(This is part 2 of a 5-part series. Check back soon for part 5 and for another edition of players I hate..)

He’s one of the tallest quarterbacks in the league at 6-6. He has a rocket arm that could put a hole through the moon. He’s never completed less than 60% of his passes, and last year he put up the best numbers of his career.

Meet Joe Flacco, the fantasy analyst’s summer breakout star. I wish I could say that I, too, did not share such strong affections for the Flacc-ster, but there’s no hope. I, too, fall in line worshipping this young QB’s seemingly limitless potential, and this year has the makings of a season when all the pieces fall into place, giving birth to a new superstar.

Background on the Unibrow

Of course Flacco hasn’t exactly been terrible in his first two years in the league. He’s never thrown for more INTs than TDs and he has steadily increased his completion percentage, TDs, yards and overall effectiveness from season to season. He began last season by posting huge numbers, culminating in a 385 YD game at Minnesota. After the midseason mark, he appeared to have regressed a little though, but as was learned at the conclusion of the season, Flacco had been dealt several injuries which severely limited his mobility and throwing.

Luckily for us, he’s healthy now, and there’s no reason that he won’t continue his statistic growth. The additions to his offense have been well publicized. Anquan Boldin, Donté Stallworth and the resigning of Derrick Mason, not to mention the continued growth of top 10 fantasy pick Ray Rice have all contributed to the optimism surrounding this years Ravens squad.

Why Draft Him?

This is obvious, as my mantra goes, draft talent. Flacco might be the most talented QB in the league, considering the cannon he wields. With a flick of the wrist, this guy can throw it 50 yards like it was nothing. He has great pocket presence, frequently shifting around and throwing the ball from awkward angles, a skill which is a virtual necessity for NFL QB’s. The talent level around him might be the best ever assembled in Baltimore and it all figures to flow through the man they call “Joe Cool.” (Original, I know).

He also has the consistent Ravens defense backing him up, though it appears to be losing some of its luster. Recently, they lost both of their top two cornerbacks, and though they weren’t great anyway, this still figures to be a large blow to this unit. Ed Reed, the all-time great safety will more than likely not see the field till the middle of the year either, so the secondary figures to be a weakness for the Ravens this year. Either way, I anticipate that Flacco will join the 4,000 yard passing club this year. He’ll either need to keep up with the scoring output of his opponents, or capitalize on the turnovers and short fields his defense produces.

Causes for Concern

Though I previously mentioned his ability to throw the deep ball with ease, this is one part of his game that hasn’t quite caught up with him yet. Flacco tends to put to much touch on his deep passes, throwing them high up into the air with little velocity. Though the ball may cover 50 yards, it takes a little bit to get there. Oftentimes last season, Flacco would hang the ball up so high that his receivers appeared to either lose track of it or have the defense catch up to them. He’ll need to learn to put more velocity on these throws in order to capitalize on his new weapons.

Other than that easily correctable hang up, the only real cause for concern I see for Flacco is him being a victim of the hype machine. Though rationally, I can’t think of any good reason as to why he would regress in his third year, I just have this sinking feeling that he might. It’s probably just the cynic in me getting out, but Flacco isn’t as close to a surefire thing as many are portraying him to be. Injuries derailed him after his hot start last year; hopefully he can stay reasonably healthy this season and get back to his productive ways.

Draft Position

This is the main reason why I advocate the drafting of Joe Flacco; you can get him so late. After everyone else in your league reaches on Romo and Schaub, you can snatch up a proven talent with humungous upside like Flacco. As I’ve outlined before, don’t let quality skill position players be snatched up by someone else just because you want that “elite” QB. I predict somewhere around 4,000 yards and 28 or so TDs for Joe; the only reason these numbers aren’t higher is because these are still the Ravens and they still do love to run the ball.

So if you’re feeling brave, pass on Rodgers and Brees and wait a couple of rounds, Flacco will be waiting.

Check out Part I of Players I Love and the First Edition of Players I Hate.