Matt Ryan Signs a 6 year Contract with Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons wasted no time in signing rookie QB and top draft pick Matt Ryan to a 6 year contract worth a maximum of 72 million.

Ryan will get a lot of extra time to learn the offense by avoiding a hold-out. He's certainly a long-shot to have any significant fantasy impact this year. QB's rarely produce in there first year. But signing early should give him a greater opportunity to take over as the starting quarterback this year.

Indianapolis Awarded 2012 Superbowl

This really has no effect on fantasy football but Indianapolis was awarded the 2012 Super Bowl. It will be only the 4th time a cold-weather city has hosted a Super Bowl, joining Detroit (twice) and Minneapolis.

I grew up in Indy so this is fairly exciting news and I look forward to taking a trip there to enjoy the events.

Congrats Indy.

Julius Jones Takes Over Running Back Position for Seahawks

With the departure of Shaun Alexander, free agent Julius Jones will take over as the lead runner for the Seattle Seahawks. The 26 year old Jones is ready for a fresh start in Seattle after falling behind Marion Barber in Dallas.

Seattle also signed TJ Duckett in the offseason. Duckett had a history of stealing goal line carries early in his career, but his carries dropped significantly over the last two years after leaving the Atlanta Falcons.

Jones could be a nice option as the third option at running back this year. Seattle also signed Pro Bowl offensive guard Mike Wahle, who should help improve the renovated running game. Jones had only 588 yards and 2 touchdowns last year on 164 carries, the most unproductive season of his career.

NFL Mock Draft For Fantasy Football

Its still early, but NFL.com has posted a mock draft on 5/12/2008 that might help you get a feel for the how this year fantasy football draft may go.

Here are the results from the NFL mock draft for fantasy football. I've included 3 rounds of a 12 team draft.

1. LaDainian Tomlinson
2. Adrian Peterson
3. Tom Brady
4. Frank Gore
5. Steven Jackson
6. Brian Westbrook
7. Joseph Addai
8. Peyton Manning
9. Larry Johnson
10. Marshawn Lynch
11. Tony Romo
12. Randy Moss
13. Jamal Lewis
14. Larry Fitzgerald
15. Reggie Wayne
16. Willis McGahee
17. Marion Barber
18. Terrell Owens
19. Willie Parker
20. Clinton Portis
21. Braylon Edwards
22. Andre Johnson
23. TJ. Houshmandzadeh
24. Ryan Grant

Darren McFadden - Rookie Superstar?

Last year Adrian Peterson set the fantasy world on fire with his record breaking performance. He quickly went from rookie with upside to stud running back.

Darren McFadden may be in a situation to repeat Peterson's breakout performance this year. The Oakland Raiders ranked 6th overall in team rushing statistics last year. They can run the ball well and should provide McFadden with plenty of opportunities.

Its difficult to risk a high pick on a rookie, but McFadden has tons of upside and could produce big numbers this year.

Where will Shaun Alexander Go?

Shaun Alexander has quickly gone from fantasy stud to jobless running back. He's visited the Saints and the Bengals, and there is some talk that the Denver Broncos may be interested. But clearly his days as a sure-thing are over.

Nevertheless, he may still have enough gas in the tank to put up some good numbers in the right situation. Denver is always an interesting place for running backs to put up great numbers. Depending on where he ends up, I would keep an eye out for him in the draft. Most likely though, his name alone will boost his draft value and it may be difficult to get him in lower rounds.

Colts Bring Back Dominic Rhodes

The Indianapolis Colts have re-signed Dominic Rhodes to a 1 year contract. Rhodes had a rough year with the Raiders, but finished the season strong with 2 games over 100 yards. Look for him to split time again with Joseph Addai. The pair had great chemistry together during their 2006-2007 Super Bowl run.

Fantasy Football Rookie Quarterbacks 2008

Its pretty rare that a rookie quarterback comes in and makes an immediate fantasy impact. But its good to have a rough idea of what is available just in case. Here are the top rookie fantasy football quarterbacks for 2008.

1. Matt Ryan - Atlanta Falcons - The best chance to start in 2008 of any of the rookie QB's.
   
2. Chad Henne - Miami Dolphins - He's a project, but the Dolphins could give him a shot this year if things go south for the offense.
   
3. Brian Brohm - Green Bay Packers - Aaron Rodgers should be ready to start, but if he falters, Brohm could get some snaps.
   

Fantasy Football Rookie Wide Receivers 2008

The draft is done. Here are a few rookie wide receivers that could have an impact during the 2008 fantasy football season. There are no early rounders here, but these guys could be worth a gamble on a late round pick.

• James Hardy, Buffalo Bills - Bills need a compliment to Lee Evans. Hardy could be the guy.
  
• Devin Thomas, Washington Redskins - Big target for Jason Campbell to look for.
  
• Dexter Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - A big play guy on a team with an aging go-to WR.
  
• DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles - Still looking for a receiver to fill the void left by TO.
  

Top 5 Running Backs in the 2008 NFL Draft

The 2008 NFL draft is less than a week away. From a fantasy perspective, the draft produces very few fantasy starters in the first year. However, its important to become familiar with the top players not only for this year's gems, but for future stars as well.

Last year's draft produced a first year RB stud in Adrian Peterson. Here are the top 5 potential running back picks in the 2007 draft.

1. Darren McFadden - Arkansas
   
2. Rashard Mendenhall - Illinois
3. Jonathan Stewart - Oregon
   
4. Felix Jones - Arkansas
   
5. Jamaal Charles -Texas