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In other words, it's time to start assessing the Fantasy potential of this year's incoming rookie crop.
As in past seasons, I'll approach this first pass with a position-by-position overview posted on a daily basis throughout the week (QBs today; RBs Wednesday; WRs Thursday; TEs and PKs on Friday).
This isn't meant to be an all-inclusive look. The primary focus is on players I expect to have immediate and legitimate Fantasy value -- or a reasonable chance of achieving that status.
With the general disclaimers out of the way, let's get the ball rolling with the quarterbacks.
I'll start out by reminding you that 60 quarterbacks started for the NFL's 32 teams last season. While I don't believe all of this year's crop will get a shot at the big time, plenty will.
For our purposes, the focus today will be on the top five -- at least three of whom appear to have decent shots at starting assignments this year (I will, however, include thumbnail reviews of some lesser lights for those of you in Dynasty and keeper leagues).
1. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
Ryan is my top prospect at the position for all the obvious reasons: The Falcons have a desperate need to put a new face on their franchise and Ryan was clearly the cream of this year's quarterback crop.
The 6-5, 224-pound Ryan manages a game well, has a strong and fairly accurate arm, ideal size, decently mobility and possesses the leadership qualities coaches like to see.
He started 32 games over the past four years at Boston College, completing nearly 60 percent of his throws for 9,313 yards and 56 touchdowns. He's also thrown 37 interceptions -- 19 as a senior.
He throws well on the run and improvises well, although Sports Ticker pro football editor Tom Torrisi notes that Ryan does not have a Brett Favre-like gun for an arm and his elusiveness will not be mistaken for Michael Vick.
It's safe to say, however, that last factor falls directly into line with owner Arthur Blank's most desperate desire: Cutting ties with Vick.
While Ryan's decision-making on the field can at times be questionable, the two-time captain is known for his character, leadership and intelligence.
Back on the field, Ryan does not throw the deep ball particularly well and as noted above, his interceptions nearly doubled (10 to 19) from his junior to senior seasons.
According to the Sports Xchange, Ryan looked a lot like the Jets' Chad Pennington before the 2007 season -- only much more effective utilizing a short-to-intermediate area passing attack. He is a cool field general with a great work ethic and shows some similarity to Rich Gannon (ex-Raiders, Chiefs) in his ability to be innovative on the field.
The biggest factor working in Ryan's favor in Atlanta will be a coaching staff that realizes running the ball effectively will be critical to protecting their young signal caller.
As reported in last Sunday's Fantasy Notebook, new offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey's focus will be on running the ball effectively between the tackles with newly-signed franchise back Michael Turner.
The better they do that, the harder it will be for opposing defenses to focus on pressuring Ryan, who will work with a young and improving receiving corps led by Roddy White, Laurent Robinson and Michael Jenkins.
The loss of veteran tight end Alge Crumpler can't be viewed as a positive, but there are sufficient run-after-the catch threats on the outside to help take advantage of Ryan's solid game-management skills.
Ryan is an excellent prospect for a team comfortable moving the chains with a mistake-free engineer at the helm. Having a home-run threat, Jerious Norwood, in the backfield, however, helps the offense retain a quick-strike element.
Fantasy Bottom Line: As SI.com's Don Banks suggested this week, the Falcons won't want to rush "the Franchise," but they also won't want to suffer through another season of watching Joey Harrington and Chris Redman as their starter. They're trying to win some fans back in Atlanta.
Look for Ryan to win the starting job this summer or early in the regular season and lead Atlanta's offense for years to come.
2. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens traded down from the 8th spot to the 26th, only to move back up again to nab Flacco with the 18th selection. Much like it was for the Falcons, Baltimore's need at the position was obvious. Steve McNair has moved; neither Kyle Boller nor Troy Smith has demonstrated the ability to jump in and play at high level with the desired consistency.
The Ravens, who were clearly interested in Ryan, just as clearly had a Plan B in place if needed.
And Flacco is a reasonable Plan B.
In fact, some believe the 6-6, 236-pounder's height and arm strength give him the potential to be the best quarterback in this draft down the road.
The immediate concern, however, is the fact he played against an inferior level of competition at Division I-AA Delaware.
It's an issue others have overcome. As Torrisi suggested, "Call it the 'Ben Roethlisberger' effect, for the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback who came out of Miami-Ohio and led the team to a Super Bowl championship in his second season."
Lack of mobility is an issue, especially having played out of the shotgun for most of his career. He could not win the starting job at Pittsburgh, causing him to transfer, so his value likely is more as a long-term project.
Best bet would be to go to a team surrounded by talent -- like Roethlisberger -- rather than being expected to carry a franchise. While he does have similarities to Big Ben, the Xchange compares Flacco to Cleveland's Derek Anderson.
According to the Xchange, few quarterbacks in the NFL tower over a defensive line like Flacco and Anderson.
