DENVER BRONCOS

Training-camp site: Paul D. Bowlen Memorial Broncos Centre, Englewood, Colo.

Training-camp report dates: Rookies, July 27; Veterans, July 30.

Key veteran arrivals: RB Correll Buckhalter, LB Andra Davis, S Brian Dawkins, DT Ronald Fields, WR Jabar Gaffney, CB André Goodman, S Renaldo Hill, RB LaMont Jordan, QB Kyle Orton, DL-LB Darrell Reid, QB Chris Simms.

Key veteran departures: CB Dré Bly, QB Jay Cutler, DE John Engelberger, S Marquand Manuel, S Marlon McCree, CB Karl Paymah, OT Erik Pears, RB Michael Pittman, QB Patrick Ramsey, DT Dewayne Robertson, LB Nate Webster, LB Jamie Winborn, RB Selvin Young.

Drafted rookies: (1) RB Knowshon Moreno, DE-OLB Robert Ayers; (2) CB Alphonso Smith, CB Darcel McBath, TE Richard Quinn; (4) S David Bruton, OG Seth Olsen; (5) WR Kenny McKinley; (6) QB Tom Brandstater; (7) C Blake Schlueter.

Offensive overview: Head coach Josh McDaniels, who made his mark as one of the brightest young offensive coordinators in the league during his time with the Patriots, will handle the play-calling duties. McDaniels’ offense will be in the hands of QB Kyle Orton, who replaces Pro Bowler Jay Cutler. Orton should benefit from playing behind one of the best offensive lines in the league, with two pillars on the edges in OTs Ryan Clady and Ryan Harris. He should also have a talented crop of targets. Although WR Brandon Marshall has asked to be traded, the Broncos don’t plan on meeting his demand, and he’s expected to team up with WRs Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Stokley. The running game has a fresh look with rookie Knowshon Moreno arriving alongside veteran newcomers Correll Buckhalter and LaMont Jordan. The backs could be relied on heavily as Orton adjusts to his new surroundings.

Defensive overview: The Broncos’ defense has sputtered the last few seasons, and the new regime is looking to rebuild it with former 49ers head coach Mike Nolan as coordinator. Denver is expected to run mostly a 3-4 scheme but some 4-3 looks could be sprinkled in as well. The team hit free agency looking for additions and landed S Brian Dawkins, who brings talent and veteran leadership to a “D” that needed both. There are question marks in Denver’s front seven, and it could be a weakness until it figures out the best combination of players. LB D.J. Williams will change positions again, moving inside. He could be joined in the linebacking corps by first-round pick Robert Ayers, who is versatile enough to also play end.

Battle to watch: The release of Boss Bailey cleared out a competitor for a starting spot at outside linebacker. The battle for the vacancy will be waged between Tim Crowder, Darrell Reid, Robert Ayers and Elvis Dumervil. Others could also find their way into the mix if Denver decides to tinker with its personnel at linebacker.

Injury update: ILB D.J. Williams underwent surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in January and was limited in parts of OTAs. He is expected to be at full strength for training camp. WR Brandon Marshall is coming off hip surgery, but should be cleared to participate in camp, assuming he reports.

Fantasy sleeper: Peyton Hillis made an appearance on the fantasy radar late last season in a brief stint as the team’s lead back, but he has moved back down the depth chart thanks to several additions at running back. Hillis still has a shot to become the goal-line back, and is worth a final-round flier in deep leagues.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Training-camp site: University of Wisconsin-River Falls; River Falls, Wis.

Training-camp report date: July 31.

Key veteran arrivals: LB Monty Beisel, S Mike Brown, QB Matt Cassel, WR Terrance Copper, TE Tony Curtis, CB Travis Daniels, WR Bobby Engram, C Eric Ghiaciuc, OG Mike Goff, LB Corey Mays, TE Sean Ryan, LB Zach Thomas, LB Mike Vrabel.

Key veteran departures: LB Donnie Edwards, TE Tony Gonzalez, QB Damon Huard, OG Adrian Jones, CB Patrick Surtain, LB Pat Thomas.

Drafted rookies: (1) DE Tyson Jackson; (3) DE Alex Magee; (4) CB Donald Washington; (5) OT Colin Brown; (6) WR Quinten Lawrence; (7) RB Javarris Williams, TE Jake O’Connell, PK Ryan Succop.

