Vick who? Petrino what?
The Falcons overcame some major hurdles in 2008 to not only rebuild the roster with effective personnel but land a spot in the postseason.
Michael Turner took full advantage of his first opportunity to start on a regular basis as he had 1,699 rush yards and 17 touchdowns, and rookie Matt Ryan shook off rookie jitters to give the Falcons an effective passing attack, with Roddy White leading the way with 1,382 yards and seven scores.
The defense also stepped up and thrived under head coach Mike Smith's aggressive attack. But even with the club on the upswing, the Falcons took steps this offseason to improve both sides of the ball as All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez was acquired while the draft brought in a haul of defensive talent, including defensive tackle Peria Jerry and safety William Moore. The Falcons are brimming with optimism as they eyeball a deep playoff run.
Sleeper ... Michael Jenkins, WR
With the Falcons loaded with well-known names in Fantasy circles, perhaps it's the one name who's disappointed owners in the past that will rise to the occasion in 2009. Harry Douglas' torn ACL ended his season early, placing more work on the shoulders of Michael Jenkins. When you consider that he'll hardly ever see double coverage thanks to sharing the field with Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez, the 6-foot-4 receiver doesn't seem like a bad option. Additionally, Jenkins posted a career-best 777 receiving yards last year and could see more than that again in 2009 with more touchdowns thrown his way (he had three last season). Spending a late-round pick on Jenkins might pay off this summer.
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| Player | Draft Day value | |
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| Matt Ryan |
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| Michael Turner |
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| Jerious Norwood |
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| Roddy White |
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| Michael Jenkins |
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| Tony Gonzalez |
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| Jason Elam |
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| Falcons DST |
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Breakout ... Jerious Norwood, RB
There's no doubt that Turner is the star runner in the Falcons offense, but even he will tell you that 376 carries over the course of 16 games will wear you down. It was confirmed earlier this offseason that the Falcons will rely a little bit more on Jerious Norwood this season in an effort to not only give Turner some rest but to also take advantage of Norwood's abilities. The speedster from Mississippi State has averaged over 5.0 yards per carry in each of three NFL seasons and has 64 catches over his last two seasons. Any bump in playing time will accelerate his production and make him much more than just an insurance policy for Turner, and the added bonus that he's in a contract year and will be motivated to pull a Turner and land a big contract to start somewhere else in 2010 should be a factor.
Bust ... Tony Gonzalez, TE
Gonzalez was traded from Kansas City to a contending team because he wants to win a championship -- he made no secret about that. As such, Gonzalez probably is fine with the concept of trading in some opportunities for big numbers in exchange for that chance. But he's also been far more productive on teams that can't run the ball versus teams that can. During the big years of the Chiefs' power-run offense, Gonzalez was nothing more than complementary, getting more that six touchdowns twice and no more than 917 receiving yards in any of the five campaigns where his team had a 1,000-yard rusher. But in the five campaigns since 1999 where he's played without a 1,000-yard rusher, he's had four 1,000-yard seasons along with all four of his years with at least 90 catches and two years with 10 or more touchdowns. Clearly, he's more of a secondary option when his team eyes the run attack vs. the pass attack. Additionally, Gonzalez had 155 targets last year, more than any tight end and more than all but three wide receivers. Sharing the field with White will take away some targets. And finally, while offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey has long been craving a tight end to change how defenses play against his offense, he's never done well with the ones he's had. Only one -- Randy McMichael's 62-catch, 640-yard and three-touchdown effort in 2006 -- registers as even palatable for Fantasy owners. Gonzalez should top that, but if he's any higher than the fourth tight end taken in drafts this summer, he's not going to meet expectations.
Training camp topics
Gonzalez's arrival, Ryan's progress and the Falcons' defensive improvements are the primary things to look for in Atlanta this summer. Interestingly enough, all three are related.
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| Player | Touches |
| Michael Turner | 382 |
| Jerious Norwood | 131 |
| Roddy White | 90 |
| Michael Jenkins | 50 |
| Harry Douglas | 35 |
Ryan progressed in a big way in his rookie year, overcoming four paltry starts early to not just put up pretty good numbers, but also lead the Falcons to an 11-win season. The owner of a work ethic that's been compared to Peyton Manning's, Ryan has more than likely spent his offseason refining his few weaknesses (decision making was one of his focuses) and continuing to know the Falcons' offense as best as he can.
But nothing might have helped Ryan's chances for an improved 2009 more than the acquisition of Gonzalez. He will primarily be counted on for his hands, offering Ryan a sure-handed short-area target to help diversify the offense and take pressure off of everyone else. Gonzalez's arrival should result in improved stats for both him and Ryan.
Lastly, if the Falcons can sustain longer drives and keep those chains moving, it helps the defense get a little more rest and get prepared for their next series. The Falcons added only Mike Peterson, a former Jaguar familiar with Smith's scheme, via free agency, but they restocked their cupboard by drafting Jerry, Moore, cornerback Chris Owens and defensive end Lawrence Sidbury. Between those fresh faces and the returning talents from last season, the defense is expected to continue being a problem for opposing offenses. Frankly, the whole unit's fortunes could come down to the health of two oft-injured veterans: Pass-rush specialist John Abraham and safety-turned-linebacker Coy Wire.
Injury update ... Peria Jerry (strained hamstring in May minicamp, considered probable for the start of the season), Harry Douglas (torn ACL, out for the season).
Are you ready for the 2009 Fantasy season? If not, we're here for you. Send us an e-mail at DMFantasyFootball@cbs.com. We'll respond to as many as we can.
