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I agree that if anyone unseats him (don't think they will) that Heap has the best chance. He's my #2 TE with Shock a close 3rd.
Absoluetly. Heap, Shockey, Crumpler, Gonzo will all have good years...then others like McMichael, Witten, Cooley have had chages to their offense which could propel them, too.Don't forget about guys like LJ Smith, Wiggins, Winslow and Watson, who could threaten due to lack of WR threats in their offenses.
The game you should have watched was the SD/GB game. Gates barely even played, but Rivers unloaded (with great accuracy) to TEs 2, 3,and 4 with about twelve of his first sixteen passes. Gates could actually be UNDERrated this year.
I did an analysis on this; first-time starters tend to pass to the TE less than other QBs do, not more.I have Gonzo as the #1 TE this year.
Gates may be underrated - but is there any questions that he won't be the first TE off the board?Love Heap this year - I see the whole Bal offense rebounding with a respected leader at QB - and Heap will be a featured target in the passing game.
Did you use veteran QBs in good offenses (Culpepper, Palmer, Pennington), or did you use mostly rookie QBs?
Fixed.
BTW, instead of starting a new thread on this, I'll just stick it here where nobody will see it.Maurile Tremblay said:
There's a problem with the level of generalization in all of these kinds of comparisons. I hope everyone will spot the error in the following argument:Your scoring system gives points for saying stupid things to the media?
Palmer had Matt Schobel and Reggie Kelly at TE. Culpepper had . . . I don't even know. I'd have to look it up. Pennington had Anthony Becht.I wouldn't throw to those guys, either.
Only problem is they replaced Keyshawn with some guy named Owens.
Look, an assertion was made that Rivers is more likely to throw to the TE because he's a new starting QB. I don't think there is any evidence that a new starting QB is more likely to throw to his TE because he is a new starting QB. The evidence which is available suggests that new starting QBs throw to WRs first. It is certainly possible that Rivers will be more likely to throw to Gates than to his WRs; trends only predict trends, not individual situations. But it doesn't make sense to consider Gates more attractive because he has a first-year starter at QB.
I agree with all of that.
Krause is probably an underdog to make the team unless they keep four tight ends. It should come down to him and Aaron Shea for the last spot.I don't really know what effect Manu will have. He was brought in as a blocking tight end, but as long as he lines up as an eligible receiver, Rivers may get him the ball.
Yep, forgot about Shea. You'd think the Panthers would have gone after Manu or him in the offseason....anyway, lots of TE talent in SD to use in GL situations when all focus is on Gates. You heard it here first.
I don't think that'll happen to the extent that it will noticably eat into Gates' numbers. Are you assuming these other TEs won't be covered at all? I don't think that will happen either.Why would Rivers throw to an open Manaaklfjasd;l, when he can throw to an open Gates instead?Let's face it folks - Rivers will be throwing to Gates often, not because Rivers is a new QB, but becuase he has Antonio Gates on his team. I think that's reason enough.
What makes you think Gates will be open? I'm pretty sure most opposing defenses have heard of him by now. If you play SD, you focus on stopping LT & Gates. Let somebody else beat you from the Chargers, but not those two. Gates will be gameplanned by DC's, they'll role coverage his way or double cover him if at all possible. The other TE's will not garner the same attention. Therefore, Gates will not be open, while others will. If he loses 1-2 targets a game, over a full season, it will have a substantial impact.
Would it be possible to consider that Gates might catch a lot of balls this year because he gets open a lot?
CalBear said:
Well, not the Gonzo part. I think that's just silly. Roaf leaving will have a big impact on his numbers. But good posting on the first-time starters thing. It's one of the biggest myths in fantasy football that first-time QBs tend to "lock on" to their "security blanket".
So why didn't opposing teams do that last year?
Seriously, no one is unseating a healthy Gates.
Yes, it's a myth. However, Gates is not just a TE, he's the team's first option in the passing game. I don't think this affects his numbers one way or the other.CalBear said:
I actually heard the Jets GM on WFAN in NY the other day and he said that Baker has had one of the best camps of all the Jets. Said he expects him to have a great year.
They tried, but it was much harder to do with an experienced Brees at the helm. He and Gates had a connection. Could Rivers establish the same chemistry? Maybe, maybe not, but it will take time, just like it did for Gates and Brees.
TO is the consensus #1 overall pick in this league as well.
