I have watched both Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels in NFL games. I actually
watched Tavaris Jackson play QB in a few games at the University of Arkansas, and remember thinking he was one of
the most uncomfortable QB's I had ever seen play. I guess his 35% completion
percentage (in only 48 attempts at Arkansas 2001-02) would back me up on that.
Jackson transferred to Division II Alabama State and steadily improved his
numbers each year. I lost track of him, and was amazed when all of the sudden he
hit my radar being discussed as a possible 2006 NFL Draft pick. I was even more amazed when he
was taken in the 2nd Round of that Draft.
I shouldn't be that amazed because it happens all the time. A big kid with a big
arm (possibly the strongest arm in the NFL) -- someone is going to fall in love
with that at the NFL Combine. They love the big arm, and overlook the decision
making ability; and the lower 19 score on the
Wonderlic test. The Wonderlic test can be a barometer on QB decision making
ability. Elite
QB's of this era (Manning, Brees, Rodgers, Rivers, Romo, etc) typically score
much higher on the Wonderlic. The Wonderlic test is not the end all be all, but
I think it is major for projecting college QB's -- and a 19 is not good on this
test. The best NFL QB's to
score under 20 on the Wonderlic in this decade -- David Garrard, Vince Young, Bruce Gradkowski.
Note: Favre scored a 22 in 1991, and Rosenfels a 32.
Low Wonderlic results is not an absolute translation to failure, but you can
tell (watching the games) that the game plan has to be totally altered to fit
Tavaris Jackson's limited game management ability. With Jackson at QB for the
Vikings in 2007-08, they threw the ball 23.2 times per game (even factoring in
2 of Jackson's games as 1/2 games played that he split time with another QB).
The 23.2 pass attempts per game would have been the lowest among the decent
starting QB's last year -- Mark Sanchez at 24 attempts per game, and Matt Moore and Vince Young at
25 attempts per were the lowest in 2009. If Tavaris Jackson starts as Vikings
QB, he is going to have low pass attempts translating to much lower FF PPG from
him.
Sage Rosenfels is a little better, scoring higher on the Wonderlic. He was
acquired by the Vikings due to a lack of faith in Tavaris Jackson, he was likely set to be a
starter before "Hurricane Favre" blew into town last year. Rosenfels has thrown close to
28 times a game as a starter in 2007-8 with Houston, and that is still not great
amount comparatively. He also has
a much higher completion percentage, but more of a problem with interceptions.
A comparison of Jackson and Rosenfels during 2007-8:
|
FF PPG |
QB |
Games |
Comp Pct |
Att per game |
Yards per game |
TD's per game |
INT per game |
| 11.7 |
Rosenfels |
19 |
65.2% |
27.6 |
207.7 |
1.4 |
1.5 |
| 11.4 |
T.Jackson |
15 |
58.5% |
23.3 |
156.2 |
0.9 |
0.7 |
| 17.9 |
Favre |
16 |
68.4% |
33.2 |
262.6 |
2.1 |
0.4 |
Jackson picks up some additional points from rushing. He ran for 3 TD's in
2007 in 11.5 games played-- I think that is an aberration. Jackson is not a Vince
Young type of running QB. I think Jackson is more apt to run as he is very uncomfortable
in the pocket. Jackson's Fantasy Football scoring as just a passer (no rushing
stats) is outright awful, an 8.3 FF PPG. Jackson does not project well at all
for NFL/Fantasy Football in my opinion.
Rosenfels would project statistically a little better, but definitely not a Fantasy
Football starting QB in almost any size Fantasy league. A spot starter/backup at
best.
I think Rosenfels should be the non-Favre starting QB for the Vikings, but
the Vikings seem enamored with Jackson. I could not recommend either as any type
of Fantasy Football Draft pick. If one were named starter in Week 1 they are likely
to be under great pressure from the backup at any given moment.
Even if Rosenfels or Jackson was a lock solid starter -- what do you think either
Jackson or Rosenfels could do with the Vikings rough schedule? You could almost
predict "the unpredictable" event within an NFL game...defensive TD's
given up in Week
1, 5, 7.
The Vikings first 8 games of 2010:
- @ NO (another return TD for Sharper...)
- MIA (D on the rise, a top D sleeper)
- DET (safe)
- BYE
- @ NYJ (Rex Ryan D vs. Rosenfels with the 2008 Ravens = 4 INT's)
- DAL (not easy at all)
- @GB (another return TD for Woodson?)
- @ NE (Tavaris Jackson vs. Bill Belichick, hmmm....)
The Viking schedule is brutal early. Jackson and Rosenfels historical Fantasy
Football performance has been, well, brutal. It is not prudent to consider either
for The 2011 Fantasy Football Draft.
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