jamaal charles

This is the 7-on-7 drill, where I'll present seven lists of seven items to help keep track of the NFL season.

Every morning, Monday through Friday, blogger Matt Vensel will hook you up with reading material -- mostly on the Ravens but with some other Baltimore sports stuff, too -- to skim through as you slug down coffee and slack off at the start of your workday. That way he'll have an excuse to do the same to start his workday, too.

Chances are a running back will be the first player to come off the board in your fantasy league unless one of your fellow owners has a serious crush on Michael Vick or is the father/mother/sibling/spouse of a current NFL player. Running backs no longer the first dozen players off the board in fantasy football -- and honestly, that makes things much more interesting -- but an elite back is still the way to go if you're picking first overall.

Ravens notes: Matt Birk out three to four weeks, but he's still in line to be team's center Casey Rabach won't be joining Ravens after failing a physical

Ravens: Terrence Cody steps in as Ravens' starting nose guard. Second-year player will be counted on to replace Kelly Gregg's production.

Ravens-Chiefs wild-card playoff game

Baltimore Sun: Mike Preston's Ravens-Chiefs report card from wild-card playoff game