Wayne's World

Point 1: Long before the Colts released wide receiver Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis was already Wayne's World.

Although Harrison was often and deservedly mentioned in the same breath with receivers of the caliber of Jerry Rice and Cris Carter during his career, Reggie Wayne has been Peyton Manning's favorite target over the past two seasons. And quite honestly, the Colts won't miss a beat without the 13-year veteran.

Drafted in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft, Wayne was targeted to be paired up with Harrison, Indy's undisputed No. 1 receiver. A fast, sure-handed physical receiver who tacks on extra yards after the catch, Wayne complemented Harrison's style that featured plenty of quick slants and smooth-striding deep routes.

After Wayne posted more receiving yards and nearly the number of catches that Harrison logged in 2004, he proved that he deserved "1b" status instead of being referenced as the team's No. 2 receiver. But the fact of the matter is that over the past five seasons, Wayne has been the Colts' most productive receiver, catching 432 passes for 6,230 yards and 42 scores versus Harrison's 343 catches for 4,508 yards and 45 touchdowns. During that stretch, Wayne didn't miss a single start while Harrison sat out 13 games.

Wayne is now the veteran who will lead a receiver corps that includes third-year receiver Anthony Gonzales as the No. 2 receiver. Second-year speedster Pierre Garcon, rookie Austin Collie—a focused and determined pass-catcher out of BYU—and third-year veteran Roy Hall should battle it out for the No. 3 spot during training camp. And the Colts will undoubtedly slide tight end Dallas Clark out into the slot frequently to take advantage of his ability to exploit the middle of the field.

The offense will benefit from the return of starting left guard Ryan Lilja, who missed the entire 2008 season due to injury. They'll also get a boost from the return of former Michigan running back Mike Hart and the addition of rookie running back Donald Brown, the nation's leading rusher in college football last year. So expect to see significant improvement from an Indianapolis rushing attack that finished 31st in the league last year, averaging just 79.6 rushing yards per game. 

With a more balanced offensive attack, Wayne could post another 100-yard-plus catches and 1,500 receiving yards like he did in 2007.

(michigan.scout.com)