FANTASY FOOTBALL NFL PLAYERS

Posted: 3/6/2013 4:09pm et

The Baltimore Ravens likely will look for QB Joe Flacco to restructure his contract prior to the 2016 season if the salary cap does not significantly increase because he is scheduled to have a $18 million base salary and $28.55 million salary cap figure that season. "Depending on the salary cap, that's what will determine when we get to the fourth year, what they're going to have to do," Flacco's agent, Joe Linta, said. "We really viewed this as sort of a three-year deal to make sure the first three years Joe was paid accordingly with the top guys in the league."

Huddle Up: The goal here was to make Flacco happy without blowing up the Ravens' salary cap; with that accomplished, it's no surprise that somewhere down the road the two sides will need to restructure the contract. Flacco's agent has to hope his client gets as red-hot in the 2015 playoffs as he did leading up to this contract.

Posted: 3/3/2013 1:54pm et

Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco finished 19th in completion rate (59.7), 15th in touchdown passes (22) and 16th in passing yards per game (239) last season. He also produced more games under 200 yards passing (six) than over 300 yards (five).

Huddle Up: His glittering new contact and dynamic 2012 postseason performance aside, Flacco definitely still has some work to do in fantasy circles as he has finished as the 15th-ranked fantasy QB in each of the past 2 seasons (Huddle Performance scoring).

Posted: 3/1/2013 11:21pm et

The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to terms with QB Joe Flacco on a new contract. Flacco's new deal could end up averaging annual salaries around $19.5 million per season. Flacco is expected to sign the new contract Monday, March 4. The former first-round draft choice of the Ravens was set to become an unrestricted free agent after playing out the final year of his rookie contract.

Huddle Up: After Flacco's sterling postseason performance you knew the Ravens had to come up with the money. It will be interesting to see what kind of cap gymnastics the contract contains, but rest assured Joe will be well compensated for his efforts.

Posted: 2/19/2013 1:23pm et

The Baltimore Ravens will meet with Joe Linta, the agent for impending free-agent QB Joe Flacco, at the NFL Scouting Combine. It will be the first time the two sides have met face-to-face for negotiations since August.

Huddle Up: What's likely to be the most lucrative deal of the NFL offseason starts here. The Ravens also want to avoid using the franchise tag as a QB-needy team could forgo a pair of first-round picks and swoop up Flacco from right under the Ravens' beaks.

Posted: 2/13/2013 11:24pm et

Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti hosted the team's braintrust in Florida last weekend and the theme was how the team can sign impending free-agent QB Joe Flacco as quickly as possible.

Huddle Up: The Ravens ran exactly this risk when they didn't extend Flacco's contract prior to the season; Flacco's Super Bowl MVP performance drove up his price tag, and Baltimore will have to pay dearly--or risk losing Flacco, perhaps within the division. Expect the Ravens to move quickly and come up with a deal that offers short-term cap relief while still making Flacco one of the league's highest-paid players.

Posted: 2/13/2013 11:44am et

The Cleveland Browns could make a run at impending free-agent QB Joe Flacco if the Baltimore Ravens do not use the exclusive franchise tag on him.

Huddle Up: The Ravens are in a bit of a fix when it comes to the salary cap, and Flacco has already said he's not giving Baltimore a hometown discount. If they're unable to lock up the Super Bowl MVP prior to free agency and can't squeeze the exclusive franchise price tag under their cap, the Browns could make hugh waves in the AFC North by swiping him from the Ravens.

Posted: 2/9/2013 11:24pm et

Baltimore Ravens impending free-agent QB Joe Flacco will not be willing to give his team a hometown discount. Instead, any breaks given to the Ravens will be accomplished via the structure of the deal, according to Flacco's agent, Joe Linta. "I would say to you, of the other 52 players on the roster, how many of the other 52 (took less money)?" Linta said. "Do you work with (the Ravens) in terms of structure to help them out? Absolutely. But like I said, we all took risks. And I don't think anybody was gonna feel sorry for Joe if he turned down a contract in July and didn't have a great year and now was faced with less than what we're talking about." The goal in negotiations, according to Linta, is to "be creative with the contract to get what you want and structure so that it helps the Ravens and doesn't put them in a bad place cap-wise."

Huddle Up: Flacco's Super Bowl run certainly drove his price tag up, but the last time the Ravens won a title they dumped their quarterback in the offseason so they won't be held hostage. Expect Flacco and Baltimore to eventually reach an agreement--preferably sooner rather than later for the Ravens as they're already battling cap issues.

Posted: 2/3/2013 11:40pm et

Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco has been named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XLVII. Flacco completed 22-of-33 passes for 287 yards, 3 TDs and no interceptions in the Ravens' 34-31 win.

Huddle Up: Oh, to be living the life of Flacco right now: A postseason with 11 TDs and no interceptions, world champion, Super Bowl MVP and, now, a mega-buck contract extension awaiting in the offseason.

Posted: 2/3/2013 1:17pm et

The Baltimore Ravens are 9-0 this season, including the postseason, when QB Joe Flacco isn't picked off in a full game (excluding Week 17 when he played one quarter). In fact, the Ravens have won their past 19 games when Flacco isn't picked off in a full game. This season, Flacco has thrown eight touchdowns and six interceptions in six losses. He has 22 touchdowns and four interceptions in 13 wins, including the postseason.

