HOUSTON TEXANS

Training camp site: Methodist Training Center, Houston.

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

Key veteran arrivals: DT Shaun Cody, LB Buster Davis, RB Clifton Dawson, QB Rex Grossman, OG Adrian Jones, LB Cato June, QB Dan Orlovsky, DE Antonio Smith.

Key veteran departures: S C.C. Brown, S Will Demps, CB Demarcus Faggins, RB Ahman Green, LB Morlon Greenwood, QB Sage Rosenfels, OT Ephraim Salaam, DE Anthony Weaver.

Drafted rookies: (1) LB Brian Cushing; (2) DE Connor Barwin; (3) OG-C Antoine Caldwell; (4) CB Glover Quin, TE Anthony Hill; (5) TE James Casey; (6) CB Brice McCain; (7) S Troy Nolan.

Offensive overview: Quick: which AFC South team finished third in total offense last season? If you guessed the Colts, guess again. Only New Orleans and Denver racked up more yards per game than Houston, which has an explosive, well-balanced offensive attack. QB Matt Schaub has been a very good fit in head coach Gary Kubiak’s precision passing game, and he has the pleasure of throwing to WR Andre Johnson, widely regarded as the AFC’s best receiver. RB Steve Slaton was a revelation as a rookie, impressing with his explosiveness and durability. The only major worry entering training camp is whether everyone will stay healthy. Schaub has missed playing time in his first two Texans seasons, and the depth behind Slaton is questionable.

Defensive overview: Simply put, the Texans need their defense to step up. New defensive coordinator Frank Bush wants the defensive line to get up the field and produce more pass-rush pressure. Ex-Cardinal Antonio Smith is expected to take some of the pressure off of DE Mario Williams, who has notched 26 sacks in the last two seasons. The LB corps is led by productive MLB DeMeco Ryans and has been bolstered by the addition of USC star Brian Cushing, who will play on the strong side. However, significant questions swirl about the secondary, whose play has been a concern for sometime and whose best player, CB Dunta Robinson, is unhappy with his contract situation.

Battle to watch: Zac Diles and Xavier Adibi are the primary competitors to start at weak-side linebacker. Diles was having a solid ’08 campaign before breaking his leg; if he returns to form, he’ll have a chance to remain a starter. However, keep an eye on Adibi, who has very good speed and showed some potential when he got a chance to play last season. Ex-Buccaneers LB Cato June, who has made a living by thriving in pass coverage because of his quickness, is also in the mix, but the feeling in Houston is that he will likely be a reserve unless Diles and Adibi aren’t up to the task.

Injury update: OLB Zac Diles, whose ’08 season ended because of a broken leg, is back practicing with the club, and he will compete to start on the weak side. OLG Chester Pitts (surgery on both elbows) is expected to be ready for training camp. NT Travis Johnson battled knee, hamstring and pelvic injuries in the offseason but did return to action in June. DE Antonio Smith suffered a hamstring injury earlier in the offseason, but it was not serious. 

Fantasy sleeper: Texans RB Steve Slaton will be drafted early in most fantasy drafts. The question is, who’s the next Houston back to take? Chris Brown, who missed all of last season with a back injury, is the favorite to be the top backup to Slaton, but there is no guarantee he will stay healthy. Ryan Moats, who backed up Slaton in 2008, is also in the mix, but he is built somewhat like Slaton and is probably not an ideal full-time option. Hence, the name you’ll want to file away is that of undrafted free agent Arian Foster, who could emerge in time as a bigger complement to Slaton. Much can change in training camp, of course, and Foster probably shouldn’t be drafted until you get a sense of how he is performing in camp. That said, the Texans’ backup running back has some fantasy value, and Foster could emerge as the surprise winner of the job.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Training-camp site: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, Ind.

Training-camp report date: August 2.

Key veteran arrivals: DT Ed Johnson, LB Adam Seward.

Key veteran departures: WR Marvin Harrison, CB Keiwan Ratliff, DL Darrell Reid, RB Dominic Rhodes.