Flacco has nowhere near Anderson's mobility moving around the backfield, but both have great confidence in their arm strength and ability to make all the throws.
Those looking for downside, however, will find plenty. Flacco lacks experience, is unproven against top-level competition and has played mostly in the shotgun (in part to cover for his lack mobility). It's also worth noting that, during ESPN's draft coverage, Ron Jaworski explained to viewers how the complex zone blitz of Villanova really bothered Flacco.
Still, SI.com's Peter King reports that incoming Ravens coordinator Cam Cameron things Flacco might have the traits and the arm to be special.
Fantasy Bottom Line: The new coaching staff -- and their need to move past and differentiate themselves from the previous regime -- leads me to believe Flacco will be given every opportunity to win the starting job this summer. Much will depend on how comfortable Flacco looks in training camp.
But even if Boller and/or Troy Smith get the call early in the season to give Flacco time to acclimate to the increased speed played at this level, Banks predicts that Flacco -- if he's solid and smooth in his execution -- is going to get a shot at some point in his rookie season.
3. Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins
As Palm Beach Post staff columnist Greg Stoda suggested on Monday, the Dolphins' decision to snag Henne late in the second round adds another piece to a quarterback puzzle unsolved since Dan Marino's glory days. As a result, the starting job is wide open
Stoda went on to suggest the obvious conclusion to draw with the drafting of Henne is that the new Bill Parcells-led regime isn't about to put significant faith in returnee John Beck, who threw for just one touchdown in four starts as a rookie last season.
Indeed, Henne, a four-year starter who threw for 1,938 yards and 17 touchdowns in his injury-shortened senior season at Michigan, will compete with veteran Josh McCown, a free agent addition, and Beck, last year's second round pick, for the starting spot in training camp.
Henne, who is 6-2, 230 pounds, possesses one of the strongest arms in this draft and ran a pro-style offense since taking over as a freshman starter. It might be worth noting the injuries as a senior may have been an aberration since he had started 39 consecutive games at one point.
It's also worth noting that Henne holds school records for completions and touchdown passes (87) but also interceptions (37) in 47 career starts. He also had career 20 fumbles and 159 passes deflected.
He'll definitely need to limit the mistakes in order to succeed with Parcells watching from upstairs.
Fantasy Bottom Line: Given the uncertainty that comes with first-year management and a first-time head coach, Henne's chances of breaking into the starting lineup are better in Miami than they might have been elsewhere. The truth is, it simply doesn't make much sense for the Dolphins to wait on shoving Henne into the position.
As Banks suggested, Miami likely will be a lower-rung team regardless of who starts at quarterback, so getting Henne real-game experience might be the most valuable benefit of next season.
4. John David Booty, Minnesota Vikings
Booty was a two-year starter with 20 starts at USC. He's not in the class of Carson Palmer or Matt Leinart, the USC QBs before him, but he is a very accurate passer who knows where to go with the football.
The Vikings selected Booty in the fifth round.
With good, but not great, arm strength, the 6-3, 213-pounder is better in an intermediate passing game. His delivery is not the smoothest and he tends to float the ball on long passes. According to NFL.com, that makes Booty a solid pick for the west coast offense -- a guy who throws a lot of shallow crossing routes -- that Minnesota runs under head coach Brad Childress.
Coming from a football family, Booty possesses a good IQ for the game. According to Torrisi, a tendency to lock in on his primary receiver will expose him at the pro level, but he could have found himself in much worse situations.
Fantasy Bottom Line: Seems very unlikely to move ahead of Tarvaris Jackson -- or newly-signed backup Gus Frerotte for that matter -- any time soon. Certainly not this season. Jackson is the guy. That doesn't mean team officials will wait forever to benefit from his development. If he doesn't turn into the player expected this season, Booty will be worth watching next year.
5. Brian Brohm, Green Bay Packers
As King first suggested in a column published before the draft, two or three guys a year invariably get hosed on draft day due to circumstances beyond their control. This year's prime victim: Brohm, who likely would have been a top-five pick last year had he come out as a junior.
Instead, Brohm stayed in school and completed 65 percent of his passes for 30 touchdowns on a college team with a poor defense and a .500 record.
All that being the case, King predicted: "Someone's going to get a great bargain with this kid."
Turns out it was the Packers, who selected Brohm late in the second round (with the 56th pick overall).
According to Torrisi, Brohm is probably the most NFL-ready quarterback in the draft since he's coming out of a pro-style offense at Louisville. The 6-3, 227-pounder has the look of the prototypical quarterback with a strong, accurate arm, good touch, outstanding knowledge of the position and does not throw many interceptions (just 12 in 473 attempts last year for a pass-happy, defenseless squad).
The big problem for Brohm? Aaron Rodgers.
Fantasy Bottom Line: The chances of Rodgers losing the starting job due to performance lie somewhere between slim and none. The Packers simply have too much time, energy and resources invested in the former first-round pick to give up early.
