AFC South Preview Paul Joyce, Fantasy Football Senior Staff Writer Aug 17, 2007 | More

Houston Texans

QB – Matt Schaub – The Texans enter the 2007 season with Matt Schaub behind center. This will give the Texans' offense a new look, but the results may not be much better. While Schaub is a better decision-maker than David Carr, he’s not as mobile and the offensive line hasn’t changed much from last year. Expect Schaub to run into many of the same problems Carr faced (ie. Defensive Ends, Linebackers, etc.)

RB – Ahman Green – Another new addition this season is veteran RB Ahman Green. Green may be able to spark some life in the Texans' offense and take some pressure off the passing game. However, he turned 30 this year and may not have the same production we came to expect when he was in Green Bay. He’ll also share some carries with Ron Dayne and Wali Lundy.

RB – Other – Ron Dayne, Wali Lundy, Sam Gado – Dayne came on strong at the end of last year. He ran for 429 of his total 615 yards and all 5 of his touchdowns in December. He’ll backup Ahman Green, but would make a nice insurance policy for him as well.  Lundy and Gado will have a tough time putting up numbers.

WR – Andre Johnson – Johnson started out with a bang last year, breaking the 100 yard mark 4 times in the first 6 games, but fizzled out in the last half of the season, never reaching the century mark again, and only coming close once. However, he’ll have no problem hooking up with Matt Schaub this year, and should prove that he can put up the numbers consistently through the entire year.

WR – Other – Kevin Walter, Andre Davis, Bethel Johnson, Keenan McCardell, Jacoby Jones – As of right now, the starting job belongs to Walter, but Houston signed a bevy of veteran talent in the off-season and drafted Jacoby Jones, any of whom could take that starting spot away.  Keep an eye on who gets it done early in the season.

TE – Owen Daniels – Daniels had flashes of brilliance last year as a rookie and should match up well with new QB Matt Schaub. He might be worth a late round flyer.

K – Kris Brown – Brown was 19-25, with a long of 49 yards, and 26 (of 27) XP for a total of 83 points in 15 games in 2006. The Texans offense is his biggest limitation, followed closely by his right leg. There is no need to draft him.

Indianapolis Colts

QB – Peyton Manning – Manning looked somewhat human (from a fantasy points perspective) in many games last year, but you didn’t come here for advice on whether to pick him or not. He’ll go in the mid-late 1^st round, and no later than #15 overall.

QB – Other – Jim Sorgi – Who?

RB – Joseph Addai – No longer sharing carries with Dominic Rhodes, Addai will emerge as a fantasy stud in 2007, think Edgerrin James in 2005.  Figure on a mid-1^st round pickup.

RB – Other – DeDe Dorsey, Kenton Keith – Either one might make a good insurance policy for Addai.

WR – Marvin Harrison – Should go as the #1 receiver again this year.

WR – Reggie Wayne – Another no brainer.  Wayne will be a No. 1 fantasy WR on someone’s team. Expect him to go around mid-2^nd round.

WR – Other – Anthony Gonzalez, Craphonso Thorpe, Roy Hall – The Ohio State rookie Gonzalez will replace Brandon Stokley in the slot. That means #3 WR on the Colts and worth a spot on your team. Craphonso Thorpe has a great name but as far as a spot on your team? Not so much. Hall is another rookie coming out of The Ohio State University and is a bit of a wildcard. He didn’t see much action in his Senior year but he’s huge and could have an impact, if not at WR, maybe as a TE.

TE – Dallas Clark, Ben Utecht – Clark will get out there and get his share of balls. He’ll be consistent, but not heart-pounding.  He’ll get plenty of competition this year from the younger TE’s and WR’s.

K – Adam Vinatieri – Vinatieri was 25-28, with a long of 48 yds, and 38 XP for 113 total points in 13 games in 2006. He’s projected to do about the same in 2007, putting him somewhere around the #10 Kicker in the league.

