NFL 2009 Fantasy Football Draft: Top 5 Altanta Falcons to Draft

The Atlanta Falcons finished the 2008 season with an 11-5 record and are looking to improve on that now that quarterback Matt Ryan has a year of valuable experience under his belt. With the addition of future Hall of Fame Tight End Tony Gonzalez, don't be surprise if the Falcon's end up with one of the NFL's better Offenses in 2009. Here then are the top 5 Falcons players to go after in a 2009 Fantasy Football Draft.

Michael Turner (RB)

Finally out from under Tomlinson's shadow in San Diego, Turner turned in a spectacular 2008 season by rushing for 1,699 yards and 17 touchdowns on a whopping 376 carries. Though he will not offer you much on the receiving end, there is no reason to believe that this 245 lbs back will not come close to duplicating last year's numbers. Look for Turner to gain 1,450-1,500 yards this season and score 10-12 touchdowns. If you want to take him, make sure you pencil him in for the first round, he will not be on the board come round two.

Roddy White (WR)

Few players benefited more from the arrival of Matt Ryan than Roddy White. White, the Falcon's #1 draft pick in 2005, followed up a great 2007 season with an even better 2008 one, gaining 1,382 yards on 88 catches. He is Ryan's favorite target and his numbers, especially his touchdown totals, should be on their way up again this year. Still, there is a chance that the Falcon's signing of Tony Gonzalez may keep his catches and yards at about the same level as last year. In either case, White is a top 3-4 round pick who will not stay on the board long.

Tony Gonzalez (TE)

Gonzalez is a future Hall of Famer coming of a 1,058 yards 10 touchdown season. At 33, he has played 190 regular season games in the NFL and is starting for a new team, but chances are his numbers will not suffer significantly. Tony is still an elite player at his position and should be one of the top three Tight Ends taken in a Fantasy Football Draft. Look for Gonzalez to top the 900 yard mark (something he has done for six straight seasons) and get into the end zone at least a half-dozen times.

Matt Ryan (QB)

Ryan came on strong in the second half of his rookie season, and at one point he threw for over 200 yards in 9 straight games. While he has room for improvement, his 3,440 yards passing and 16 touchdowns during his first season were a great start. With Gonzalez and White to throw to, and Turner in the backfield, look for Ryan to improve on his 2008 season. His numbers this season should be in the 3,800 yard, 20 touchdown, range. While not an elite quarterback yet, he is definitely on his way.

Jerious Norwood

In leagues where Kick Returning counts, Norwood will be prized. An all purpose back with great speed, Norwood gained 2,138 all-purpose yards last season. Along the way he had a 92 yard kick return, a 67 yard catch, and a 45 yard run. Norwood will get you 700-800 yards from scrimmage and a half-dozen scores, and should be considered a solid #3 back to go after in a Fantasy Football Draft.

Statistical Source:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/atl/stats