The Facts:
Relative for him, Gates has struggled the past two seasons, in terms of both durability and on-field effectiveness. Gates set out in the offseason to shed weight in hopes of improving his speed and quickness. And so far in training camp, the weight loss appears to be paying on-field dividends. "The best thing is, he can actually run," NFL Network's Ian Rapoport stated on Inside Training Camp Live on Tuesday. "He's in shape. He looks skinny. He was burning cornerbacks left and right in practice. … He is feeling healthier now than he's been in a couple of years. He is really looking like he's primed for a big, big season."
Reported by Profootballtalk.com
Fantasy Football Diehards Line:
After playing 10 games in 2010 and 13 games last year, hearing that a healthy Gates is primed for a big season should come as no surprise -- especially with Vincent Jackson moving to Tampa via free agency. Under the current circumstances (which are backed by multiple reports like the one above), expecting Gates to post elite numbers in the 2012 is no reach. In fact, with his current ADP suggesting a late fourth-round pick, he'll be a huge value for those who don't want to burn earlier picks to secure Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham. Gates might even be the wiser play.
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