Offensive overview: New head coach Todd Haley and returning offensive coordinator Chan Gailey will be the men in charge of the offense. Although it’s not yet known which one will call plays, the two will implement a spread attack that utilizes multiple-receiver sets and favors the pass, similar to the scheme Haley ran in Arizona. Offseason acquisition Matt Cassel, who emerged as a viable field general last season in New England, will lead the unit. With a thin receiving corps at his disposal, the plurality of Cassel’s passes will be directed toward WR Dwayne Bowe, the team’s No. 1 option after TE Tony Gonzalez was traded to Atlanta. On the ground, Larry Johnson will continue to be the primary ballcarrier, although his role could be scaled back by the new regime. K.C.’s offensive line remains one the league’s worst.

Defensive overview: The Chiefs’ defense, which finished 31st last season, will have a different feel to it in 2009, as Clancy Pendergast replaces Gunther Cunningham as coordinator. Formerly with the Cardinals, Pendergast will install a hybrid 3-4 scheme, giving the unit elements of both the 3-4 and 4-3. On the field, a bevy of veterans were brought in to help the club’s numerous young players develop. Experienced LBs Mike Vrabel, Zach Thomas and Monty Beisel and S Mike Brown all should see significant playing time this year as the “D” tries to improve on its ’08 debacle. No aspect of the unit needs more help than the pass rush, which had the fewest sacks (10) since the league started tracking the stat in 1982. K.C.’s strength lies in its secondary, where CBs Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr impressed as rookies and should continue to progress.

Battle to watch: Ex-Bears S Mike Brown could give starters Bernard Pollard or Jarrad Page a serious run for their money in training camp.

Injury update: QB Brodie Croyle and RB Kolby Smith, both reserves are both coming off season-ending knee injuries and were very limited in offseason practices. Although it’s expected that they’ll be ready for the regular season, there’s no guarantee of that.

Fantasy sleeper: Injuries have been his downfall thus far, but WR Mark Bradley has a chance to bust out. The No. 2 wideout in a pass-first system, Bradley should see plenty of balls come his way while defenses focus on Bowe. As is evidenced by the 23-catch, 294-yard, three-TD mark he put up during a five-game stretch last season, the athletic Bradley is capable of producing when he can stay healthy.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

Training-camp site: Napa Valley Marriott, Napa Valley, Calif.

Training-camp report date: July 29.

Key veteran arrivals: OT Khalif Barnes, DE Greg Ellis, QB Charlie Frye, QB Jeff Garcia, QB Bruce Gradkowski, FB Lorenzo Neal, OT Erik Pears, C Samson Satele.

Key veteran departures: S Rashad Baker, WR Ronald Curry, DE Kalimba Edwards, FB Justin Griffith, C Jake Grove, OT Kwame Harris, S Gibril Wilson.

Drafted rookies: (1) WR Darrius Heyward-Bey; (2) S Mike Mitchell; (3) DE Matt Shaughnessy; (4) WR Louis Murphy, DE Slade Norris; (6) DE Stryker Sulak, TE Brandon Myers.

Offensive overview: The potency of the Raiders’ offense rests, in large part, on the shoulders of QB JaMarcus Russell. The third-year veteran showed signs of improvement late last season after struggling badly early, but he has yet to establish himself as a consistent, reliable signal caller. The Raiders drafted WR Darrius Heyward-Bey seventh overall and signed OT Khalif Barnes to improve the pieces surrounding Russell. TE Zach Miller is coming off a very solid year serving as Russell’s safety valve, and the coaching staff is committed to getting the ball into Miller’s hands in the red zone more often. The backfield is the offensive strength. Justin Fargas, Darren McFadden and Michael Bush will share carries, with Fargas likely continuing as the starter.

Defensive overview: The Raiders brought in veteran coordinator John Marshall to oversee their defense after Rob Ryan left to join the Browns. Oakland has one of the league’s finest defensive players in CB Nnamdi Asomugha, who rarely sees a pass thrown his way. The Raiders play mostly man coverage vs. the pass, and have defensive backs with the speed to keep up with receivers in one-on-one situations. The front seven, despite having talented pieces including LBs Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard, has not fared as well in recent years. Oakland’s interior D-line has been a weak spot and the team did little to upgrade it in the offseason.

