Michael Vick has been indicted on dogfighting charges. And to quote Tootie from “The Facts of Life,” he is in trouble …

I’m a little surprised how this story exploded, how so much outrage has surfaced. It’s undoubtedly big news, but I didn’t think it be this big of news. Then I read the the detailed indictment, available online, and understood why it became such big news — an athlete of Vick’s renown combined with some pretty gruesome accusations did the trick. The fact the indictment was online probably added fuel to the fire, as well as Vick’s initial denials after his Virginia property was raided.

If Vick’s reputation has been irreparably damaged, how will that affect his career? Possible jail time and league suspensions notwithstanding, can he play at the same level? This situation will not only be a distraction for Vick, but also the Falcons. Some players when faced with this legal adversity play harder than ever, others let the distraction get the best of them. Since Vick has never been the most consistent passer to begin with, it might be a long season in Atlanta.

It might be a little callous to speculate on Vick’s fantasy value in light of the crimes he’s being accused of, but it still must be addressed. And you shouldn’t not draft a player just because you don’t like him (this principle is known as the “Terrell Owens rule”). That said, Vick’s fantasy value has dropped, to the point I don’t think he’s a QB1 anymore. There’s just going to be too much hanging over his head in the coming weeks. If you take the risk, make sure you have a solid second quarterback (taking Falcons backup Joey Harrington doesn’t count) who can step in if Vick plays poorly, is suspended or jailed. As a QB2, he could be a sleeper if he does overcome all this adversity. But that’s a big if.