By Tony Pisano
June 2, 2008 1:01pm CDT

Tarvaris Jackson was far from impressive in his first year as an NFL starter, passing for just 1,911 yards and nine TDs in 12 games in 2007. Jackson did, however, show flashes of what he is capable of, but those flashed were few and far between. He is definitely worth a late-round flyer in larger leagues that start two QBs. While I don't expect him to light up the fantasy world, he should improve on his numbers from 2007.

NFL CAREER
2006: Played in only four games as a rookie, when he passed for 475 yards and two TDs. He also added 77 yards and a TD on the ground.

2007: Passed for 1,911 yards and nine TDs (12 INTs) on 294 pass attempts. Jackson was able to play in only 12 games thanks to an injury he suffered in Detroit during Week 2. He also rushed for 260 yards and three TDs on 54 carries (4.8 YPC).

TEAM SCENARIO
The Vikings are a run-first team... and a run-second team... and most of the time a run-third team. With RBs Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor back in 2008, I don't expect to see a drastic change in the offensive mindset. Jackson attempted only 294 passes last year, but still managed to throw 12 INTs. The Vikings would love to see his attempts go up, and the INTs to go down. They aren't in a position where they need Jackson to go out and win football games for them. He simply needs to protect the football and let the running game drive the offense.

There is no doubt the starting QB job is Jackson's to lose, but that doesn't mean he won't be on a short leash. The Vikings believe they are a team that can win now and don't have time to deal with Jackson's growing pains. They signed veteran Gus Frerotte and drafted John David Booty to provide insurance in case Jackson falters. Frerotte may have experience, but he has never been in that "caregiver" role. I have my doubts if Frerotte would be any better at babysitting the offense than Jackson. If you see Booty on the field in Minnesota in 2008, something isn't going as planned.

The Vikings are making efforts to improve the receiving corps, but I have doubts if it will translate into success for Jackson. They stole Bernard Berrian from division rival Chicago, but I'm not sure how he will fit in to the offense. I would assume the Vikings would like to run a ball-control passing game, which isn't Berrian's strong suit. Berrian is a deep ball receiver who may get lost in this offense. On the other side of the field is second-year WR Sidney Rice. Rice has a ton of potential and seems better suited to play in the Vikings offense. He is a big WR that isn't afraid to go over the middle and make tough catches. Hopefully Jackson and Rice will find some chemistry early and save Jackson's job. There isn't much depth behind Berrian and Rice, so hopefully they can stay healthy.

2008 UPSIDE
A young QB's light bulb can turn on at anytime. It can't be stated enough how important stability is to a QB. Jackson has played in the same scheme for two years and should know the playbook backwards and forwards. The Vikings are surrounding him with players that can help him succeed. He has one of the best offensive lines, rushing attacks, and deep threats in the NFL. All the pieces are in place for Jackson to succeed, he just needs to find the chemistry to do so.

2008 DOWNSIDE
The Vikings are a running team, and why wouldn't they be with the two-headed tandem of Peterson and Taylor? The duo rushed for a combined 2,185 yards on 395 carries in 2007. Peterson brings the flash and dash while Taylor adds the necessary support to make sure that the #1 gun stays healthy. Taylor is also adept at picking up passes out of the backfield as a safety option if things don't open up downfield. Jackson may not be able to be a gunslinger in this offense, but he could still post good numbers if he is efficient. The problem is, up until now, he has not been efficient.

What scares me the most about Jackson is his turnover rate. He turned the ball over 15 times in just 12 games last year. That's the kind of number that can get him benched this season. He is an ad-lib QB playing in a ball control offense, and that could be a difficult situation to seamlessly work with.

OVERALL FANTASY IMPACT
There will be plenty of fantasy drafts where Jackson won't be taken. In standard 10-team leagues he shouldn't be. He is a high-risk, low-reward player that should have to prove himself before finding his way onto your fantasy team. There are also plenty of "red flag" phrases in this article. Phrases like ball control, caretaker, and short leash can be mean death to any fantasy QB, especially a young one. In leagues that require you to start two QBs, there are worse choices than Jackson. When taking everything into consideration, Jackson, at his best, won't be good enough to make a consistent fantasy impact.