2008 NFL Impact Rookies
Who Will Help Your Fantasy Team?	written by: Brad Wellen 05/20/2008

QUARTERBACKS

No NFL position faces more pressure both on and off the field than the quarterback. Couple the heat from blitzing pass-rushers with the expectations of fans and the media to lead your franchise to the promise land, and it can be a recipe for disaster for a rookie quarterback. The lack of depth at the QB position throughout the league will put some first-year signal-callers on the field early in the season and just like a bad science experiment, results may vary. Let’s take a look at five quarterbacks who could make a fantasy impact in their inaugural run in the NFL:

Matt Ryan (Boston College), #3 Overall Pick, Atlanta Falcons – The end of the Michael Vick era was marked by Commissioner Roger Goodell handing Ryan his red and black jersey at Radio City. Ryan should not wait too long to see the field as Atlanta is thinner than Nicole Richie at the QB position (see Chris Redman and Joey Harrington… yuck). Ryan does not have a huge arm or a muscular frame, but his most dangerous weapon is his field intelligence. In-game IQ is an attribute that is hard to find among young QBs and Ryan certainly looks like a difference maker that can reap immediate benefits for the struggling Falcons.

Joe Flacco (Delaware), #18 Overall Pick, Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens will be handing over the reigns from one former NCAA Division II star to another as Flacco will look to fill the shoes of former Alcorn State standout Steve McNair. The Ravens would love a repeat of Flacco’s 23 TD, 5 INT senior season with the Fightin’ Blue Hens, but this is the big leagues and Joe will have to adjust accordingly. Fortunately for Flacco, Kyle Boller always finds a way to play himself out of the starting role. Flacco’s 6’7”, 236 lb. frame coupled with a cannon for an arm should have him on the field soon enough, but can he make the switch from Delware’s mostly shotgun offense to a more conservative game plan in Baltimore?

John David Booty (USC), #137 Overall Pick (5^th round), Minnesota Vikings – Ranking JDB this high may be giving him more credit than he is due, but given the situation in Minnesota and his USC pedigree, he should fit in well in the Twin Cities. By no means is Booty the same player as former Trojans Carson Palmer or even Matt Leinart, but with a solid offensive line and possibly the best back in football in Adrian Peterson to hand the ball off to, he can make a difference simply by being mediocre. Many forget that a promising college career was hampered by injury and, when healthy, Booty can avoid pressure and make good decisions that will keep drives alive. If Tavaris Jackson falters, which is more likely than another Pac Man Jones felony, Booty could see the field in ’08.

Brian Brohm (Lousiville), #56 Overall Pick (2^nd Round), Green Bay Packers – The retirement of Brett Favre puts current Packers’ starter Aaron Rodgers in a tight situation. He is not necessarily on a short leash, however, Pack fans will be looking for the magic that #4 was able to bring to Lambeau for so many years. A message was made clear with the drafting of Brohm: we must find Favre’s successor sooner rather than later. Should Rodgers run into trouble, Brohm could be playing on Sundays by the middle to late portion of the season. At Louisville he showed the ability to escape the pass rush, a strong work ethic, and an understanding of how to lead a complex offense. Brohm does not have the arm strength of Brett Favre, but no quarterback since Jeff George had that sort of cannon and his career was more disappointing than Vanilla Ice’s.

Chad Henne (Michigan), #57 Overall Pick (2^nd Round), Miami Dolphins – Does anybody really expect John Beck or Josh McCown to hold down the starting job in Miami? Bill Parcells had that in mind when selecting Henne, a tough, durable QB who can stretch the field with his solid arm. At 6’2” and 225 pounds, he may not be the best size for a quarterback, however he can takeover in the huddle and is not afraid to take a hit if it means an extra yard. Henne needs to work on throwing under pressure and must learn to throw the ball away when hurried, however he does have potential to take some snaps for the Fish and could win the starting role when, not if, the other QBs implode.