Huddle Up: No shocker here: Void turnovers and give your team a good chance to win. Of course, it's even magnified on Super Sunday when Falcco will be facing a stout 49er defense that hasn't come up with an overwhelming number of interceptions (16 in 18 games) this season.

Posted: 1/31/2013 12:28pm et

Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco is currently one of only six quarterbacks to throw at least eight touchdown passes and no interceptions in the same postseason. The other five have all won a Super Bowl and been named the game's Most Valuable Player.

Huddle Up: Flacco has been a revelation this postseason, but before we start throwing around all-time-great-season labels, let's not forget the QB has one more fairly important game to play against a pretty- decent defense.

Posted: 1/29/2013 12:59pm et

Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco is averaging 16.7 yards per completion by going deep to WRs Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin.

Huddle Up: That will make for an interesting matchup come Super Sunday as the 49ers' defense only allows a league-low 10.3 yards per completion.

Posted: 1/27/2013 1:08pm et

Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco's rookie contract expires after Super Bowl XLIV, and talks between vice president of football administration Pat Moriarty and Flacco's agent have been tabled until after the season. The two sides aren't close to a deal at this time after the Ravens made a lucrative offer in August that was declined. Flacco is expected to be more expensive to sign now that he has turned in a strong postseason to lead the team to the Super Bowl.

Huddle Up: Flacco took somewhat of a gamble in turning down the deal this past summer, but it's going to be pay off in a big way after the QB's postseason's success, barring, of course, an utter breakdown on Super Sunday.

Posted: 1/15/2013 12:34pm et

Since the 2010 postseason, Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco has 12 touchdowns and only two interceptions.

Huddle Up: In many ways, Flacco has fared better in the postseason than the regular season, and after outduelling Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning, he'll get another matchup with Tom Brady, whom he outperformed (306 yards & 2 TDs to 239 yards & 2 interceptions) in last season's AFC title game loss.

Posted: 1/13/2013 1:28pm et

Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco went 18-for-34 for 331 yards and three touchdowns against the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round playoff game.

Huddle Up: There's no denying Flacco's arm and deep-pass proficiency, especially when given adequate time to throw, but his game-to-game inconsistency is going to be the big question when assessing his fantasy value.

Posted: 12/22/2012 6:06pm et

If the Baltimore Ravens and QB Joe Flacco cannot work out a long-term deal before February, the expectation is that the team would use the franchise tag on him.

Huddle Up: Flacco really could use a strong finishing stretch after throwing for fewer than 200 yards in 3 of his past 5 games, and the Ravens struggling through a 3-game losing streak.

Posted: 10/13/2012 11:02pm et

Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco is completing 67.5 percent of his passes and throwing for 345.6 yards a game at home this season. In two road games, Flacco has watched his numbers drop to 50.7 percent and 209.5 yards.

Huddle Up: Good news for Flacco's fantasy owners: The QB will be playing at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday. He will be challenged, though, by the visiting Cowboys who surrender the ninth-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

Posted: 9/10/2012 10:52pm et

Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco was lifted midway through the fourth quarter of the Week 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals due to a lopsided score. He finished the night 21-of-29 for 299 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Backup QB Tyrod Taylor spelled Flacco and finished the game.

Huddle Up: It was a smashing debut for the Ravens' new no-huddle offense as Flacco and Co. shredded the Bengals' defense to the tune of 37 offensive points, 430 total yards and 25 first downs. Flacco was on his game from the outset, hooking up with WR Torrey Smith for a 52-yard bomb on the first play from scrimmage. He later threw TD passes to WR Anquan Boldin (34 yards) and TE Dennis Pitta (10).

Posted: 8/24/2012 11:13am et

Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco was sharp again in preseason action. He led the team to a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars Thursday, Aug. 23, hitting 27 of 36 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns. Flacco's day was over early in the third quarter.

Huddle Up: Looks like the Ravens really wanted Flacco to get his work in; he threw more than 36 passes in a full game just five times all of last season. The numbers demonstrate that when given the opportunity Flacco can be a productive quarterback, but the Ravens' offensive blueprint doesn't always call for him to throw this much; as such, he's still a fringe fantasy starter or quality fantasy backup.

Posted: 8/6/2012 7:57pm et

Baltimore Ravens TE Ed Dickson said quarterback Joe Flacco is playing at an all-time high, and he is excited to have him as his quarterback.

Huddle Up: Flacco is looking to improve on his 2011 numbers, which dipped slighty from 2010. He threw 5 fewer TDs and 2 more interceptions than in 2010 while throwing for 12 fewer yards. Flacco isn't ranked as fantasy starting material in 10- and 12-team leagues, but he's been a model of consistency and reliability and has all the makings of a solid backup.

Posted: 6/5/2012 8:57pm et

The Baltimore Ravens are not close to a contract extension with QB Joe Flacco.

Huddle Up: It looks like Flacco is going to play out his final year. He'll still collect almost $9 million in salary and bonuses this year so don't think of him as a saint or anything.