Tight end Antonio Gates has been a security blanket for San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers for the past decade. And even though Gates has showed some signs of slowing down at 36 years old, he remains a reliable target for Rivers on third down and in the red zone.
Antonio Gates
ESPN Fantasy Projection: 61 receptions, 702 yards, 6 TDs
Over or under: He’s getting long in the tooth, but I’ll take the over. Over the past five seasons, Gates has averaged 63 receptions for 728 yards and seven touchdowns per season. Those are pretty solid numbers. And with 104 career touchdown receptions, Gates needs eight more to surpass Tony Gonzalez (111) for the most touchdown catches by a tight end in NFL history. Expect Rivers to find Gates in the end zone early and often in 2016.
Who else could see time: The Chargers drafted Hunter Henry in the second round of this year’s draft as the eventual replacement for Gates, and he’s looked the part so far in camp and preseason action. Henry should have an impact during his rookie season, which could take some touches from Gates.
