Player Spotlight: Antonio Gates (1 Viewer)

[Jason Wood]

2009 Player Spotlight Series

One of Footballguys best assets is our message board community. The Shark Pool is, in our view, the best place on the internet to discuss, debate and analyze all things fantasy football. In what's become an annual tradition, the Player Spotlight series is a key part of the preseason efforts. As many of you know, we consider the Player Spotlight threads the permanent record for analyzing the fantasy prospects of the player in question. Last year, we published more than 120 offensive spotlights covering the vast majority of expected skill position starters. This year will be no different.

Each week we will post a list of players to be discussed. Those threads will remain open for the entire preseason, and should be a central point to discussion expectations for the player in question. Importantly, analysis done in the first week of posting will be part of the permanent record in two ways. 1) At the end of the week, we will tally the projections into a consensus. 2) We will select a number of pull quotes from forum contributors who make a compelling statement or observation. Both the projections and pull quotes will be part of a published article on the main website.

Thread Topic: Antonio Gates, TE, San Diego Chargers

Player Page Link: Antonio Gates Player Page

Each article will include:

Detailed viewpoint from a Footballguys staff member
Highlighted member commentary from the message board threads
FBG Projections
Consensus Member ProjectionsThe Rules

In order for this thread to provide maximum value, we ask that you follow a few simple guidelines:

Focus commentary on the player in question, and your expectations for said player
Back up your expectations in whatever manner you deem appropriate; avoid posts that simply say "I hate him" or "He's the best"
To be included in the final synopsis and consensus outlook, you MUST provide projections for the playerProjections should include (at a minimum):

For QBs: Attempts, Completions, Passing Yards, Passing TDs, Ints, Rush Yards, Rush TDs
For RBs: Rushes, Rushing Yards, Rush TDs, Receptions, Receiving Yards, Receiving TDs
For WRs & TEs: Receptions, Receiving Yards, Receiving TDsNow let's get on with the conversation! We look forward to your contributions and let me offer a personal thanks in anticipation of the great debate and analysis.

 

[rzrback77]

Antonio Gates is a steady performer at TE. He has finished 1st, 1st, 1st, 2nd, and 4th in the five previous seasons. His TDs have been very consistent as well, but sliding down just a tad. He has had 13, 10, 9, 9, and 8. Last year, his targets really dropped (by 25) from 07 and they too have been slipping downward off a high of 140 in 2005. I see him continuing to be a key part of the Charger passing attack, but two things concern me about his 09 projection. I think that the Chargers defense will improve dramatically and their offensive attack could shift back to more rushing the ball. This will be especially true if LT has recovered from his injuries of a year ago. More running atttempts combined with better WR options than in the past should keep Gates with 100 to 110 targets as opposed to the 140 he got back in 08. He will continue to be a focus at the goal line though. I see him performing near to the expectations of his ADP which is TE2 and 50 overall.

Antonio Gates 115 targets 76 catches 950 yards 12.5 ypc and 8TDs

 

[TwinTurbo]

He should be a top 2 TE this year and I am targeting him in round 5 in all my drafts.

Antonio Gates - 72/894/9

 

[Yenrub]

How is his toe?

 

[craxie]

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/200...ights/?chargers

Chiseled Gates hit the weights

Tight end says he's 'stronger and faster'

Antonio Gates, who has more touchdowns than any player at his position through the first 93 games of his career and could well be headed to the Hall of Fame, finally looks like a tight end.

“With the injury, I was in the weight room,” Gates said, smiling and shrugging. “I wanted to make myself a football player.”

Gates has always been self-deprecating in regards to his being a true football player versus a basketball player, his having come to the NFL without having played football in college. He acknowledges he is still learning the finer points of the game, even learning how to deal with football injuries.

Rehabbing a badly sprained ankle this spring, he figured he might as well work on his upper body. Once he started seeing results (aesthetically as well as in increased strength) he was even more motivated. The result is a leaner, chiseled Gates.

“I've never been strong in the weight room,” said Gates, always a little more pudgy than sculpted. “I've been a naturally big guy.”

Despite his five Pro Bowl elections, Gates didn't like what he called “the perception people had,” as if they were surprised at what he looked like. He wanted to be recognized as a tight end.

He's up a few pounds to 263, but it's good weight. He said his conditioning is better, and he is stronger at the point of attack with defenders.

