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Don't look now, but the quarterback battle we all expected in Seattle has already gone by the wayside without so much as a single snap taken in anger.

This after head coach Pete Carroll told reporters on Saturday that Tarvaris Jackson is the starting quarterback and it is "his job to lose."

Jackson, who signed a two-year, $8 million deal with Seattle after spending five seasons with the Vikings, reunites with his former Vikings offensive coordinator, Darrell Bevell. Jackson's knowledge of Bevell's offense gave him the edge.

So with Jackson opening camp as Seattle's starter, the obvious question comes to mind: Is Jackson starting Fantasy Football material?

In a word. ... No.

As Pro Football Weekly put it, even though Jackson gets the edge for now, there is reason to believe that this is a fluid situation and Charlie Whitehurst could eventually win the starting job as he becomes familiar with Bevell's system.

So uncertainty will be an ongoing issue -- at least or until somebody proves capable of doing something they’ve never done before: Serve as a season-long NFL starter.

Whitehurst, who was traded for last offseason after four years on the bench in San Diego, started two games in 2010, throwing two touchdowns and three picks. And while he's failed to show the on-field ability and the level of leadership expected of an NFL starter to this point, Jackson's resume leaves a little something to be desired, too.

Remember; we're talking about a guy who alternated between starter and backup during five seasons with the Vikings, starting 20 games and throwing almost as many interceptions (22) as touchdowns (24).

According to Carroll, the Seahawks’ thought process changed regarding the quarterback position during the 4 1/2 -month lockout.

The need to create continuity became important because of how little time there is to prepare. That’s where Jackson’s familiarity with Bevell came in.

“We realized that if we could sign Tarvaris, who’s been with Darrell for five years, we can hit it running full speed,” Carroll said. “If you can imagine, we only have seven days between (when Jackson can first practice) and our first [exhibition] game.”

Positives with Jackson as the initial starter?

In addition to a solid understanding of Bevell's scheme, Jackson will have a familiar receiver in former Viking Sidney Rice.

But even though Jackson, Rice and Bevell have some history together, it's not all that impressive.

As Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio reminded readers, the reality is that during their mutual time in Minnesota, Jackson and Rice never really clicked, even with running back Adrian Peterson pulling a safety to the line of scrimmage on just about every play.

During their four seasons together, Jackson and Rice both started the same game seven times.

Florio pointed out that Rice’s highest production came in 2007 against the Giants, with three catches for 82 yards and a touchdown. In the other games, Rice had two catches for 10 yards against the Falcons in 2007, four for 66 and a touchdown against the Chargers in 2007, two catches for 18 against the Raiders in 2007, two catches for 31 yards and a touchdown against the Packers in 2008, no catches against the Colts in 2008, and five catches for 60 yards against the Giants in 2010.

But Seahawks fans can take some solace in the fact that, when Brett Favre was knocked out early in a 2010 game against the Bills, Jackson and Rice connected for five catches, 105 yards, and two touchdowns.

And assuming his hip is sound -- and it certainly looked like it was late last season, Rice is certainly capable of playing up to the $41 million price Seattle paid for him. But can he do it with Jackson as his trigger man?

Seems to me it'll take more than a head start in understanding the offense to help out the previously less-than-dynamic duo of Jackson and Rice -- with Rice's Fantasy value taking the bigger hit.

In addition to overcoming Jackson's career-long inability to play at a high enough level to hold down a starting job, Rice must also overcome the recent history of failed free-agent wideouts in Seattle (Deion Branch and T.J. Houshmandzadeh both fell off the radar during stints as Seahawks despite the presence of a serviceable QB in Matt Hasselbeck).

Bottom line?

Jackson has much to prove before he's considered draftworthy in your Fantasy draft -- and I don't think one pre-season (even if he performs surprisingly well) changes that.

The bigger concern is how much Seattle's failure to adequately address the QB position hurts Rice and Mike Williams. That might be something we can get a better feel for in coming weeks.