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Special Guest Contributor Joe Everett of The Fantasy Exchange previews the 2009 Indianapolis Colts.

The Indianapolis Colts took a brief hiatus from the top of the AFC South last season, as injuries to the offensive line and Peyton Manning hurt the team’s overall performance. Attempts to run the ball failed miserably and the defense was left to fend for itself, resulting in the team losing the time of possession battle. While the departure of Tony Dungy will be felt, the team won’t miss a beat, especially since Jim Caldwell has been groomed to be Tony Dungy’s replacement from the get go. This organization is extremely well run and you need look no further than Bill Polian to know why. No current general manager in the NFL has hit on as many rookie draft picks as Polian has. He knows the type of player that will fit his team’s scheme and with Peyton Manning back healthy, we’ll see a new version of that finely-tuned machine that we’ve all grown to love in Indianapolis.

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks: There’s an elite class of quarterbacks that have ever played the game and Peyton Manning is approaching that group. Manning possesses a strong control of his offense and legit NFL arm but he couples that with the hard work and study that separates him from the best of the best. He’s the smartest player in the league and he’s a guarantee to pass for 4,000 yards, as he’s done so for the last three years running. While he did suffer his first major knee injury as a pro, Peyton has yet to miss a game in his entire 12-year career. Manning is driven to make his team successful and he won’t settle for less than another trip to the playoffs. The Colts still have backup Jim Sorgi but they did draft Curis Painter out of Purdue in the 7th round this year. He’s expected to spend the year holding a clipboard and getting water for Peyton but he does have a lot of potential to replace Sorgi as Manning’s backup.

Running Backs: The Colts’ rushing attack was abysmal last season, ranking 31st in the league. Joseph Addai’s play clearly fell off in 2009 but that could be attributed to his injuries and inconsistent play from the offensive line. Addai has missed a lot of game action in Indy’s last two seasons and he seems to run tentatively between the tackles, often shying away from contact. Dominic Rhodes departed for Buffalo and the club decided to spend their 1st round draft pick (27th overall) on former UConn Huskies’ RB Donald Brown. Brown is a far superior runner inside compared to Addai, and should be phased into the run game immediately. Management and the coaching staff were extremely upset about the poor performance from their running game last year and that’s exactly why Brown was brought in. The team sees him as much more than just a change-of-pace back and while Brown is similar in size to Addai, he has much better lower body and leg strength. Brown is likely to take over in short yardage situations but will likely give way in passing situations, as Addai has been the superior pass catcher in camp.

Wide Receivers: The Colts offense and Peyton Manning enter their first season without the great Marvin Harrison lining up wide. While Marvin may have fallen completely off in athletic ability, his chemistry with Manning and knowledge of the system can’t be duplicated. However, the Colts remain in decent shape with Reggie Wayne holding down the fort. Wayne has started every game since the 2003 season and he has averaged 86 receptions, 1,246 yards, and eight TDs over the past five seasons. While Wayne doesn’t have game-breaking speed, he is a very crafty route runner and has great separation skill. He simply finds a way to create space between himself and the defender. Most experts see Gonzalez as the heir apparent to the departed Harrison, but he’s a much more natural slot receiver and regardless of where he starts the game, Gonzo will be lining up all over the field. He’s really coming along and will be counted on in two-, three-, and four-wide receiver sets. The Colts drafted Austin Collie out of Brigham Young and he’s in a camp battle with incumbent Pierre Garcon for the right to line up in three-wide sets, which the Colts should be utilizing often. Collie is in the Colts’ future plans but if he can catch on fast enough, he’ll be heavily involved in this offense.

Tight Ends: With most folks trying to figure out who will be the Colts’ second receiver, I frequently remind them that Dallas Clark is the 2nd WR by default. Peyton’s first or second read on almost every play will be Dallas Clark, just as it has been for the last two seasons. Clark will turn in another season of 70+ receptions and he’ll be used in a variety of ways, as the Colts like the mismatches he presents for defenders. Indianapolis has a few young tight ends on the roster in Jacob Tamme and Tom Santi, but coaches have fallen in love with undrafted Gijon Robinson. The Colts like to use multiple tight end sets and when they do, expect to see Robinson in as an additional receiving threat.

Offensive Line: This unit struggled mightily last year after losing Ryan Lilja for the season and when Jeff Saturday missed four games, the front five was noticeably out of sync. What compounded these injuries was the suspect play by tackle Tony Ugoh who took a big step back last season, struggling in the running game and blatantly missing assignments. Ryan Diem had a solid season and second-year pro David Pollack looks to build on a good rookie season. Jeff Saturday was resigned but the Colts are still weak at tackle and early camp reports are that Charlie Johnson is pushing Tony Ugoh to start on the left side. If Ryan Lilja returns to health and Tony Ugoh can live up to his potential, this group will be back on top of the offensive rankings again. This is a good front five but their lack of depth and injury concerns knock them out of the league’s elite.

