Tony Gonzalez and Falcons – Fantasy Impact

Tony Gonzalez was traded to the Atlanta Falcons during the offseason. Recently, he has started to practice with the team during Atlanta’s minicamp. Considering that Gonzalez was arguably the best fantasy football tight end last season, this trade made a big impact in the fantasy world.

Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons - Fantasy Football 2009 (Image: Newscom)

Will Gonzalez be better off with the Falcons? Considering that he had 96 catches for 1,058 yards and ten touchdowns, it’s difficult to imagine him doing much more. But with the Falcons, Gonzalez very well might be able to top those numbers.

The best thing going for Gonzalez is Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan. Coming off of a fantastic rookie season, Ryan should continue to blossom in his second season. With running back Michael Turner helping to move the chains, Gonzalez could often find himself in position to pick up a touchdown.

On the other side of the coin, three things may hold Gonzalez back during 2009 fantasy football. First of all, he’s 33 years old and he could start slowing down. If he loses too much speed, he’ll be much easier to scheme against.

The second and third things that could hold down Gonzalez’s numbers are Roddy White and Michael Jenkins. With the Kansas City Chiefs, Gonzalez didn’t have a wide receiving duo that demanded targets. In Atlanta, he has White who is coming off of an 88-catch campaign and 50 additional catches by Jenkins. With all the weapons on offense, each part may suffer a little bit statistically.

All that said, Gonzalez remains a very good fantasy football prospect at the tight end position in 2009. If he’s the first tight end off the board in your 2009 fantasy draft, don’t be surprised.