Week 2 vs. Jacksonville
Antonio Gates caught just three passes for 20 yards last week and was targeted just four times. It wasn't a great game for Gates' owners but the Chargers jumped out to a quick lead on rushing TDs.
Gates owners may have caught a bit of a break with the loss of WR Keenan Allen for the year. That could mean a few more looks for Gates going forward, perhaps especially in the red zone. Gates gets a great matchup this week against the Jags who enter 27th in allowing fantasy points to TEs. As a result, Gates is all the way up to fourth on our TE list making him a must-play. The Jags D is supposed to be improved this year, but Gates is coming off a 4-53-2 (6) game in 2015 against Jacksonville so it's as good a time as any to play Gates.
Week 1 at Kansas City
After being suspended for the first two weeks of the 2015 season, Antonio Gates came back strong with two combined games of 18-187-2 (27) in Weeks 5 and 6. He missed Week 7 and was up and down after that for most of the rest of the season. He finished with 56 catches for 630 yards and 5 TDs with 85 targets.
Gates opens 2016 with a pretty tough matchup against the Chiefs who were third in 2015 in allowing fantasy points to TEs. Gates' first matchup against KC last year was a clunker with just one catch for six yards, but in Week 14 he caught six balls for 76 yards. In 2014 Gates totaled a line of 7-128-1 (11) in two games, which is pretty solid. Despite the Chiefs high rank vs. TEs, Gates is at least a solid low-TE1 play (10th on our TE list) for those who waited and took him late in drafts.
Fantasy Upside
Antonio Gates and the Chargers agreed to terms on a new contract early this offseason. The 35-year-old Gates has spent his entire 13-year career with the Chargers, and now he'll remain in San Diego. Although he's not quite the player he once was, he's still an important part of the Chargers' offense. In a '15 season marred by a four-game suspension to start and some injuries after he returned, Gates still showed flashes of the highly productive receiver he has been over the course of his career in compiling 56 catches for 630 yards and five touchdowns -- numbers many tight ends a decade his junior would strive for.
Fantasy Downside
Age and last year's injury issues will be ongoing concerns. And while Ladarius Green is no longer in the picture after moving on to Pittsburgh via free agency, Gates will likely begin to pass the torch to rookie Hunter Henry.
2016 Bottom Line
Henry will need time to develop his route-running and acclimate to the speed of the NFL. For 2016, at least, the primary tight end role still falls squarely to Gates. That role leaves him as Philip Rivers' most trusted target as long as Gates is on the field. It's also led to considerable production over time. Seventh in the NFL all-time with 104 touchdown receptions, Gates is the franchise's leading receiver with 844 career catches, 10,644 receiving yards. The concerns outlined above make him an affordable fantasy tight end with reasonable upside. Draft him as your TE2 and match him with a young (and riskier) talent and head into the season with confidence.
Week 17 at Denver
Antonio Gates had just two catches for 11 yards last week in what was likely a killer line for a lot of fantasy owners. Gates had been pretty good since his return from suspension, but this was one of his worst fantasy outings, second only to a 1-6-0 line in Week 11. Gates still comes in as a low-end TE1 play this week and is ninth on our list. The Broncos are only 22nd in allowing fantasy points to TEs, so this could be an area of attack for the Bolts. Gates' last three games against the Broncos have resulted in an average line of about 6-52-1. As for next year, Gates has been rumored to be considering a return even though he had plans to retire. Despite being another year older, he should at least have lower-end TE1 value if he returns in 2016.
Week 16 at Oakland
Antonio Gates had six catches for 88 yards last week against the Dolphins. Outside of one week, Gates has been pretty good this season since missing the first four contests with a suspension.
If you throw out his 1-6-0 (3) line from Week 11 against KC, Gates is averaging about six catches and over 70 yards a game, which are pretty nice TE numbers. Gates has four TDs over nine games but those all came in a span of two games. This week, Gates is again a top TE play against the Raiders who are 17th in allowing fantasy points to the position. Gates missed the team's first game with Oakland this year, however, over his last three games he's only averaged three catches a contest vs. Oakland.
Week 15 vs. Miami
Antonio Gates had his best yardage production since Week 6 last week, posing six catches for 76 yards on nine targets. Gates hasn't scored a TD since Week 12, but the increased yardage is at least encouraging for owners. Gates is a again a TE1 play this week coming in seventh on our list. He's really Philip Rivers top target at this point with all the injuries at WR, but it could mean more focus from the defense at the same time. Either way, Gates should get a normal workload and should at least be a solid option. The Dolphins are 15th in allowing fantasy points to TEs so the matchup is at least fair.
Week 14 vs San Diego
Antonio Gates caught six balls for 50 yards last week and had nine targets. The nine targets were a high since Week 9 when he had 11. It's been an up and down stretch for Gates since that same Week 9. He posted two TDs in Week 12 but also had a 1-6-0 line in Week 11 mixed in. This week, the Chiefs come in as the top team in not allowing fantasy points to TEs, but Gates still finds himself as a lower-end TE1 option. The odds say look for a better option than Gates this week, but if you don't have one, the good news is he should get a decent workload as perhaps the only legit threat for QB Philip Rivers.
Week 13 vs Broncos
After a clunker in Week 11, Antonio Gates got back on track last week against the Jags with four catches for 53 yards and two TDs. Gates still comes in as a TE1 option this week, just a little lower on our list. The Broncos are 19th in allowing fantasy points to TEs compared to number-one against QBs and WRs, so Gates has a chance to make another impact this week in what, overall, isn't a great matchup for the Chargers.
Week 12 at Jacksonville
Antonio Gates was targeted just three times and finished with one catch for six years last week against the Chiefs, who are now the top team in allowing fantasy points to TEs. Still, we've come to expect more from Gates, despite having some struggles his last couple of games.
This week, he comes in as a mid-level TE1 play against the Jags, who are 29th in allowing fantasy points to the position. Normally, Gates would probably be higher on our TE list, but with knee issue keeping him less than 100-percent as well as the struggles of the offense last week, there is a little concern about having Gates in your lineup.
Week 11 vs Kansas City
We just had a news item on our site a couple of days ago saying Antonio Gates is still not 100-percent even though his knee injury is from over a month ago. Despite that, and despite a tough matchup, Gates is still a top TE play this week against KC, as the Chiefs are fourth in allowing fantasy points to TEs. Even at less than 100-percent, Gates hasn't been terrible in terms of fantasy production, collecting 10 catches for 125 yards on 16 targets the last two weeks. That's compared to 18 catches for 187 yards and two TDs on 27 targets his first two games back from suspension. Gates gets a TE1 ranking this week and certainly comes with high upside, but owners may want to consider a better, or similar, option - if they would have one - as the odds seem stacked up against Gates a bit in Week 11.