Jacksonville Jaguars

QB – Byron Leftwich – Leftwich is healthy again and may surprise some people this year playing in first-year Offensive Coordinator Dirk Koetter’s pass-first offense. Think of Leftwich as a good backup fantasy QB who might just make your starting decision a tough one each week.

QB – Other – David Garrard – Garrard will benefit from OC Koetter’s new pass-first strategy as well, but won’t have much value unless Leftwich gets hurt again.

RB – Maurice Jones-Drew – Jones-Drew had a great season in 2006 but is still sharing carries with Fred Taylor and Greg Jones, especially at the goal line. However, he puts up numbers by also catching the ball out of the backfield. Of the 3, he’ll put up the best numbers week after week.

RB – Fred Taylor – Taylor started 15 of 16 games last year and wound up with 1146 yards. He’s also 31.5 years old and will continue to share carries with Jones-Drew and Greg Jones. You may want to pick up Taylor if you’ve already drafted Jones-Drew.

RB – Other – Greg Jones – Gets the short yardage and goal line carries, but it does more to hurt Jones-Drew and Taylor than it does to help make him a productive fantasy RB.

WR – Ernest Wilford, Matt Jones, Reggie Williams, Dennis Northcutt – I’m just going to put all of these guys together because , like Jacksonville’s RBs, they’re all going to play. That means none of them will emerge as a fantasy stud. Pick them in this order, but none of them until the mid-late rounds of the draft.

TE – George Wrighster, Marcedes Lewis, Jermaine Wiggins – Man this team likes to spread it around! Three TEs with a chance to see playing time. Wrighster came off the Physically Unable to Perform List (Shoulder) last week, but 2^nd year man Lewis is the one that might have the other two watching from the sideline. If you really need a Jaguars TE on your squad, pick him, but watch what the others do in free agency.

K – Josh Scobee – Scobee was 26-32, with a long of 48 yds, and 41 XP’s for 119 total points in 16 games in 2006. He has 30+ attempts in each of the past 3 years and should see that many again in 2007, making him a top-10 Kicker.

Tennessee Titans

QB – Vince Young – Young will be fun to watch in 2007. In addition to throwing the ball, Young will put up some rushing yards and several rushing TDs. Look for him to go in the middle rounds.

RB – Chris Brown, LenDale White, Chris Henry – Gotta put them all together here. One of them will emerge as the Titans’ starting RB this pre-season. When that person emerges, expect them to be a no. 3 RB on any fantasy team. Rookie Henry might make an especially interesting pick in Keeper leagues.

WR – Brandon Jones – Jones is a 3^rd-year WR out of Oklahoma. He caught 27 balls for 384 yards in 2006, including a 101-yd performance in the next-to-last game @Buffalo. He’ll have to work hard to keep the balls coming his way and should be viewed as a no. 3 WR at best.

WR – Roydell Williams – Williams is also in his 3^rd year. He saw very sporadic action in 2006 catching only 8 balls for 121 yards. However, he’s expected to see more action this season. He and Jones will benefit from the experience of Eric Moulds but will also be challenged by Moulds for playing time.

WR – Other – Eric Moulds, David Givens, Courtney Roby – Moulds brings a wealth of experience to the field and the locker room, but that doesn’t get you any fantasy points. Moulds might challenge for a starting spot, but is mostly here to teach the youngsters. Still, he might be worth a late-round flier or waiver wire attention. Givens might be worth a look too, if he can get healthy. Roby is also in his 3^rd year but will have to fight hard to get on the field.

TE – Ben Troupe – Titans Offensive Coordinator has said he wants to increase the role of the TE in this year’s offense. Troupe had 13 catches for 151 yards and 2 TDs in 2006. He’ll need more than that to warrant a spot on your roster, but he might be worth a late-round look.

K – Rob Bironas - Bironas was 22-28, with a long of 60 yds (yes, 60 yds!!), and 32 XPs for 98 total points in 16 games in 2006. More production from the Titans offense would improve his numbers, but don’t expect him to be any more than a reserve K on your fantasy squad.