FanHouse MalcolmKelly

Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. " We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Offense -- They stormed out of the gate last season, on the shoulders of Clinton Portis. In the second half of the season, though, the offensive line began to wear down and Jason Campbell wasn't productive enough downfield to take attention away from CP26. This season, there are reasons for optimism. The offensive line has been retooled. The growth of second-year wideouts Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly will give Campbell more reliable options in the passing attack in addition to the solid Chris Cooley and Santana Moss.

When it comes to training camp in Redskins Park, it's pretty easy to find the question marks, or -- probably a better way of putting it -- areas in which the team needs to improve. The defense is dominant, and it is already showing as much in practice. And you more or less know Clinton Portis is going to be the rock of the running game.

Washington's aerial attack, however, is where most of the focus will fall in the preseason, even with Washington's questionable offensive line scrambling to gel. In addition to the stupendous amount of attention quarterback Jason Campbell will receive for the rest of 2009, the receiving corps bears watching as well.

With Fantasy Football season ready to kick in high gear, FanHouse is here to preview each and every team -- one per day until we've done them all.

Meet the ...
Second consecutive season under the same playbook. This is quite significant because the Redskins' current signal-caller hasn't been afforded this "luxury" since his senior year in high school. I can't even imagine what Jason Campbell has done with all his extra time this offseason, what with not having to learn an entire new playbook. Every other player has to know his own job on each play. The quarterback has to know the job of all 11 players on each play. Comfort matters.

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As the Redskins go through mini-camps this spring, the most important development will be how things progress with their starting quarterback, Jason Campbell. It's no secret the Redskins pursued other options during the offseason, only to come up short and end up "stuck" with the 27-year-old Auburn product.

After three seasons, and finally one full one, under his belt, it's time for Campbell to take the next step and become a franchise quarterback. Finally getting a second season in the same offensive system -- 2009 will be the first time -- is a great start for the 6-foot-5 signal-caller. He's also getting more comfortable in his leadership role.

Twelve months ago, Devin Thomas was making his way up draft boards after an outstanding junior season at Michigan State and impressive combine and Pro Day performances. The previous fall, he had hauled in 79 passes for the Spartans, and then busted out a 4.40-40 in Indianapolis in February. By April, He would be the second wide receiver selected, going 34th overall to the Redskins.

In the weeks leading up to the draft, NFL Network's Mike Mayock admitted that Thomas had all the physical attributes teams look for in a wideout -- deep speed, the ability to get off the line of scrimmage and a knack for coming down with jump balls -- but he also cautioned that Thomas' junior season could be an anomaly.

Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.

The Redskins stormed out of the gate in Jim Zorn's first season as head coach, running their record to 6-2 at the halfway point. The second half of the season, unfortunately, was perfectly symmetrical -- they went 2-6 to finish 8-8.

They could have won three of those games in best-case scenarios, but the best teams come through instead of talking about what could have been. The reality is that the Redskins only played a half-season in '08.

Four months ago, the Redskins used their three second-round picks on skill-position players. Specifically pass catchers, presumably in an effort to bolster a pretty pedestrian offense. Makes sense and unlike previous Danny-tastic personnel moves, selecting Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly and Fred Davis was understandable (if excessive).

Well, Washington's season begins Thursday night against the Giants, and both Thomas and Kelly have been supremely ineffective. This makes Jason Campbell very, very sad.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed about that," he said about Thomas and Kelly. "We had so much expectation for those guys contributing to our offense. I thought we'd grow together quickly. I went over to their place and visited with them about everything. I told them this was the real deal. They needed to show up on time for meetings and to study. We need them out there."

I guess Campbell's already given up on Davis.

To Thomas' credit, he admits to having trouble adjusting to life in the NFL.

The Jim Zorn era officially begins on Thursday, when the Redskins face the Giants in the regular-season opener. Despite a shiny, new offense and a retooled roster that includes a less insane punter, Washington has struggled on both sides of the ball during the preseason.

The team traded for Jason Taylor after Phillip Daniels was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Taylor would later injure his knee in the 'Skins' third preseason game and now it looks like he won't be available for Week 1.

Jason Taylor, who is out with a sprained knee/bone bruise, worked before practice with trainers but did nothing on the practice field. He, too, seems unlikely to play, but Zorn said the team will evaluate him right up through Thursday's warm-ups before making a final call. "Based on today, there's no way, but that's going to be a game-time decision." ...

Told ya. More proof that God has something against Dan Snyder: No. 2 wideout Antwaan Randle El has a broken bone in his left hand. He'll play against the Giants, however, but will have to wear a protective brace. That should hinder his ability to catch the ball.

These guys are among the small handful of preseason favorites for the national championship. Easy call putting them in the Contender category today, no? We make no promises on their ability to deliver, given the whole hot stove human behavior thing whereby Oklahoma has lost big in so many different ways in bowl games lately we know better than to bet on crimson anytime after early December.

But there's always that victory over Texas to fall back on, right? Assuming they beat Texas this year, of course.

Why They'll Win

Talent. It's the lifeblood of all college football programs and Oklahoma's fairly deep with it. The guys the NFL loves are on the lines, but college football fans can appreciate great players with diminished NFL prospects like one Sam Bradford. This guy's just got the knack for making accurate throws, on time, and making the right reads. His freshman season is simply the best statistical freshman season ever.

Oklahoma will continue to do what it always does, play fast on defense, and find ways to get the ball down the field on the ground and in the air. Leading rusher Allen Patrick departs but the exciting DeMarco Murray has arrived and he will be pushed in a big way from frosh back Jermie Calhoun. The offensive line is also widely considered the nation's finest.

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...
New look offense! Out with Al Saunders and Joe Gibbs and in with Jim Zorn's high-powered west coast offense. The offense Zorn is installing is the one used in Seattle under Mike Holmgren and has made fantasy stars of numerous players through the years, including Brett Favre, Shaun Alexander, and Matt Hasselbeck. This has caused everyone to expect that Clinton Portis -- since he's arguably more talented and much tougher than Alexander -- to become an absolute beast. That's all well and good ... just remember that Portis isn't following Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson on one side of the line.

The Breakout
Jason Campbell has shown flashes of being a productive QB, but been derailed by injuries and inconsistency. He has plenty of tools and weapons to become a fantasy starter (top 12ish) in this offense. The Skins even tried to overload the receiving corps during the draft by selecting TE Fred Davis and WRs Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly with upper round selections. He did throw for 215, 348, 301, and 216 yards in the last four full games before he was injured. Be ready to pounce on Campbell as a quality backup with the chance to become a starter at some point in '08.