Faceoff - QB Tarvaris Jackson, Minnesota Vikings

Posted 6/19, exclusive to Footballguys.com

Upside - by Andy Hicks

The Minnesota Vikings are confident of going deep into the playoffs this season. They paid a heavy price to get a premier pass rusher in Jared Allen & made other significant improvements on a Top 10 defensive unit. They have last years NFL rookie of the year at Running Back in Adrian Peterson and a more than capable backup in Chester Taylor. Minnesota significantly upgraded the wide receiver position with the free agent acquisition of Bernard Berrian and they expect massive improvement from second-year man Sidney Rice. They also have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, both in pass protection and run blocking That leaves only piece of the jigsaw left, quarterback. Enter Tarvaris Jackson.

Many expect Tarvaris Jackson to be the weak link for the Vikings this year and there is no doubt his record to date has been patchy. Why then would I advocate you select him as your backup?

Opposing defenses will almost certainly be focusing on stopping the No. 1 Rushing Offense in the league; a guy like Adrian Peterson tends to ensure that will happen. Consequently Minnesota, which ranked last in the league in passing attempts in 2007, will need to pass more often. Jackson will have to keep defenses honest and with the improvement the Vikings have made at wide receiver, his task has been made easier. Bernard Berrian comes over as a free agent from Chicago where he had to endure Rex Grossman as his QB. It has to be remembered that Berrian was productive with Cedric Benson as the running back and was practically the lone offensive threat in Chicago. To complement Berrian, second-year man Sidney Rice has awesome potential and will almost certainly see single coverage as opposing defenses lock onto Berrian and the running game. Moving down the chain are last years starters in Bobby Wade and Robert Ferguson, to roles more suiting their ability. All Jackson has to be is competent and his receivers will put up stats for him.

The last point is where fantasy owners will be most concerned. Tarvaris Jackson is an excellent second QB for those with an elite starter or for those who want to add a third. He has little downside and significant upside. He made considerable strides during the second half of last season and has developed further in the off season. A more experienced Jackson will hit the field this year and he'll complement his fantasy enhancing ground skills with a better command of the playbook and stronger leadership. Jackson has already shown a promising connection with Berrian in camp and despite all the flak he received in 2007 is assured of the starting role. He led the Vikings to an 8-4 record and with an aging Gus Frerotte on the roster and a fifth-round rookie, don't expect Jackson's hold on the starting job to be weakened.

Downside - by Cecil Lammey

The Vikings have let a couple of QBs go that are now intriguing prospects for other teams. Tyler Thigpen is in the mix to start at QB in Kansas City. Shaun Hill looked fantastic in limited starting duty for the 49ers last year and will push Alex Smith for the starting job. Could it be that the Vikings have tried to bring Tarvaris Jackson along too fast? Patience is always needed when working with a QB that is best described as a work in progress. Jackson is a great athlete, but if they push him too fast it could be his ruin. A running QB, Jackson is prone to get injured more than most and has already gotten dinged up quite a bit in his pro career.

Minnesota is in a win-now mode, and Jackson himself could make or break the season. The defense was solidified with the signing of Jared Allen, so they should put Tarvaris in good position to win each week. Handing off 25 times to Adrian Peterson doesn't hurt either, so things are definitely slanted in favor of Jackson. It's up to him to become a refined passer and make better decisions with the football. The signing of Bernard Berrian puts even more pressure on Jackson because there are no excuses for sub-par performances. Tarvaris' ADP is only 2 spots behind Adrian Peterson! Too bad it's the Chicago Bears Adrian Peterson. Jackson showed in the week 16 game against the Redskins that he could have a good game now and then. Just don't expect him to light up the league like Steve Young because there's a better chance that he throws more interceptions than touchdowns for the 3rd season in a row -- provided he can stay healthy.