“When you're carrying muscle instead of fat, you just carry it better,” said Gates, who begins this season with 51 career touchdowns. “I'm stronger and faster and feel more dominant.”

 

[Monsters of the Midway]

75/1000 9 TDs the toe really hurt him last year

 

[craxie]

How is his toe?

http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/sports/20090801_ap_gateshealthhaschargerseyeingthesuperbowl.html

. . . Gates is healthy, and he's running and cutting in a manner that hasn't been seen of late.

The five-time Pro Bowler struggled in 2008 with a foot injury after a toe ailment the previous year.

. . .

"It feels good, a long time coming for me," Gates said Saturday at the Chargers' training camp. "Just being out there and feeling good, being able to do the things I struggled with last year, it feels special to me and it feels like a special season for me."

It was obvious Gates, a former Kent State basketball player, didn't really have his hops. Among the attributes making him a three-time All-Pro is his ability to shield defenders and out-jump them for catches.

"My ability to jump was something that took a toll on me," said Gates, whose 51 scoring catches since entering the league in 2003 leads all tight ends. "It came in spurts at times. As the season progressed, it was up and down for me. It was a tough struggle."

But in the Chargers' first week of summer workouts, Gates' spring has returned to his step. He is getting after passes with regularity, something he wasn't doing this time last year.

"All my answers for my injuries were answered for me in minicamp and when I came out and practiced in the OTAs," Gates said. "That was a big step for me because I missed all of last year's offseason workouts and training camp."

 

[craxie]

http://twitter.com/chargersxtra

TE Antonio Gates unstoppable during passing drills. Chemistry with Rivers is amazing.

http://www.nfl.com/trainingcamp/story?id=0...mp;confirm=true

Antonio Gates looks ripped after spending the offseason hitting the weights. The four-time Pro Bowler has packed on significant upper body muscle and is tipping the scales at 263. With more strength at his disposal, the seven-year veteran has the option of defeating defenders with finesse or power in his routes. Given how tough of a matchup he was prior to his increased explosiveness, the Chargers' star may be unstoppable as a pass-catching weapon this fall.

 

[Largie]

nice info - keep in coming. Debating keeping Gates (6th round pick last year) or Carlson (14th round). Latest news has me thinking Gates and hope for a healthy year.

 

[SSOG]

Antonio Gates' target totals over the last 3 years- 119, 117, 92. One of these things is not like the other, one of these things doesn't belong. With Tomlinson clearly on the downslope of his career, San Diego is going to become more and more of a passing offense, and Gates remains the #1 receiving option on the team.

120 targets, 75 catches, 940 yards, 10 TDs.

 

[craxie]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writ...chargers/1.html

3. Tight end Gates has got his "swag[ger]" back. Good health will do that to you. Gates told me that when he saw one-on-one coverage in training camp last year, he wasn't 100 percent sure he could beat it because he was still recovering from offseason foot surgery. He would come back to the huddle and just move on to the next play. Now? "When I come back I look at Philip like, 'Man [coverage]? Come on,' " Gates says, chuckling. "You just feel like that."

http://sandiegosportsxtra.com/cfxhidden/in...35:demo-content

Antonio Gates was his usual self on the practice field, a complete mismatch against anyone who tried to defend him, and almost making it look effortless. If his foot isn’t at 100%, it’s awfully close to it.

the most 'negative' comment I could findhttp://www3.signonsandiego.com/bigmailbag/chargers/

Q: Anyways is Gates going to dominate more then ever this year?

A: I don't know about Gates dominating more than ever. He is healthy, and he hasn't lost any skills, that's for sure

 

[Largie]

sure seems to be saying all the right things :

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afcwest/0-3-262...-blessing-.html

 

[flyonthewall]

Still worthy of the #1 TE off of the board IMO. 900/10 is quite possible.

Doesn't appear he has been playing much in preseason though. But then again, it is preseason.

SD homers? What is the local word on Gates?

 

[supermark_28]

Still worthy of the #1 TE off of the board IMO. 900/10 is quite possible. Doesn't appear he has been playing much in preseason though. But then again, it is preseason. SD homers? What is the local word on Gates?

Just from what I've read he's had some "soreness" and sat out the most recent pre-season game and last 3 practices.That's all I've got but would also like to get more info on his status.