Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
The fact that Antonio Gates went undrafted will forever blow my mind every time I think about it. One of the greatest tight ends to ever play the game, Gates is still getting it done at 33 years-old. He’s quietly on pace to catch a career-high 96 receptions this season to go along with 1100 yards and four touchdowns. The yardage would be the third-highest total of his career while the touchdowns would unfortunately be his fewest since 2003, his rookie year.
Although he’s having a solid season, his numbers the past few weeks have been disappointing. He only has 112 receiving yards through his last three games and he’s posted less than 10 fantasy points in his last four. He’s far more valuable in PPR-leagues but either way, he could very well reward fantasy owners in all leagues this week.
The San Diego Chargers take on the Denver Broncos on Sunday and the game will be anything but low-scoring. It feels like the Broncos put points on the board almost every time they have the ball, and everyone else is always just playing catch-up. That will likely be the case again in this one, as neither team has a particularly good defense. They both sit near the bottom of the league in pass-defense, which will obviously play to the main strengths of both offenses.
The game seems destined to be a major shootout — spectacular news for anyone whose job is to catch and run.
The Broncos’ weak secondary has also proven particularly inept at shutting down tight ends, more great news for Gates. This is the perfect opportunity for him to get back on track and he should have no trouble getting open, especially since opposing defenses are now shifting their attention towards stopping Keenan Allen.
Make sure Gates is in your lineup this week and get ready for a big performance.
Dan Freeman is a Fantasy football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanFreeman88.
