Is Gates still the #1 TE in fantasy football? (1 Viewer)

[gianmarco]

I think we might be surprised by the results here.

Pros

--His #'s speak for themselves. 900+ yds last 4 yrs. 9+ TDs last 4 yrs. 70+ catches last 4 yrs.

--Is still the #1 receiving option on his team

--Plays on a very good football team

--Is not only consistent but explosive

--Has finished #1 three times and #2 the other time

Cons

--Coming off a significant injury. When he will be 100% healthy is still up in the air.

--While he's the #1 receiving option, the addition of Chambers may end up cutting into his #'s. How much, I don't really know..

--Gates is not really a "spring chicken". He turns 28 this year. To compare, Tony G just turned 32 and has been viewed as "old" for the last couple of years. In 2 short years, he will be 30 and will probably lose significant trading value. To compare, Witten, Winslow, and Cooley are all 26 or younger.

--LT is turning 29 this year. If he starts to decline (gasp), does that negatively affect Gates?

--Other TE's have started catching up to his production as they are being used more league-wide around the league. His stranglehold on the top, even if he keeps pace, may no longer be there.

So, if given the choice, do you draft Gates as the #1 TE? If you own him, do you move him for a guy like Witten or Winslow? If you do move him, do you ask for an upgrade? If you own Witten or Winslow, do you take advantage of Gates' perceived loss of value and jump on him?

Would love to see some input.

 

[Cowtippers]

I personally like Witten just slightly more than Gates and then Winslow, but certainly arguements can be made for any of the 3.

I worry about the Gates' injury and Chambers having an impact on Gates playing time/targets, not to mention the developement of VJax. Rivers seemed to get more comfortable with Chambers with each game. Yes, Gates not being 100% had a lot to do with this, but I still view it as having an impact for 08.

I like the Cowboys' offense, the fact that Garrett knows how to utilize Witten, the chemistry Witten and Romo have developed and the fact Dallas hasn't really upgraded their WR core.

Witten had 141 targets last season...that's 1 more than even Gates received in his best year (140 targets in 2005). If you believe the target trend can continue for Witten - and I do - then he certainly can be ranked as the #1 TE - IMO.

 

[The Man with the Plan]

Yes. If he's healthy Antonio Gates is still the best tight end in fantasy football. He was having a better season than Jason Witten before he got hurt. It's close enough though that Witten might have more fantasy value. Gonzo and Winslow are slightly below those two and then there's a large drop-off after that imo.

 

[Tick]

I own Witten. I'd throw in a 2nd round rookie pick to upgrade to Gates.

 

[Burning Sensation]

Redraft - Maybe, if he is healthy by training camp.

Dynasty - No, Witten is younger, has a better QB, and should continue to be open in the middle of the field as long as Owens is there.

 

[ThePittbully]

Witten is the #1 dynasty TE IMO

 

[a_troll00]

People are talking about Chambers cutting into Gates' numbers, but you also really have to look at Vincent Jackson as well. The Rivers-Jackson connection really began to develop in last seasons playoffs.

 

[awesomeness]

I like Gates more in a dynasty or a redraft. But his lead over others (Witten, Winslow) has decreased.

 

[LBH]

Witten is #1 for me right now. I owned Gates in a dynasty last year. When SD aquired Chambers I noticed a rapid decline in Gates's production

 

[FUBAR]

While it used to be

Gates

.

.

.

Gonzo

Heap

Shockey

.

.

.

A few others

It is now

Gates

Witten

KW2

.

A big group.

 

[Iwannabeacowboybaby!]

Ya, he's No.1 but it is a lot closer than it was last year at this time.

Witten has to perform at this level another year for me to say he's the No. 1 fantasy TE. Witten was practically a sleeper TE in many leagues last year since the year before last.....he only caught 1 TD the entire season.

It's still Gates.

 

[gianmarco]

Surprised by how one-sided this is so far. I guess not many are truly worried about his injury despite no expected return date and good possibility of missing some time early on this season. No concerns of lasting effects throughout the season?

