"Vernon Davis, in his fourth NFL season, might take some inspiration from the tight end on the other sideline Sunday when the 49ers face the Atlanta Falcons.

Tony Gonzalez had a breakout year in his fourth season, too, shattering his previous career highs with 93 catches for 1,203 yards in 2000.

The man who called the plays for Gonzalez that season is now pressing buttons for Davis. Jimmy Raye was the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator from 1998-2000.

How does Raye view the clash of the tight ends?

"There are some similarities,'' he said Thursday. "I think Vernon, if he continues to progress and play the way he has played, I think he can develop into an upper-echelon player at that position.

"He has one of the great prerequisites to playing the position: wide-receiver speed for his size."

Gonzalez, listed at 6-5, 243, has wide-receiver production. The 10-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro ranks fifth among active receivers with 11,100 career yards.

The Falcons acquired him in an offseason trade to give their top-flight young quarterback, Matt Ryan, another target. In a conference call with Bay Area reporters this week, Ryan gushed over the new arrival.

"I hadn't watched the Chiefs much growing up,'' Ryan said. "I knew he was good, but you get out there on the practice field, and he's even better than he looks on tape.""