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As a fan of veterans chasing records, I greatly appreciated the Los Angeles Chargers’ re-signing of tight end Antonio Gates this season. Gates, of course, already has one of the most esteemed careers for a tight end in NFL history, but a farewell tour to pad his resumé seemed like a fun narrative to follow.
Instead, Gates has mustered no more than five targets in a game this year, averaging three targets per game, and has just one touchdown this year.
With such a low-volume role, despite the Chargers being on-pace for more than 500 passing attempts this year, Gates is simply not a crucial part in the offense, let alone the focal point. The 4.5 PPR points per game that he’s averaging are simply not enough for him to be rostered in any but the deepest of leagues, even considering the sad state of the tight end position this year.
Gates’s low volume and ancient lack of athleticism simply won’t win you a week or even help keep you in it. You should drop him to pick up someone who has at least a sliver of a chance to provide upside.