 

[twofaced]

I personally like Witten just slightly more than Gates and then Winslow, but certainly arguements can be made for any of the 3.I worry about the Gates' injury and Chambers having an impact on Gates playing time/targets, not to mention the developement of VJax. Rivers seemed to get more comfortable with Chambers with each game. Yes, Gates not being 100% had a lot to do with this, but I still view it as having an impact for 08.I like the Cowboys' offense, the fact that Garrett knows how to utilize Witten, the chemistry Witten and Romo have developed and the fact Dallas hasn't really upgraded their WR core. Witten had 141 targets last season...that's 1 more than even Gates received in his best year (140 targets in 2005). If you believe the target trend can continue for Witten - and I do - then he certainly can be ranked as the #1 TE - IMO.

I pretty much agree with this post. Witten with a very slight edge over Gates due to injury concerns/Chambers/V. Jackson

 

[Andy Herron]

I personally like Witten just slightly more than Gates and then Winslow, but certainly arguements can be made for any of the 3.I worry about the Gates' injury and Chambers having an impact on Gates playing time/targets, not to mention the developement of VJax. Rivers seemed to get more comfortable with Chambers with each game. Yes, Gates not being 100% had a lot to do with this, but I still view it as having an impact for 08.I like the Cowboys' offense, the fact that Garrett knows how to utilize Witten, the chemistry Witten and Romo have developed and the fact Dallas hasn't really upgraded their WR core. Witten had 141 targets last season...that's 1 more than even Gates received in his best year (140 targets in 2005). If you believe the target trend can continue for Witten - and I do - then he certainly can be ranked as the #1 TE - IMO.

I don't think I would have put it any differently or better than this.

 

[Dirty Weasel]

Gates

81 964 13

89 1101 10

71 924 9

75 984 9

Witten

87 980 6

66 757 6

64 754 1

96 1145 7

It's gonna take another season at #1 for Witten, or Gates missing time, to boot Gates from his throne. As far as their QB's are concerned, I don't put much stock in the QB when it comes to TE's. TE stats are probably the most independent of all offensive players.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

Surprised by how one-sided this is so far. I guess not many are truly worried about his injury despite no expected return date and good possibility of missing some time early on this season. No concerns of lasting effects throughout the season?

Maybe it has to do with the phrasing? I think Gates is still the #1 TE in general -- just not this season.Anyway, I came in here to add this: Gates Not Ready to Run, Injury Questions Loom.

 

[KellysHeroes]

Gates is still #1, but the Gap from Tier 1 too Tier 2 is very small now...

 

[ATC1]

While it used to be Gates...GonzoHeapShockey...A few othersIt is nowGatesWittenKW2.A big group.

I like how Gonzo was the top TE in PPR leagues last year, and he gets left out in the now group.

 

[Iwannabeacowboybaby!]

While it used to be Gates...GonzoHeapShockey...A few othersIt is nowGatesWittenKW2.A big group.

I like how Gonzo was the top TE in PPR leagues last year, and he gets left out in the now group.

Definately, true. Keep in mind there's some going back and forth of dynasty talk as well.Gonzo is right there, guy is definately a Hall of Fame player and he's still playing like one.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

To me these other guys need to show that they can keep it up for more than a year or two before taking the top spot away from Gates. We had this same same discussion a few years ago about how the gap between TE1 and TE2/3 was now much smaller, only then instead of Witten and Winslow it was guys like Heap, Shockey, and Crumpler. Who's to say that two years from now Winslow/Witten aren't replaced with two other guys?

Granted, Winslow/Witten put up better numbers last year than the other guys did in the years when we had this discussion about them, but the arguments remain generally the same. The gap between TE1 and TE4 isn't what it was when Gates first broke out, but the difference is that Gates is the only guy in that group (not to mention at the top of it) year after year.

Heading into this year Peyton was always the #1 QB taken the last few years even though he rarely finished as QB1 (and usually finished lower in the QB rankings at the end of the year than Gates did in the TE rankings). I know Gates has injury and Chambers concerns, but I don't see Rivers just suddenly forgetting about the guy that's been the mainstay of their passing offense for the last 4 years.

 

[hickbones]

Gates will still be the #1 TE pick in FF, but I don't think he will finish as the top FF TE. It's amazing, but Gates had an off year and still finished just behind Witten having a career year. I would rather have Gates for historical and explosive reasons, but I woudn't pick him due to the high pick it would require. I took Witten as the 8th TE off the board last year late in the draft. This year he will be the second TE pick and I'm not convinced his value will be more than what I could get Winslow or Cooley for.

 

[Jayrod]

I was just curious to find out a little more about Gates situation and this is the best thread I found with Gates info.