RUNNING BACKS

Who, if anyone, will be this year’s Adrian Peterson? The Vikings struck gold last year with their selection of AP with the seventh overall pick and this year NFL teams took notice. Seven backs were taken in the first two rounds and, between the frequency of injuries to veterans as well as the ability for RBs to make an immediate impact on a team’s offense, there will be plenty of yards to go around for some choice rookie runners:

Darren McFadden (Arkansas), #4 Overall Pick, Oakland Raiders – As the most explosive player in the 2008 Draft, Run DMC, is poised to carry the load in the Black Hole. Although Justin Fargas showed some positive flashes last season, Al Davis will not allow McFadden to stay off the field for long. McFadden has the ability to find an extra gear that few others in the NFL can reach and paired with his upper body strength, he has all of the components of an elite pro-bowl back. If last season’s 1,830 yards and 16 touchdowns in the toughest conference in college football doesn’t convince the Raiders’ coaching staff that McFadden is ready to start, than his 4.33 40-yard dash should put him over the top. D-Mac, unlike AP, doesn’t have Steve Hutchinson and Bryant McKinnie to run behind, but he should get his yards in the defensively challenged AFC West.

Jonathan Stewart (Oregon), #13 Overall Pick, Carolina Panthers – Just like the Daily Show’s Jonathan Stewart complements Stephen Colbert, so shall Carolina’s Jonathan Stewart complete the Panthers’ backfield. Carolina sees Stewart as more of a workhorse than the speedy, yet undersized DeAngelo Williams. Although he is coming off toe surgery, Stewart is built like a fullback at 5’11”/235 lbs and combines strength with both quickness and the ability to cut around defenders. Stewart also holds onto the ball and will be able to block oft-injured quarterback Jake Delhomme, whose health is the key to the Panthers offense. The only drawback to Stewart’s profile is his history of leg problems, however he has played through pain before and will open the season healthy.

Rashard Mendenhall (Illinois), #23 Overall Pick, Pittsburgh Steelers – Much like Jonathan Stewart, Mendenhall provides a great complement to the speedier Willie Parker in Pittsburgh. While Fast Willie will take the majority of handoffs, Mendenhall will certainly get some red zone carries and should replace Najeh Davenport as the Steelers short yardage back. Mendenhall exemplifies the blue-collar style that the Steeler franchise was built upon and at Illinois he was able to create yards behind a less-than-average offensive line. His potential only increases as he will now run behind a solid line and his style lends to the physical play of the AFC North as he takes on larger defenders and does not hesitate when a hole opens up. Mendenhall also is an above average pass catcher and should see his playing time increase late in the season as the workload wears on Willie Parker.

Felix Jones (Arkansas), #22 Overall Pick, Dallas Cowboys – Felix Jones will fit in nicely in Big D as the home run threat to contrast to the bruising style of featured-back Marion Barber. Are you beginning to sense a theme here that the best rookie runners are usually the ones that add a new dimension to an already solid running game? Jones is no stranger to the running back by committee system as he was often in the shadow of Darren McFadden while splitting carries for the Razorbacks. Felix would benefit from a few more pounds of muscle, but speed is his best asset and behind the biggest offensive line in football, he should find plenty of running lanes to exploit. Although Marion the Barbarian will take the lion’s share of carries, do not be surprised if Jones breaks off a couple of long TD runs in his rookie campaign.

Matt Forte (Tulane), #44 Overall Pick (2^nd Round), Chicago Bears – The Bears got a steal in the second round by drafting the nation’s second leading rusher from 2007. Forte averaged a modest 177.3 yards per game in his senior season and walks into a good situation as the Bears will be open to competition at running back. Cedric Benson has been awful, both on and off the field, a sad truth reflected by his arrest for boating while intoxicated. He also is coming off a series leg injury which means Forte could be toting the rock early in the season. The Bears are a run-first offense since Rex Grossman really cannot be trusted with passes over ten feet. Forte does not go down easily and is very alert to blitzes, two attributes that will keep him in the mix in Chicago.

WIDE RECEIVERS

You can never be too sure of what you have in a first-year wide receiver. Just take a look at Charles Rogers (#2 overall pick, 2003, Detroit Lions) and Marques Colston (#252 overall pick, 2006, New Orleans Saints). Rogers is currently a free agent and a three time violator of the NFL’s substance abuse police and Colston has 2,240 career yards and 19 TDs and holds the league record for most receptions in a player’s first two seasons with 168. Enough of the history lesson, all that you need to know is that the five guys listed below have a great deal of potential to have breakout rookie seasons, but just like buying a used car or ordering Chinese food, there are no guarantees:

Devin Thomas (Michigan State), #34 Overall Pick (2^nd Round), Washington Redskins – The top receiver on the board will fit well into Jim Zorn’s west coast offense. Thomas is a big target who will be hard for opposing corners to take down. He is not afraid to catch the ball in traffic and can stretch the field with breakaway speed. Thomas averaged nearly 16 yards per catch in his senior season and joined with Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El and fellow rookie Malcolm Kelly, defensive coordinators will be reaching for Tylenol every time Jason Campbell drops back into the pocket.