DEPTH CHART

DEFENSE

Defensive Line: This is a group that’s built to play with a lead and that’s not an insult at all. The Colts’ cover-2 is made for speed players with quicks and recognition skills. Dwight Freeney still possesses one of the fastest first steps in the league and Robert Mathis is perhaps the fastest player on the defense. He’s known to chase plays down from behind on a regular basis but while the Colts’ front four is fast, they’re a liability at stuffing the run in the middle. This is a big reason why Raheem Brock will often rotate in and out of the lineup but this unit should get a lift from two 300-pound tackles from the draft. The team selected Fili Moala in the second round out of USC to contribute this season, and fourth-round pick Terrence Taylor could also find a spot in the rotation.

Linebackers: Gary Brackett returns for his seventh season with the team and he’ll continue to lead this unit in tackling while providing great leadership. As is the norm in Indianapolis, there’s a new starter at the outside linebacker positions with Clint Session at the weakside and second-year pro Phillip Wheeler battling Tyjuan Hagler on the strong side. Session has proven to be a playmaker but must stay disciplined to take advantage of his opportunity playing the WILL position, as he’ll be freed up to make a ton of plays. This unit has grown accustomed to turnover but it isn’t as bad as it has been in some years and while they aren’t flashy, these guys get the job done within the scheme.

Secondary: The Colts’ secondary had a good season, setting an NFL record for fewest touchdown passes allowed (6). This group thrives off of Bob Sanders and his up tempo play. He seems to make everybody in the secondary better but he’s sorely missed when he’s out due to injury, which is happening a little too often. The talent isn’t in question at all with 2007 Pro Bowler Antoine Bethea at free safety and cornerback Kelvin Hayden coming into his own as the team’s top cover corner. The biggest question is whether Marlin Jackson can return to form after missing the last half of the year with a knee injury. When healthy, this secondary is one of the best in the league.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Placekicker Adam Vinatieri returns for another season and while he isn’t the same kicker as he was when he was winning Super Bowls for the Patriots, he did improve on a terrible 2007 campaign last year, converting on 80% of his 25 attempts. Losing holder and punter Hunter Smith is a bit of a concern but the team did draft Pat McAfee out of West Virginia with the hopes that he’ll be able to secure the job in the preseason. T.J. Rushing will be the team’s leading returner again this year, which isn’t necessarily a good thing as the Colts ranked next to last in both kickoff and punt returns. Improved play is needed here, so look for a better kick returning option to emerge in the preseason.

2009 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS OFFSEASON TRACKER

Acquisitions
RB Najeh Davenport (FA, Steelers0
PK Shane Andrus (FA, Buccaneers)
OG Brandon Barnes (FA, Ravens)
LB Adam Seward (FA, Panthers)
Drafted
QB Curtis Painter, Purdue
RB Donald Brown, UCONN
WR Austin Collie, BYU
OT Jamie Thomas, Maryland
DT Fili Moala, USC
DT Terrance Taylor, Michigan
CB Jerraud Powers, Auburn
K Pat McAfee, West Virginia
Undrafted Free Agents
WR John Matthews, San Diego
TE Colin Coherty, Brown
OL Tom Pestock, Northwest Missouri
DB Brandon Anderson, Akron
P Tim Masthay, Kentucky
Re-signed
OC Jeff Saturday
DL Edward Johnson
LB Tyjuan Hagler
LB Freddie Keiaho
CB Kelvin Hayden
SS Matt Giordano
Departures
RB Dominic Rhodes (FA, Bills)
DL Darrell Reid, (FA, Broncos)
CB Keiwan Ratliff, (FA, Steelers)
P Hunter Smith (FA, Redskins)
Unsigned
QB Chris Crane
OT Dan Federkeil
OT Cornelius Lewis
DL Pat Kuntz
LB Rufus Alexander
LB Tyrell Sales
SS Brandon Harrison

PROJECTION

With a healthy Peyton Manning the Colts will be a tough team to beat again this year and regardless of the coaching turnover, Indianapolis will reach the playoffs for the eighth straight season. The Titans will still challenge for the division, but Indianapolis has their sights set on winning in the playoffs more than just getting there. They’ll need big improvements in the ground game and on defense to go the distance but staying healthy is also a must since the team still lacks depth in a lot of areas. Indianapolis is still one of the upper-echelon franchises and should manage to grind out a 12-4 record; with a little luck, the possibility of booking plans for Miami in February looms.

For more from Joe Everett log-on to The Fantasy Exchange or follow him via Twitter.

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Photo Credit: Dan Avila (USC), College Press Box, Steve Slade/UConn Division of Athletics