Joe Flacco officially signed with the Baltimore Ravens and now has the opportunity to vie for the starting quarterback job. While Flacco is definitely the quarterback for the future in Baltimore, he’ll have competition in 2008 for the starting gig.

In addition to Flacco, the Ravens have quarterbacks Kyle Boller and Troy Smith on the roster. Boller hasn’t had much success in his career but he’s a veteran who has a lot of experience. While Smith is a youngster, he played well for the Ravens last year and his play at Ohio State showed what he’s capable of on the football field.

Flacco was the Ravens’ first round pick in the 2008 draft and he may very will see some snaps late in the year. However, it is doubtful that the Ravens will give him the job right away. Even if they do, Flacco won’t be much of a fantasy football asset in 2008. The Ravens don’t have many offensive weapons and typically rookie quarterbacks don’t do much in fantasy football.

In fantasy football dynasty league, Flacco is a long-term prospect who could become a quality starter in a few years.

Can Joe Flacco win the starting quarterback job in Baltimore?

A lot of people think that fantasy football is won at the draft. A lot more people think fantasy football is won during the season by picking the best players to start each week. While there is some truth to that logic, I believe that fantasy football is won during the summer when you prepare for the upcoming fantasy football season. And truthfully, this is the funnest time of year — before the in-season pressure begins to build up.

What can you do in the summer when you need to scratch that fantasy football itch?

-You can review to see how you did in previous years and find areas you can improve.

-You can talk to fellow fantasy football owners to gain information on what they are thinking heading into the next season.

-You can make cheat sheets for your upcoming fantasy drafts.

-You can start ranking the best players at each position.

-You can make lists of sleepers at each position.

-And most importantly, you can decide exactly what you will do with your fantasy football winnings!

Oh and don’t forget to stay up to date on the latest Favre drama during the summer. It wouldn’t be summertime if Favre wasn’t in the headlines.

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Darren McFadden, the first round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders, signed a $60 million contract with the club. The contract spans over six seasons.

This is a very important moment for McFadden because a lot of league experts openly wondered whether the Raiders would be able to sign McFadden. Last season, the Raiders couldn’t agree to a contract with JaMarcus Russell and Russell was forced to holdout into the season. That cost Russell basically his entire rookie year and slowed any development that would have occurred.

Now with McFadden in the fold for the entire training camp, he has a great shot of becoming the team’s starter. As a starter, McFadden’s fantasy football stock would rise immensely. He’d go from a fourth round to a late second to early third round pick. After seeing what Adrian Peterson did last year for the Minnesota Vikings, it’d be hard to overlook McFadden this year.

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Marion Barber III, the projected starting running back for the Dallas Cowboys in 2008, got a seven-year contract on Tuesday. The contract is reportedly worth approximately $45 – with about one-third of the contract guaranteed.

The fact that the Cowboys and Barber were able to agree on a contract is good news for both parties. Barber got the money and the recognition he wanted. The Cowboys locked up a major part of their offense.

In the last two season, Barber has been very good for Dallas. In 2006, he had 654 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. In 2007, Barber had 975 rushing yards and ten touchdowns.

In 2008, you can expect Barber’s rushing attempts to rise. Former starter Julius Jones signed with the Seattle Seahawks. The Cowboys replaced him with rookie Felix Jones, who the Cowboys acquired in the 2008 NFL Draft. Jones will likely be second in the depth charts and he’ll be used as a change of pace back.

In 2008 fantasy football drafts, Barber is now either a late first round pick or an early second round pick. He has a lot of touchdowns over the last two years and his role will be increased. Additionally, he’ll be in a high powered offense that should give him plenty of touchdown opportunities. There is a lot to like about Barber in 2008.

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A number of late round draft picks fell into perfect situations where they may be able to shine. While these players shouldn’t be drafted in a redraft fantasy football league in 2008, they do hold value in dynasty leagues.

Lavelle Hawkins, Tennessee Titans
The Titans desperately need help at wide receiver and Lavelle Hawkins was the first wide receiver they took in the 2008 NFL Draft. They selected him with the 27th pick in the fourth round out of California. Hawkins isn’t a speedster but he can get open and catch the ball – two traits the Titans desperately need.

Jacob Tamme, Indianapolis Colts
In the fourth round, the Colts took tight end Jacob Tamme. While it was a little bit of a reach, the Colts desperately need a backup tight end. With Dallas Clark being injury prone and Ben Utecht gone to the Cincinnati Bengals, Tamme could be a long-term answer at tight end.

Jerome Felton, Detroit Lions
The Lions need a running back and they took Jerome Felton in the fifth round. He doesn’t have great potential because he’s not overly fast or elusive, but he’s a powerful runner who could potentially become a goal line back – which could make him valuable down the line in fantasy football.

Matt Flynn, Green Bay Packers
The Packers drafted quarterback Matt Flynn in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft. With Brett Favre seemingly retired, the Packers have room for quarterbacks on their roster. While Flynn obviously won’t be in the mix to start as a rookie, he could be a solution down the road.

Could Matt Flynn Get a Shot with Brett Favre Retired?

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There are some rumblings in Cleveland that Kellen Winslow, the Browns’ star tight end, might be unhappy with his contract. Winslow didn’t show up for a few organized team activities recently. Although the activities aren’t mandatory, there is speculation that Winslow’s absence is contract related.