In looking at the FBG staff projections, Gates is being projected by almost all of to have his worst season (outside of his rookie year). One of them (Wood) only has him catching 6 TD's.

Is his foot injury that much of a concern? Is Chambers really that much of a threat? I understand bumping him down a bit, but career worst numbers across the board seems a little steep, IMO.

 

[gianmarco]

I was just curious to find out a little more about Gates situation and this is the best thread I found with Gates info.

In looking at the FBG staff projections, Gates is being projected by almost all of to have his worst season (outside of his rookie year). One of them (Wood) only has him catching 6 TD's.

Is his foot injury that much of a concern? Is Chambers really that much of a threat? I understand bumping him down a bit, but career worst numbers across the board seems a little steep, IMO.

I think the foot injury is a definite concern as it may keep him out of a few games. So far, as far as I know, no reports of him even running yet which isn't a good sign.

 

[KellysHeroes]

I believe in the drafts I've done so far.. JW has taken Gates in about half of them.

 

[BigRed]

I think the foot injury is a definite concern as it may keep him out of a few games. So far, as far as I know, no reports of him even running yet which isn't a good sign.

This doesn't bother me much right now. Talk to me around the end of July.I am not buying another Gates-like year out of Witten (yet). Basically of Gates, Witten, Gonzo and Winslow I will be happy as long as I have one of them, and lean to spending as little as possible for whichever, but overall I definitely prefer Gates.

 

[softball]

While it used to be Gates...GonzoHeapShockey...A few othersIt is nowGatesWittenKW2.A big group.

Well done, and that's why Gates can't be on my teams. The spread is too thin now. You can even get a guy like Gonzo with terrible QBs that will be too close in production to spend a Top 4 round pick on AG. JMO

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

people forget witten's horrible season 2 years ago.

Gates is #1 without a doubt, only his injury question is holding him down right now.

 

[eric rymer]

Ya, he's No.1 but it is a lot closer than it was last year at this time.Witten has to perform at this level another year for me to say he's the No. 1 fantasy TE. Witten was practically a sleeper TE in many leagues last year since the year before last.....he only caught 1 TD the entire season.It's still Gates.

 

[Da Guru]

Gates still deserves to me #1.

Chris Cooley gives more bang for the buck though in terms of value.

 

[Manster]

i say yes. Witten's value has obviously increased 10 fold since Romo took over. but Gates is a better athlete.

i wouldn't say Witten had a horrible season 2 yrs ago. its all about the QB change.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

i say yes. Witten's value has obviously increased 10 fold since Romo took over. but Gates is a better athlete.i wouldn't say Witten had a horrible season 2 yrs ago. its all about the QB change.

Romo was his QB for half of the season two years ago. The issue was the OL was injury riddled and Witten had to stay in and block. That and the coaching change to Jason Garrett was the big reason for the increase in Wittens performance

 

[The Jacket]

He's probably No. 1, but more fool the guy who takes him multiple rounds before Gonzalez, Winslow, etc.

 

[FUBAR]

i say yes. Witten's value has obviously increased 10 fold since Romo took over. but Gates is a better athlete.i wouldn't say Witten had a horrible season 2 yrs ago. its all about the QB change.

Romo was his QB for half of the season two years ago. The issue was the OL was injury riddled and Witten had to stay in and block. That and the coaching change to Jason Garrett was the big reason for the increase in Wittens performance

Glenn's injury and the lack of a quality WR2 helped a lot as well.

 

[gregjcross]

People are talking about Chambers cutting into Gates' numbers, but you also really have to look at Vincent Jackson as well. The Rivers-Jackson connection really began to develop in last seasons playoffs.

I own VJAX and Chambers and can tell you, hte VJAX QB combo only developed in the playoffs. Throughout the seasson, VJAX was inconsistent, and he doesnt separate very well from DBs; Rivers wants to throw to him and does, but when he does, he is forcing the ball into situations of coverage. In short, VJAX doesnt get open and isnt exactly a polished WR. I am this close to cutting him outright but if Chambers got injured i would want him.

 

[jaybebo]

Gates can no longer be considered the #1 TE...the arrival of Chambers made that issue change quickly. Rivers loves Chambers and the increased targets throughout the season proved it. Not to mention, LT2 still is able to receive out of the backfield. Gates definitely misses Brees...that was HIS quarterback. The pecking order in SD is Chambers, LT2, Gates and Jackson...with others getting involved.