Battle to watch: The depth chart at receiver still needs to be sorted out. Darrius Heyward-Bey was expected to become the No. 1 target right away, but he has been hampered by a hamstring injury throughout the offseason. Chaz Schilens, Javon Walker, if he can stay healthy, rookie Louis Murphy, who impressed observers during OTAs, and Johnnie Lee Higgins will battle for reps.

Injury update: Javon Walker had knee surgery late in the offseason, which kept him sidelined for OTAs and minicamps. His health situation is somewhat unclear, but he’ll need to have a good training camp if he wants to keep a roster spot.

Fantasy sleeper: RB Michael Bush should play a larger role in the offense and could become the featured back should the oft-injured Justin Fargas succumb to another ailment. Bush rampaged through a collapsing Buccaneers defense in Week 17, rushing for 177 yards and two touchdowns, in a possible sign of things to come.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Training-camp site: Chargers Park, San Diego, Calif.

Training-camp report dates: Rookies, July 26; Veterans, July 31.

Key veteran arrivals: LB Kevin Burnett.

Key veteran departures: OG Mike Goff, LB Marques Harris, C Jeremy Newberry, DE Igor Olshansky.

Drafted rookies: (1) LB Larry English; (3) OG Louis Vasquez; (4) DL Vaughn Martin, C-OG Tyronne Green, RB Gartrell Johnson; (5) CB Brandon Hughes; (6) S Kevin Ellison; (7) WR Demetrius Byrd.

Offensive overview: Under the guidance of head coach Norv Turner, the Chargers strive to be balanced, mixing the run and the pass equally. The emergence of QB Philip Rivers last season — along with the struggles of RB LaDainian Tomlinson — forced Turner to become more pass-heavy, but he’d ultimately like to utilize the run to set up the vertical attack. Rivers is a strong-armed, accurate passer who can find his receivers all over the field. Although his top target is explosive TE Antonio Gates, the QB spreads the ball out effectively to his deep group of pass catchers. Tomlinson is getting older but remains an integral part of the offense, handling a sizable workload and forcing defenses to stay honest. His backup, Darren Sproles, gives the Bolts a dynamite receiver out of the backfield. Injuries caused San Diego’s offensive line to take a step back in 2008 and even though it’s now healthy, only the left side is a strength.

Defensive overview: Entering his first full season as defensive coordinator, Ron Rivera has reworked the Chargers’ playbook, implementing 4-3 traits into the unit’s 3-4 base. He mixes up his looks to keep opposing offenses guessing and likes to get after quarterbacks by sending various blitz packages. After missing virtually the entire ’08 season with torn knee ligaments, Shawne Merriman returns as the defensive leader. He and fellow OLB Shaun Phillips create lots of pressure off the edges, as does DE Luis Castillo. Up the middle, veteran NT Jamal Williams is a premier run stuffer and ILB Stephen Cooper quickly tackles anything that comes his way. The secondary is loaded with talent but frequently faltered last year, as San Diego finished 31st against the pass. CBs Antonio Cromartie and Quentin Jammer form a solid duo but need to be more consistent. FS Eric Weddle broke out in ’08 with 127 tackles.

Battle to watch: Coming off a poor campaign, aging SS Clinton Hart is likely to be pushed hard by sixth-round rookie Kevin Ellison, a hard-hitting, fundamentally sound player who could instantly give the secondary a boost.

Injury update: Missing 17 games last season (including playoffs) after undergoing reconstructive knee surgery, Merriman has said he is in terrific shape and expects to be at full strength by Week One. Also going full tilt is Tomlinson, who suffered a groin injury that severely limited him during postseason action. He was able to participate fully in minicamp and should be on the field for training camp, too. A nagging groin ailment was also the issue for WR Buster Davis, who barely played in ’08 and eventually went on injured reserve. He stepped up his training regimen this offseason and will be out to prove himself.

Fantasy sleeper: While Gates, Vincent Jackson and Chris Chambers get all the hype in the Chargers’ receiving corps, Malcom Floyd quietly was a fantasy factor in the middle of last season. During a four-game stretch, he came up big with 12 catches for 237 yards and three TDs. If Chambers falters or Davis fails to break through, Floyd again could be an under-the-radar wideout who helps out your fantasy squad.

Kickoff is coming! Be sure to buy copies of the Pro Football Weekly/Yahoo! Sports 2009 NFL preview magazine, as well as the Pro Football Weekly/Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Football Guide 2009, both of which are now available at bookstores, newsstands and retail outlets where magazines are sold. Or order your copies online at PFWStore.com.