Drafted rookies: (1) RB Donald Brown; (2) DT Fili Moala; (3) CB Jerraud Powers; (4) WR Austin Collie, DT Terrance Taylor; (6) QB Curtis Painter; (7) P Pat McAfee, OG Jaimie Thomas.

Offensive overview: With the reigning MVP, Peyton Manning, at the controls, it’s awfully difficult for the offensive outlook to be anything less than stellar. But training camp should provide answers to a few pressing questions, the most glaring of which is what the role of Tom Moore and Howard Mudd will be. The longtime esteemed coordinator and OL coach will be back in some capacity after their brief retirement over pension concerns, but it’s still a bit unclear how they’ll be utilized. The loss of WR Marvin Harrison isn’t too serious considering Reggie Wayne had already surpassed him as Manning’s go-to target, but it nevertheless leaves Indy’s spread with Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez as its only two proven wideouts.

Defensive overview: New coordinator Larry Coyer brings much of the Tampa-2 philosophy with him from his time with the Bucs, yet he insists that the defense will not be a carbon copy of what was formerly employed in Indy under Ron Meeks. For one thing, the Colts are looking to bring more heat by blitzing, rather than mandating that the line generate all the pocket-collapsing pressure. A beefed-up DT rotation should be able to better handle opponents’ running games after it was inconsistent in that department a season ago, and the status quo will be welcomed warmly at defensive end after Pro Bowl campaigns from edge terrors Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis.

Battle to watch: RB Donald Brown was snagged in the first round to be more than just a backup for Joseph Addai. Addai’s sputtering contributions of 2008 won’t be tolerated with Brown roaring to take his place in the lineup.

Injury update: Joseph Addai is rebounding from offseason knee surgery. RB Mike Hart (knee) is coming along. The Colts are taking a wait-and-see approach with OG Ryan Lilja (knee) after numerous operations cost him his 2008 season.

Fantasy sleeper: Pierre Garcon has the inside track on the No. 3 WR gig, but he must stave off advances from Roy Hall and rookie Austin Collie. No. 3 wideouts in Indy have a tendency to post solid numbers.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Training-camp site: Municipal Stadium, Jacksonville, Fla.

Training-camp report date: August 2.

Key veteran arrivals: S Gerald Alexander, S Sean Considine, WR Torry Holt, S Marlon McCree, OT Tra Thomas.

Key veteran departures: OT Khalif Barnes, CB Drayton Florence, WR Matt Jones, WR Dennis Northcutt, LB Mike Peterson, WR Jerry Porter, S Gerald Sensabaugh, DE Paul Spicer, RB Fred Taylor, WR Reggie Williams, TE George Wrighster.

Drafted rookies: (1) OT Eugene Monroe; (2) OT Eben Britton; (3) DT Terrance Knighton, CB Derek Cox; (4) WR Mike Thomas; (5) WR Jarett Dillard; (6) TE Zach Miller; (7) RB Rashad Jennings, WR Tiquan Underwood.

Offensive overview: Sweeping changes ripped through the Jaguars’ offense this offseason with the hope that the ensuing product produces where its predecessor fell flat. An almost entirely new cast of wide receivers is in tow, as ex-Ram Torry Holt steps into the No. 1 job, where he’ll look to lead the speedy, pup wideouts looking up to him. Furthermore, Jacksonville icon Fred Taylor was ushered out of town because of diminishing returns on his sizable contract, which pins the running-game hopes to squatty sensation Maurice Jones-Drew. As if that wasn’t enough, the offensive line is in a state of flux, as a pair of rookies will compete for spots with numerous veterans, a couple of whom are coming off serious injuries.

Defensive overview: Mel Tucker represents the third defensive coordinator the Jaguars have had in as many seasons, and he’ll implement some of the 3-4 principles he utilized in Cleveland. The defense will remain with the 4-3 as its base alignment, but it will switch up looks and fronts more often than it has in the past, especially if second-year DEs Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves continue to provide tepid aid to the pass-rushing cause. The secondary is more talented than statistics lead one to believe, and the numbers could improve substantially if ball-hawking defensive backs Rashean Mathis and Reggie Nelson play a bit more conservatively.

