At 6'0", 260 lbs, the second year running back from Alabama managed to score 10 touchdowns for the Ravens this year. The first 11 games he was primarily used as a short yardage and goaline back. From week 12 on he was used as the feature back in the Baltimore Ravens offense, scoring 3 touchdowns in the last 5 games. This was topped off with a 2 touchdown performance in his first playoff game. Leron McClain gives the Ravens the type of balance they need with their rookie quarterback Joe Flacco at the helm. The bruising style eats up clock, controls the ball and keeps the vaunted Ravens defense fresh. This allows for Joe Flacco to make smart plays and as a result the Ravens have been on a roll. Winning 5 of thier last 6 games and going into Tennesse for a second round playoff game.

This weekend look at McClain as barometer of the Ravens success. If he can control the clock, pound the ball, and score the Baltimore Ravens could very easily win this defensive oriented battle.

This year their are several key rookie players in the 2008 NFL playoffs that could make a significant contribution to their teams success. Here are the players that can make a huge difference this year in the playoff race.

1) Matt Ryan, QB Atlanta Falcons. The current offensive rookie player of a year. A player that has looked like a veteran of several years, more than a rookie this year. His first year numbers are matched only by quaterbacks of the like of Dan Marino and Peyton Manning. I think the Falcons rely too much on Ryan as their main offensive weapon and you will see him struggle under the magnifying glass of the NFL playoffs. If the Falcons can keep Michael Turner involved in the game, look for Ryan to have a huge game. This QB is a superstar on the rise and will surely have a ton of impact in the future.

2) Joe Flacco, QB Baltimore Ravens. Played second fiddle to Ryan throughout the year as a rookie quaterback, but has a chance to do much more in the playoffs. Flacco is in a perfect situation to succeed in the playoffs - a good running game and a great defense to fall back on. The Ravens will not likely put Flacco in a situation where he has to win the game as the main weapon.

3) Chris Johnson, RB Tennesse Titan. An explosive running back with unbelievable breakaway speed. With the combination of Lendale White and Johnson the Titans scored rushing touchdowns at will throughout the season. Rookie running backs have had a tremendous impact in previous playoff years and I would suspect that it may be the same here. Johnson can catch as well as run, making him a real dual threat out of the backfield.

4) Jonathan Stewart, RB Carolina Panthers. DeAngelo Williams gathered much of the headlines this year scoring 18tds, but Stewart is a big bruising running back that can change the face of a playoff game. His talent alone could account for much of the success of the Panthers this year.

Look for these rookies to make a significant impact in this years playoffs. Watch them closely, because those that have big post seasons will see their rookie card value rise significantly. Look for my next post that will outline some of the defensive rookies and other rookies that could make a difference this year.

If a team like the Minnesota Vikings or the Baltimore Ravens could win the superbowl look for rookie cards from Tavaris Jackson, Adrian Peterson and Joe Flacco to rise in value. Last year Eli Manning's card went up over 40% in the following month after the superbowl.

One of the best ways to look at what cards are hot is to look at ebay and some of the related tools that help analyze ebay trends. When looking at Ebay and the trend over the last 2 weeks the highest priced cards on the list are auto rookie cards. Some of the selected cards that are going for very high prices include: Matt Forte, Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco and Darrin McFadden. The auto rookie cards of these future NFL superstars are already going for values greater than $200.

If we use the terapeak analyzer of items being sold on ebay. Using the term 2008 Rookie Football Card. We can see that in the last 7 days, over 260 items were listed on ebay with over 130 of those items selling. These items fetched an average price of over $19.00 per item sold on ebay. Of the sets of rookie cards being sold the: 2008 UD SP Rookie Edition NFL Football Sealed Hobby Box is the most popular set being sold this year.

If you are considering this hobby as an investment opportunity use these tools often to get a general pulse of what the trading community is buying and selling.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Hong Kong Auctions Indian Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Polish Auctions Singapore Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions UK Auctions

2008 Topps Chrome Joe Flacco TC170 PSA 10 ROOKIE    US $21.95

2008 UD Rookie Premiere 17 Joe Flacco PSA 10 Gem Mint    US $14.95

2008 Topps Kickoff 170 Joe Flacco PSA 9 RAVENS    US $9.99

Just like in 1984 when Marino gathered all the attention for his amazing run, Matt Ryan is getting similar attention. Today, Joe Flacco has quitely put together a season that looks much like John Elways did in his first campaign. Flacco has quitely helped the Ravens to an impressive 9-4 record this season with an average ground game and wide receivers at his disposal. The rookie has not made any mistakes, while making some big plays and showing his potential for future greatness. Joe Flacco has thrown for 13 tds and 2400 yards so far in his rookie campaign and looks like the real deal.

Unlike the Matt Ryan football cards, Flacco's rookie cards have not gone up in value nearly as much. Don't miss a great opportunity to own a future NFL star.