Gates owners: Had you ever drafted a TE in early rounds before (1 Viewer)

[tick dog]

Until this season -- aside from one year listed below -- I've always let my league mates jump on TE's early while I snagged upside RBs/WRs. But this year I went against every natural drafting instinct in my body and took Gates early.

Damn glad I did.

I know it depends on scoring system in most cases, but through 6 weeks in my league -- PPR, bonuses for 100yd receiving games & TDs over 30yds -- Gates is outscoring the likes of:

Owens, Terrell

Manning, Peyton

Williams, Roy

Barber, Marion

Hasselbeck, Matt

Addai, Joseph

McNabb, Donovan

Jackson, Steven

Wayne, Reggie

Fitzgerald, Larry

Jordan, LaMont

Kitna, Jon

McGahee, Willis

Jones-Drew, Maurice

James, Edgerrin

Johnson, Andre

Parker, Willie

Driver, Donald

Coles, Laveranues

Boldin, Anquan

Holt, Torry

Johnson, Larry

Henry, Travis

Some are injury-related, I know (AJ, Boldin, SJax), and some are just having down years despite being relatively healthy (Holt, LJ) but for the first time I'm benefiting from a TE as an early-round pick (5th pick, 4th round). In 2005 I took Gonzo in the 4th -- in his heyday as the undisputed #1 stud TE, coming off 11, 9, 6, 7, 10, 7 TD seasons, always up near 1,000 yards -- and he gave me 2 measly TDs (albeit with a solid 900 yds) so I've backed away from early TEs since. But Gates has come through this year bigtime.

Gates owners, is this the first year you've owned him? When did you get him? Who are you glad you passed on to get him? Does your fantasy football man crush on him make you feel a tad uncomfortable?

 

[Deuce'sWild]

Yeah, but Witten and Clark are right behind him and could be had much later.

 

[MCguidance]

You did well. The guy is a monster.

 

[Deuce'sWild]

I'm shopping Gates and Driver this week....for D. Clark and C. Johnson

 

[The Man with the Plan]

Yeah, but Witten and Clark are right behind him and could be had much later.

There were a lot of tight ends drafted after Gates however that have played poorly. It just so happens that those two are playing as well. It's a lot easier to predict that Gates would be a stud (like every season) and draft accordingly than to have Jason Witten reemerge and Dallas Clark break out.

 

[tomarken]

In 2005 I took Gonzo in the 4th .... I've backed away from early TEs since.

You really stuck to your guns on that one, huh?:wittenowner:

 

[tomarken]

Yeah, but Witten and Clark are right behind him and could be had much later.

There were a lot of tight ends drafted after Gates however that have played poorly. It just so happens that those two are playing as well. It's a lot easier to predict that Gates would be a stud (like every season) and draft accordingly than to have Jason Witten reemerge and Dallas Clark break out.

Clark's production may be surprising, but I don't think Witten is "reemerging" this year. From 2004-2006, only three TE's in the NFL had at least 60 catches and 700+ yards in each year: Gates, Gonzo... and Witten. Last year his TD totals took a big dip but that's pretty flukey, especially with MBIII doing what he did last year.Considering Witten could be had about seven rounds later than Gates, I'd say passing on Gates early and taking Witten late was a pretty safe play.

 

[rick6668]

He's outscoring every player on my team.

He's the reason I'm in second place at 4-2 in the league where I took him at 3.4

 

[tick dog]

In 2005 I took Gonzo in the 4th .... I've backed away from early TEs since.

You really stuck to your guns on that one, huh?:wittenowner:

I should have said I've backed away before and since that one atypical 2005 draft....

 

[ClownDogs]

One league, I took him in the 2nd, he is the 2nd highest scoring player in the league behind Brady. 7pt bonus for 75yds for TE's, a no brainer pick in the 2nd.

 

[BLOX]

I have always felt that Antonio Gates is a huge advantage in FF. I grab him in every league I can. People can say it's early or whatever, but having almost guaranteed points at a position where other owners may hit or miss is almost like playing with a head start each week.

Of course this only works out if you can fill in your roster with solid players at the other positions, but I really don't worry about it too much as in every draft players fall and you end up getting nice players anyway.

I'll continue to do this every year until someone beats me to the punch, or another TE shows he's better.

 

[sebringc4]

First year I picked Gates...picked him with the 4.5 pick...and haven't looked back...Clark and Witten would be great value picks this year but they are not guaranteed like Gates...as an earlier poster mentioned, having Gates in the TE slot gives you a head start every week....he's basically a WR in a TE slot...which I got spoiled by because I had Colston in the TE slot last year...I know but it was me who had him!...there are more opportunities to pick up a WR off the WW or trade for one...if you're active on the WWs or trade, picking up Gates early is a no brainer...if you're not active, you will suffer somewhat in the WR or RB slot...there was one owner whou had no RBs (Bush sharing with Deuce before he got hurt, Buckhalter and Turner), and I traded him Branch and Caddy (before both were hurt) for Wayne...

 

[Bills_Fan11]

I'm another 1st time Gates owner. I had a group of about 10 Tier 2 WR's on my board. When every single one of them was available while all the tier 1 WR's were gone with the last pick of the 3rd round, it felt like a no-brainer. No regrets.

 

[PatrickT]

Not sure how this would equate to draft position, but I payed $25 of my $200 for him in an auction. He is the main reason I've survived the LJ drought, so, no regrets at all.

 

[Drof]

I'm kind of in the same boat. I grabbed Gates twice this year myself, and he has been great. I had to pay retail for him though. My big steal, was getting Witten late. Clark at the end though, might well be the TE steal of the draft.

Drof

 

[CrossEyed]

Drafted Gates in round 2 in one ppr league that gives 1.5 for TEs. He's currently 5th in overall scoring behind Brady, Romo, Derek Anderson , and T.J. Houshmazilli.