But as Banks noted, Brohm is at least now in position to be visible just over Rodgers' shoulder, and his presence gives Packers fans someone to clamor for if Rodgers struggles or gets off to a sluggish start. ... Or gets hurt -- a very realistic possibility given his recent injury history.
The rest of this year's incoming QB class (listed in alphabetical order):
Eric Ainge, New York Jets
The 6-6, 225-pound Ainge comes of a solid career at Tennessee; he ranks third in school history in pass completions (516), pass attempts (854) and touchdown passes (51). He is fourth in school annals with 6,308 passing yards and 6,107 yards in total offense. ... The Xchange compares him to career backup Ken Dorsey. ... A fifth-round pick, he is viewed as a long-term developmental option should Kellen Clemens fail to emerge as hoped.
Colt Brennan, Washington Redskins
The 6-3, 205-pound Brennan's stock fell after a disappointing combine performance -- because he lacks the size necessary to excel at the position in the NFL. He is also coming off recent hip surgery. ... Still, Brennan is the owner of 21 NCAA records in just over two seasons at Hawaii. An average of 387.89 yards per game in total offense and a pass completion percentage of .712 are among notable national marks he set among the 31 NCAA records that he established in just 38 games at Hawaii. ... The Xchange compares him to San Francisco's Alex Smith. ... A sixth round pick, Brennan needs to prove he is not a system quarterback. Assuming Jason Campbell continues to progress, Brennan is unlikely to get that chance in Washington.
Alex Brink, Houston Texans
A three-year starter at Washington State, where he is now the school's career passing leader in touchdowns (76) and yards (10,913), Brink has raw talent, poise and intelligence. ... A seventh-round pick, NFL.com advises readers the 6-2, 212-pound Brink lacks a big arm and has only marginal accuracy, but he's a gutty competitor who will fight for a roster spot. Working behind Matt Schaub, Sage Rosenfels and Quinn Gray, he'll face a tough battle.
Dennis Dixon, Pittsburgh Steelers
A high-risk, high-reward type, mainly due to injury. Dixon emerged as a front-runner for the Heisman Trophy at Oregon until suffering a torn ACL in his left knee in early November. He had surgery in December, making teams understandably leery about taking him too high. That being said, Torrisi reminds readers Dixon has outstanding athleticism and a powerful arm. Timed at 4.6 in the 40, he threw for 20 TD passes and just four interceptions last season. ... A fifth-round pick, the 6-4, 205-pound Dixon wants to play quarterback. His task will be to develop into someone who can make either Charlie Batch or Brian St. Pierre unnecessary. In the meantime, the Steelers could incorporate him into some packages as a utility-type player.
Matt Flynn, Green Bay Packers
Flynn is a good decision maker, who has played in a successful program at LSU. Unfortunately, he spent the bulk of his time there working behind JaMarcus Russell. As a result, Flynn has minimal starting experience. With Favre's departure, the Packers appear to be stockpiling depth behind Rodgers. ... A seventh-round pick, the 6-2, 228-pound Flynn has enough athletic ability to make the final roster. But as NFL.com suggests, he looks like a career clipboard carrier -- especially working behind Rodgers and Brohm.
Josh Johnson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay has seven QBs on its roster, but the team only plans to bring five signal callers to training camp when they report on July 25. Johnson, out of Dan Diego, will be one of those five. ... A fifth-round pick, the 6-3, 198-pound Johnson isn't a great passer, but he has excellent athleticism and is a good scrambler. And given Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden's great love for athletic QBs, it wouldn't be a tremendous surprise if he makes the final roster.
Kevin O'Connell, New England Patriots
O'Connell literally put himself on the map as a senior at San Diego State. After working under the tutelage of former NFL QB and present Aztecs head coach, Chuck Long, teams now view O'Connell as one of the finer athletes at his position eligible for the 2008 draft. ... A third-round pick, the 6-5, 225-pound O'Connell isn't going to force Tom Brady to the bench this fall. But as Banks suggests, his arrival will probably get the attention of backup Matt Cassel.
Andre' Woodson, New York Giants
Woodson threw 71 touchdown passes in his final two seasons at Kentucky and showed a remarkable propensity to take care of the ball, setting an NCAA record with 325 pass attempts without an interception. Unfortunately, poor decision-making and accuracy issues late last season -- and his decision against working out at the combine -- diminished his draft-day value. ... A sixth-round draft pick, the 6-5, 224-pound Woodson's size, arm strength make him an interesting prospect -- especially on a team featuring David Carr, Anthony Wright and Jared Lorenzen behind Eli Manning.
That's it for the 2008 QB class. Check back tomorrow for my rookie running back preview.
Otherwise, keep an eye on the News & Views section of this site for late-breaking news and other tidbits of interest. Also watch the Headline News section for more in-depth reviews of current events -- including the weekly Fantasy Notebook, published every Sunday throughout the offseason.