Obviously, a team hopes that every player it drafts in any given year will become a starter, but the importance of that happening is magnified in Round 1. The escalating sums of money delivered to these new guys increases the sense of urgency for franchises to realize a return on their investments.

To put it more simply, teams want to find a starter in the draft's first round, preferably a guy who can step in right away.

The degree to which this is true can differ by team — playoff perennials tend to have fewer holes to fill — or position — rookie quarterbacks, for instance, are often expected to sit for at least a few games — but it's a basic goal around the league. Although it will be a while before we can really judge just how successful this year's class of players is, the group is already looking like it will outperform the previous two classes in the area of immediate help.

The first rounds of 2006 and 2007 produced an almost identical amount of starting help. Each group included nine players who started at least eight games in their rookie seasons. (That includes Joseph Addai, who was never listed as the Colts' official starter in 2006 but led the team in rushing attempts, yards and touchdowns while sharing the backfield with Dominic Rhodes.)

The two classes also produced nearly the same number of Week 1 starters. Eleven of the first-round picks in 2006 took the field with the first unit in their opening week as pros, with one other player, Kamerion Wimbley, only missing that first start before taking part in the final 15. (This group includes Reggie Bush, who although not listed as a starter in Week 1 still got the ball 22 times on offense. Addai, on the other hand, is not included because he garnered just seven carries in the opener.)

Round 1 of 2007 outdid its predecessor by one, trotting out 12 first-week starters. Two other members of this group, Reggie Nelson and Dwayne Bowe, missed just that initial start before sticking in the lineup the rest of the way, just like Wimbley. Leon Hall, on the other hand, started Week 1 in place of an injured Johnathan Joseph before manning a reserve role for the next three games. Two of the biggest names in this class, Adrian Peterson and Calvin Johnson, were not among the Week 1 starters.

That brings us to 2008, where I count as many as 17 first-round selections who could be on the field when the games turn real, including the first quarterback selected.

The draft's first two selections, Jake Long and Chris Long, have been penciled into their respective lineups pretty much from the moment they were officially chosen. A bit part of why they led off the April event was the widely held view that they may be the safest bets in the class to become long-term starters, if not the most talented performers.

The third pick, Matt Ryan, has been officially named the starter for the Falcons. Darren McFadden should be at the center of Oakland 's offense, even if he falls into the Reggie Bush category of not officially starting. Glenn Dorsey and Sedrick Ellis will beef up the middle of defensive lines that need it in Kansas City and New Orleans . Keith Rivers, despite a holdout at the beginning of camp, should start at weakside linebacker for Cincinnati and looks like the early favorite for defensive rookie of the year. The next linebacker, Jerod Mayo, seems to have progressed quickly enough to win a starting job even in a defense as complex as New England 's.

Outside of the top 10, Ryan Clady will man Denver 's all-important left tackle spot on opening day. Branden Albert should do the same for the Chiefs, unless the ankle that has kept him out for most of camp doesn't allow him to return in time. Jeff Otah will fill a role on the opposite side of Carolina 's offensive line, while Sam Baker in Atlanta and Duane Brown in Houston add to the corps of rookie starters at left tackle.

Felix Jones could follow college teammate Darren McFadden into a Bush-like "starter" role with the Cowboys. Dallas has deemed his role in the offense so important that Jones will be held out of kick-return duty. Chris Johnson looks like a candidate for similar status in Tennessee , though the lack of playmakers on that offense could force coaches to find him an official starting role.

On the other side of the ball, Seattle end Lawrence Jackson appears to have wrested the starting right end job from Darryl Tapp after starting the second and third exhibition games, and the final pick of Round 1, safety Kenny Phillips, should stand at the back of the defense when the Giants take the field on Thursday night.

In addition to this collection of 17 projected Week 1 starters, I see as many as eight other first-rounders who could ultimately round out the group of rookies who start at least half of their first season.

Vernon Gholston is a backup for now, but one has to wonder how long the Jets will be able to watch Bryan Thomas start ahead of him. Leodis McKelvin and Aqib Talib should be able to take starting spots away from less-talented veteran corners in Buffalo and Tampa , respectively. The same goes for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in Arizona , though he might face a steeper learning curve than the other two after jumping from a lower division of college football.

Jonathan Stewart wasn't drafted 13^th overall by the Panthers despite toe surgery so that he could carry the ball five times a game. If he doesn't become the official starter, look for at least a pretty even split of carries with DeAngelo Williams. Rashard Mendenhall, on the other hand, could have a tough time unseating Willie Parker, unless the veteran's recent workloads prove to have worn him down a bit.

Finally, Gosder Cherilus has failed to push George Foster out of the way at right tackle for the Lions, but Detroit thought so little of Foster's play last season that they moved Damien Woody to a new position just to be able to keep Foster off the field. Unless that lit a fire under him, look for Cherilus to take over at some point.

In Chicago , Chris Williams needs only to overcome his back to have a starting job on the left side. His injury could prove to be a more competent foe than Foster, however, and could keep him from joining this group of first-year starters.

Matt Schauf is a contributing writer for Draft Stock and an associate editor and senior fantasy football writer for SportsBuff.com. E-mail him at