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Training Camp Preview: AFC West

Sun Jul 18 4:23pm ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Lock looks to keep starting job

This is the fourth in a series of training camp previews. The previews give you a quick look at each team, going over position battles and injuries to watch in camp. And for this season, all training camps will open at the same time with the exception of three teams. Camp will open Tuesday, July 27 for 29 of the 32 NFL teams. The Steelers and Cowboys will open July 21 because they play in the preseason Hall of Fame Game. And lastly, the Bucs got an exemption to open early because they have the first game of the regular season on a Thursday night. Tampa gets their camp started July 24. The season is right around the corner.

Raiders

The Raiders did not have quite the season as expected last year, finishing 8-8 and out of the playoffs. There are a lot of good pieces to the puzzle on both sides of the ball, though. The big key to the season might be the Raiders offensive line, which looks a lot different from last year. This unit will need to come together in a hurry if the offense hopes to play at a high level. If that doesn’t happen, it could be another ho-hum season for Las Vegas. The Raiders hold training camp at the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center in Henderson, Nev.

Position battle: The Raiders have a lot to sort out at receiver. They have a lot of options but the depth chart seems pretty wide open. Henry Ruggs might be about the only possible sure thing but he even has a few question marks after last year. The team also has Bryan Edwards, Hunter Renfrow, Zay Jones, John Brown and Willie Snead looking to grab some playing time. There is a mix of young and old in this group, making the battles pretty intriguing. We will have a better idea of how things will sort out after camp and the preseason is over.

Injury watch: Luckily, the Raiders don’t have a whole lot to worry about on the injury front right now. They head into camp pretty healthy. The one player to maybe watch is Derek Carr. He got knocked from a game last year and might be in a make or break season with the Raiders. There were trade rumors about him this offseason but nothing materialized from that. Either way, he will need to be healthy and playing well if he hopes to keep starting for Las Vegas passed this season.

Broncos

Denver was a big disappointment last year, battling injury and inconsistent quarterback play. The big story of camp might be that quarterback position again, seeing two players battle it out to start. Denver needs one of these guys to step up and play well if they hope to get back to the playoffs once again. This quarterback battle gets going at the UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colo.

Position battle: The Broncos brought in some competition for Drew Lock this year, getting Teddy Bridgewater. This will be a true position battle in training camp. Lock just hasn’t progressed as expected and will need to get better this season if he hopes to keep the starting job. Bridgewater has played alright in a starting role but hasn’t exactly lit it up as a starter. He also will need to play a little better if he hopes to start. He was a little erratic in a good Panthers offense last year.

Injury watch: Courtland Sutton played a game last year before tearing his ACL in Week 2. He is a huge part of the Broncos offense. Denver will need a healthy Sutton on their side if they hope to have more success offensively this year. Sutton can be a difference maker. He is returning from a major injury, but is trending in the right direction and seems on track to be ready for Week 1. The expectation is Sutton will be a full go for training camp, which is a great sign for the coming season.

Chargers

The Chargers had one of the best offenses in football last year because of the emergence of Justin Herbert. The defense had some issues, though, so much of this camp focus should be straightening out that side of the ball. If the defense can get better and hold down the opponents just a little more, the Chargers can get a few more wins and find their way back in the playoffs. The Chargers hold their training camp at the Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Position battle: The Chargers should have a battle on their hands for the backup running back job, a position that gets some playing time in this offense. The Chargers will spell Austin Ekeler a little more than your normal starter because of his injury history and ability to catch passes out of the backfield. Joshua Kelley, Justin Jackson and rookie Larry Rountree will battle it out for the No. 2 job in Los Angeles. The winner will have some fantasy value for the coming year, having some good total yardage potential.

Injury watch: Last season was supposed to be the big, breakout season for Austin Ekeler as the starter for the Chargers. That didn’t happen, though, because of injury. He missed six games and has missed games three of four season. Ekeler has had a hard time staying healthy, which means he is a player to watch this training camp. His celling is very high in a starting role in this offense, but he doesn’t do fantasy teams any good if he is on the sidelines.

Chiefs

The Chiefs came up just short in their quest to repeat as Super Bowl champs. They will look to get it going again in training camp. The team remains one of the best in the game on both sides of the ball. Kansas City’s much improved defense might be the key to their season. If this unit can keep getting better, the Chiefs could be a very scary team. Kansas City trains at Spratt Stadium Complex at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Mo.

Position battle: The departure of Sammy Watkins opens the door for a new starter opposite Tyreek Hill. Mecole Hardman is the heavy favorite for the job but won’t be handed anything. He will have some competition from Demarcus Robinson, Byron Pingle and rookie Cornell Powell. Again, Hardman is the favorite but there are some targets up for grabs in this great offense. You will want to see how the depth chart shakes out this training camp.

Injury watch: The Chiefs don’t have a whole lot to worry about on the injury front right now. Patrick Mahomes did have offseason surgery on his toe, though, so that is one to maybe keep an eye on. Mahomes is supposedly ahead of schedule in his recovery and should be just fine for the camp. But this is maybe the best player in the game, so you might want to check in on him to make sure all systems are a go for this season.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

Training Camp Preview: AFC West

The Paur Report