Tony Gonzalez Traded to Atlanta Falcons: Fantasy Football Impact

Most draft experts agree that the Falcons did well for themselves in this past weekend's NFL Draft.

With seven of their eight picks the Falcons addressed their defense, but it was a move they made the week leading up to the draft that may have the biggest impact in 2009—especially from a fantasy-football standpoint.

Atlanta sent a 2010 second-round draft pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez.

Gonzalez is a 10-time Pro Bowler who has spent his entire 12-year career with the Chiefs. He is coming off a season in which he had 96 receptions for 1,058 yards and 10 touchdowns. He enters the 2009 season as the NFL's all-time leader in receptions, yardage, and touchdowns for a tight end.

From a fantasy football standpoint, Gonzalez should once again be a top-three tight end.

He may be hard-pressed to put up the huge overall numbers he did with Kansas City in 2008, but he will be a threat to put up double-digit fantasy football points week in and week out. And, he will make the entire Atlanta offense better.

In 2008, the Falcons did not have a threat at tight end; starter Justin Peelle had just 15 catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns.

Gonzalez not only makes a nice safety valve for Matt Ryan in the passing game, he is also a threat down the field and over the middle. He is a solid blocker who will help open holes for Michael Turner in the running game. The addition of Gonzalez also draws coverage away from the Falcons’ top wide receiver, Roddy White.

Finally, Gonzalez may be one of the classiest players in the NFL. He held a press conference in Kansas City this week to say goodbye to the Chiefs' fans. He said that if he is elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame (he should be a lock-in), he will definitely go in as a Kansas City Chief.

He also stated that his only regret in leaving Kansas City is that he was not able to bring the team and its fans a championship.

Maybe the addition of Gonzalez will be enough to bring the Atlanta Falcons their first championship.

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