Antonio Gates is as close to a sure bet as you will get in the 2008 fantasy football season. He’s sure to be the top TE, and even with an off year, he would be in the top 3.

If you play in a points per reception league, you should think about snatching Gates up if he is available in the third or fourth rounds. He will put up better numbers than many receivers, and the Chargers should continue to improve on offense under Norv Turner. They now have two pretty good wide-outs, and of course LT, you should expect big things from Gates this year.

The only hesitancy I would have pulling the trigger on Gates is from a strategic standpoint. There is quite a bit of depth at TE this year, you have Gonzales still catching them, Whitten is a stud, Winslow Jr. you can’t overlook, the Redskins have Cooley, any of these guys could well start for me at TE and make me happy, and you can wait a couple rounds and still be able to snag one of them. He is also coming off of a surgery this off-season, but I don’t expect that to hamper him.

Tough call. Someone is going to take Gates early, so you either spend a third round pick on him, maybe an early fourth rounder, or you miss the boat. He’s a guy who won’t fall in the draft, but he is also a guy who can anchor your team, giving you some big scoring numbers from the TE position. That’s a nice thing to have, big numbers from the TE position. If I’m drafting mid to late in the third round, I’m taking a long look at Gates this year.