Battle to watch: Reggie Hayward is an aging defensive end whose best years are behind him. Quentin Groves is an undersized defensive end who underachieved as a rookie. Not the best of options, yet one will be planted as the starting left end opposite Derrick Harvey. Hayward is the safer option, but Groves’ breakneck speed can’t be ignored.

Injury update: OGs Vince Manuwai (knee) and Maurice Williams (knee) should be in fine shape.

Fantasy sleeper: Greg Jones may very well be the AFC’s best fullback, but he could be utilized in more of a RB capacity with Fred Taylor gone. If young RBs Chauncey Washington and Rashad Jennings fail to impress, the bulldozing Jones will get more than just a healthy amount of carries near the goal line as Maurice Jones-Drew’s complement.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Training camp site: Baptist Sports Park, Nashville, Tenn.

Training camp report date: July 30.

Key veteran arrivals: CB Demarcus Faggins, DT Jovan Haye, WR-RS Mark Jones, QB Patrick Ramsey, WR Nate Washington.

Key veteran departures: CB-RS Chris Carr, DT Albert Haynesworth, WR Brandon Jones, CB Eric King, OT Daniel Loper, QB Chris Simms.

Drafted rookies: (1) WR Kenny Britt; (2) DT Sen’Derrick Marks; (3) TE Jared Cook, CB Ryan Mouton; (4) LB Gerald McRath, OT Troy Kropog; (5) RB Javon Ringer; (6) CB Jason McCourty, WR Dominique Edison; (7) OG Ryan Durand, S Nick Schommer.

Offensive overview: The Titans rolled to 13 wins last season without having an explosive offense. They will have the capability to open up the offense a little more this season, especially with QB Kerry Collins settled in as the starter, the offensive line strong in pass protection and Nate Washington and Kenny Britt joining the WR corps. Also, look for the Titans to get RB Chris Johnson the ball in space even more than they did last season; his rare speed can give opponents fits. Keeping the opposition off-balance has to be a major goal for coordinator Mike Heimerdinger.

Defensive overview: The loss of DT Albert Haynesworth is a huge blow to a defense that has finished in the top seven the past two seasons. Haynesworth is a rare talent, and though the Titans have good DL depth, they will undoubtedly miss him at points this season. The good news: DE Kyle Vanden Bosch returns after being limited by a groin injury last season. The Titans continue to get solid play from veteran LBs Keith Bulluck and David Thornton, and the secondary is loaded with playmakers. New defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil will primarily stick to Jim Schwartz’s blueprint, but it would be no surprise if he were a little more aggressive than his predecessor.

Battle to watch: Keep an eye on the rotation at defensive tackle. Tony Brown and Jason Jones — who flashed impressive ability as a rookie — are likely to be the starters. Brown’s development will be watched closely; he benefited playing opposite of Albert Haynesworth, but he is a well-regarded player in his own right. Also, pass-rushing ex-Buccaneer Jovan Haye and rookie Sen’Derrick Marks will be vying for playing time, as will veteran Kevin Vickerson. Finding personnel groups in the middle that work will make life without Haynesworth a little easier.

Injury update: WR Kenny Britt, the club’s first-round pick, was limited by a hamstring injury in offseason workouts. His ability to contribute in his first season is likely tied to whether he can stay healthy in training camp.  Rookies DT Sen’Derrick Marks and CB Ryan Mouton also suffered hamstring injuries; both are slated as reserves. C Kevin Mawae (elbow) could be limited in training camp and the preseason, but he is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season. WR Justin Gage (leg) is expected to be ready to go come training camp. DE Jevon Kearse had offseason knee surgery, but he should be ready for training camp. Fellow end Kyle Vanden Bosch appears to be over the groin problems that affected him last season.

Fantasy sleeper: Owners in big leagues that have a third wideout or a “flex” player might want to consider Titans WR Justin Gage. He missed four games with injuries last season, but when he played, he was productive, catching 34 passes for 651 yards and six TDs. Also, he snagged 10 passes for 135 yards in Tennessee’s playoff loss to Baltimore. He might be worth a filer if you’re looking to fill out your WR corps. 

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.