James Hardy (Indiana), #41 Overall Pick (2^nd Round), Buffalo Bills – Hardy could yield instant results for the Bills as Buffalo’s coaching staff has been seeking a solid second receiver opposite Lee Evans. At 6’6” and 220 lbs, Hardy has the build to make tough catches and his jumping ability makes him an excellent red zone threat. Hardy could use some more muscle to break away from defenders, however his hands and size will pay immediate dividends for fantasy owners. Hardy should get his looks as Lee Evans will draw away attention from opposing DBs.

DeSean Jackson (Cal), #49 Overall Pick (2^nd Round), Philadelphia Eagles – Donovan McNabb’s prayers may finally have been answered as he now has an explosive playmaker in Jackson. Anyone who saw Jackson at Cal knows that he can immediately join the likes of Devin Hester and Josh Cribbs as an elite NFL kick returner. Jackson is both a deep threat and a small, shifty receiver that can be relied upon to make key third down catches. DeSean has drawn comparisons to Carolina’s Steve Smith due to his explosiveness and solid hands. If Jackson is half as good as Steve Smith than he will get some serious burn and become Donovan McNabb’s best target since Terrell Owens… couple that with Brian Westbrook and a revamped defense and can you say Super Bowl?

Limas Sweed (Texas), #53 Overall Pick (2^nd Round), Pittsburgh Steelers – Maybe the Steelers’ brass was tired of seeing Hines Ward score so many touchdowns, maybe they wanted to fill the void left by Plaxico Burress, or maybe they just like to say “Limas.” Whatever the reason, the Steelers have a new red zone target as well as a deep threat with a gazelle-like stride. Sweed displays the Steeler work ethic and shows great toughness with his physical routes and difficult catches. Sweed must work on his timing for jump balls, but he is expected to get plenty of chances to spice up Pittsburgh’s offense.

Malcolm Kelly (Oklahoma), #51 Overall Pick (2^nd Round), Washington Redskins – Although fellow rookie Devin Thomas may yield quicker results, Kelly has a ton of potential in Washington. Kelly is the definition of a playmaker, and no I’m not talking about ESPN’s ill-fated drama “Playmakers,” I mean the type of receiver who can score every time he touches the pigskin. Kelly has great field awareness and can keep his feet inbounds when making tough catches along the sidelines. He showed at OU that he can read coverage and has the quickness to separate from defenders into the open field. It may take some time for Kelly to develop but big things are in the future for this ‘Skin.

TIGHT ENDS

They block, they catch passes, and they… receive little attention outside of Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez. A tight end can be a quarterback’s best friend, their safety valve when the O-line breaks down and they need to make a quick pass. Without many elite TEs in the NFL, three top rookies come to mind as players who can make a difference in their first season:

Dustin Keller (Purdue), #30 Overall Pick, New York Jets – Kyle Brady, Anthony Becht, Doug Jolley, Chris Baker, the list goes on, the Jets have not had a reliable tight end in years. The Jets traded up to get Keller, a move that made many Gang Green fans scratch their heads, however, without an elite outside receiver, Keller should get plenty of looks across the middle of the field. Jets loyalists also need to realize that if Chad Pennington should reclaim the starting role, his lack of arm strength leaves him dependent on a solid tight end that can operate within 10-15 yards from the line of scrimmage. Keller will need to restructure his blocking technique but I have yet to join a fantasy league that awards points for pancake blocks.

Fred Davis (USC), #48 Overall Pick (2^nd Round), Washington Redskins - Although Chris Cooley is clearly the top guy in D.C., Davis can make some plays when the ‘Skins run two-tight end formations. Davis led all USC receivers with 881 yards and eight TDs in his senior season and averaged 14.2 yards per reception, an impressive stat for a tight end. Davis has great hands and a unique ability to create space from defenders. Also, Davis can change direction well and has the power to break arm tackles in the open field.

John Carlson (Notre Dame), #38 Overall Pick (2^nd Round), Seattle Seahawks – Carlson is a tough, team-oriented player who will thrive in short-yardage situations. He is aggressive when fighting for balls in a crowd and at 6’5”; he has the leaping ability to catch balls at their apex. He is skilled at the line of scrimmage and can move well around defensive linemen to get open. Although he does not have ideal speed, he secures the ball well in his grasp and can elude defenders by running deceptive patterns.