to their offense this offseason though, as in March they signed right guard Louis Vasquez to a four-year deal. Vasquez, formerly of San Diego, is one of the league’s top guards and will be very influential to this offensive line in both pass-protection and in run-blocking. Speaking of the Broncos running game, it was actually pretty weak last season. Willis McGahee struggled last season with injuries and was cut, Knowshon Moreno is always on-and-off the injury report, and Ronnie Hillman did little to impress in his time on the field last season. Denver hopes that they’ve remedied this by drafting running back Montee Ball with their second pick. Hillman and Ball should provide a serviceable platoon that will be a nice compliment to their dominant passing attack. On the defensive side of the ball the Broncos main priority should have been to sure up the middle of their defense. They had some minor holes at defensive tackle, middle linebacker, and safety. I like what they did at defensive tackle, picking up Terrance Knighton and drafting Sylvester Williams, but they really did little to improve the other two positions. They’ll be going into 2013 with the unproven Nate Irving at middle linebacker. Also killing this defense going into 2013 will be the loss of their best two overall players, one for the season’s first six weeks and the other for good. A few weeks ago Von Miller was handed a six game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, while Dumervil was lost to Baltimore after a bizarre series of events led to his release. Suddenly this stout defense of a year ago has a few question marks. Grade: C+

Strengths: A few days ago I stated that the New Orleans Saints have the best quarterback and arguably the best passing attack in the league as well. Well if there’s one team that can give the Saints a run for their money in that category it’s the Broncos. First let’s start with their six-time first-team All Pro quarterback Peyton Manning. Peyton will go into this season even more comfortable with his surroundings in Denver, with no injury concerns, and with a drive to win a title that is possibly at the highest of his career after last season’s playoff disappointment. Last year Peyton was absolutely stellar, silencing all of his critics by posting new-or-near-career-highs in completion percentage (68.6), passing yards (4,659), yards per game (291.2), all while throwing just 11 interceptions. I expect all of those stats to improve soundly after the new weapons that Peyton has been given in this offseason on top of the arsenal that he already had. Speaking of that arsenal, the Broncos have arguably the league’s best receiving trio going into the season. Wes Welker, Demaryius Thomas, and Eric Decker are all top-rate guys that could probably be number ones on many teams in this league. Just think about that, they’ll have three number one type guys lining up on the field this season at the same time. Now yes I know that some may be questioning Decker as a number one guy, but the stats just don’t lie. Last year he had 85 receptions for 1,064 yards and 13 touchdowns. Does that sound like a number one receiver to you? Because it sure does to me. In fact let’s combine the stats of these three top receivers last year just for fun. You get 297 receptions for 3,852 yards and 29 touchdowns. Some teams didn’t get that from their entire receiving corps last year, the Broncos got it from three guys! Now obviously when they’re all on the same team the individual stats of each guy will likely go down (or at least that’s what the rest of the NFL is praying). But I still would put this receiving trio up against any other in the league.

Weaknesses: The Broncos obviously will have an incredibly potent passing attack this season so they won’t need much production out of the backfield, but even knowing that I’d be a little concerned about it. Starter Ronnie Hillman was unimpressive in his time on the field last season, while Willis McGahee was released in the offseason, and Knowshon Moreno is constantly injured. Obviously their second-round draft pick Montee Ball should definitely remedy this issue as he was among the NCAA’s best running backs in his time at Wisconsin, but he’ll still take some time to develop just like any other rookie running back. Either way this shouldn’t be a huge concern for this offense when you look at the production that they’ll be getting through the air this season. Running behind a talented offensive line should make things even easier for this group of unproven running backs. On defense you obviously have to be concerned with this once-stellar pass-rush going into the season. After the losses of Dumervil for the season and Miller until week seven, this pass-rush which used to be dominant now looks just so-so. They still have some very talented guys who played well last season in linebackers Wesley Woodyard and Shaun Phillips along with defensive end Derek Wolfe, but those guys will have to step up even more in Miller’s absence. I trust that this front seven will at least be effective this season, but without Miller and Dumervil I highly doubt that they’ll be able to retain their dominance.

Fantasy Breakout Player: Obviously you’d be satisfied with having Peyton Manning or any of the Denver top three receivers on your fantasy roster this season, but as I sleeper pick I really like running back Montee Ball. His pass-blocking and receiving skills will allow him to stay on the field for more downs, leading to even more opportunities for production. Although he was released in the offseason, just look at the numbers that the over-the-hill Willis McGahee was able to put up behind this offensive line (731 yards and four touchdowns in just 10 games). The talented Ball has the potential to be a 1,000-yard, double-digit touchdown type guy this season, and he’ll be a valuable option at a team’s second running back or even the flex spot.

Best Case/Worst Case: Best Case- The Broncos stellar offense once again dominates defenses across the league, rolling to 30-plus points per game. The defense is still stout despite the big losses, playing well especially in crunch time. Denver rolls through a cakewalk schedule into the AFC’s number one overall seed again, except this year they finish the job and take home the Lombardi Trophy. Worst Case- Manning still plays well although he’s not at last season’s MVP-caliber. The offense is surprisingly not dominant, if that’s possible, with the receivers struggling to gel. The lack of a pass-rush early hurts them, as they get off to a slow start and barely squeak out a division title, bowing out prematurely in the postseason again after a tough road loss in the divisional round.

One Word to Describe This Preview for the Lazy: Replicate. The Broncos were easily the best team in the league after week 5 last season. Anyone who didn’t expect them to make a super bowl run going into the postseason was pretty much crazy. But that’s just what happened as their title quest was extinguished extremely early. Now this season they have the same very-reachable goal, win the super bowl. But first they must replicate their outstanding regular season of a year ago. With the pieces that they have in place right now, they’re more than capable of doing so.

Prediction: 13-3