Last season, Winslow had a very good fantasy football campaign. He had 82 catches, 1106 yards and five touchdowns. The 24-year-old tight end out of Miami became one of the best fantasy tight ends in the NFL.

Early in Winslow’s career, he suffered from a number of serious injuries. During that time, the Browns restructured Winslow’s contract. Now that Winslow has his career back on track, it’s possible that Winslow wants a bump in pay.

If Winslow doesn’t start showing up in Cleveland for workouts, his fantasy football stock will start dropping. Winslow has a history of questionable off the field moves and he could be aiming toward a contract hold out. If that’s the case, it’s unlikely that the Browns will budge.

As it stands, Winslow is one of the best fantasy football tight ends heading into the 2008 NFL season. If this contract dispute comes to fruition, who would the Browns look at to fill Winslow spot at tight end? One option is Martin Rucker, a fourth round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.

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After the 2008 NFL Draft, it’s time to take another look at the 2008 NFL power rankings. Who are the best teams in the NFL right now?

1. New England Patriots
The Patriots almost went undefeated last season. In 2008, New England will still be the most talented team and the best coached team. That makes them the overwhelming favorite.

2. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are extremely talented and could have the best offense in the league in 2008. By drafting Felix Jones in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Cowboys successfully made up for the loss of Julius Jones.

3. Indianapolis Colts
The 2006 Super Bowl champions will go into the 2008 season still riding high. The bad news is that Marvin Harrison is in potentially serious legal trouble. The return of Dominic Rhodes could be key.

4. San Diego Chargers
The Chargers have a lot of athleticism, toughness and talent on their roster. Although the loss of Michael Turner could hurt, the team is deep and now has the experience to be a true contender.

5. New York Giants
While the Giants are the defending Super Bowl champions, they won’t go into the 2008 NFL season as favorites. They lost a few key defensive players to free agency and they need to prove that 2007 wasn’t a fluke.

Can Eli Manning win another Super Bowl?

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Although the Seattle Seahawks had other draft picks in the 2008 NFL Draft, their second round pick is likely their most important pick of the draft. The Seahawks picked John Carlson in the second round, who is a tight end out of Notre Dame.

Tight end has long been a trouble spot for the Seahawks. Either they’ve had a tight end that can block but can’t catch, or a tight end that can catch but can’t block. Carlson has a chance to be Seattle’s first tight end in a long time that can both catch and block.

At 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, Carlson definitely has the size to block. He wasn’t much of a blocker at Notre Dame, but he with further coaching he can improve that part of his game.

At times in college, Carlson looked like a great receiving tight end. However, his senior season was a bit of a disappointment. He caught 40 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns. In the scouting combine, Carlson also clocked out as a slower than average tight end. Additionally, Carlson struggled with drops in his college career.

That said, Carlson runs good routes and has shown flashes of being an acrobatic receiver. The Seahawks will hope that he’s capable of starting and playing almost every down. If he can become the full-time tight end, his fantasy potential should be relatively high. Keep an eye on him but as a full-time starter, Carlson is a nice sleeper as a backup tight end in fantasy football.

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Minicamp for the Baltimore Ravens has been intense. Players are reporting that the hitting is often and the hitting is hard. Tight end Quinn Sypniewski was lost for the season during minicamp after tearing a knee ligament.

On Saturday, tempers were flaring during the minicamp. Two separate fights brought nearly the entire team to blows. Oniel Cousins and Amon Gordon started the first fight, while Corey Ivy and Frank Walker started the second fight.

New coach John Harbaugh has indicated that he believes that the fights are nothing major. Part of the reason why tension is high is due to the players trying to learn offensive coordinator Cam Cameron’s new system. Defensive coordinator Rex Ryan was seen laughing during the fights.

In fantasy football terms, it’s good to see that the Ravens are living up to their reputation as being a fiery team. Their defense has been a fantasy disappointment in recent years. This could be a sign that Harbaugh has the team back to its old fiery ways.

Offensively, the Ravens can’t be as bad as they were in recent years. They’ll be able to move the ball, even if it takes 2008 NFL draft pick Joe Flacco to do it.

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With the 36th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected wide receiver Jordy Nelson out of Kansas State. Nelson will join the team’s wide receiving corps and could see action in his rookie season.

Nelson’s senior season in Kansas State was simply jaw dropping. The stats he put up were ridiculous. He finished the season with 122 catches, 1606 yards and 11 touchdowns. His best game came against Oklahoma State when he had 12 catches for 176 yards and three touchdowns.

NFL scouts like Nelson’s size and his very good hands. Nelson is a solid 6-foot-2 and he didn’t drop many passes in his college career. He’s also regarded as a great character player who was the leader of his college team. Coaches have raved about his leadership ability at every level.

However, not all NFL scouts are high on Nelson. Some scouts see him as too slow for the pros. He also isn’t the greatest route runner and didn’t excel at getting yards after the catch.

The Packers will likely bring him along slowly. Green Bay will most likely return Donald Drive, Greg Jennings and James Jones. Even if Nelson is the team’s fourth wide receiver, don’t expect him to get many passes thrown his way in 2008. Don’t draft him in a redraft, however he’s a solid pick as a sleeper in a dynasty draft.

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