Antonio Gates ranks in the all-time elite tier for tight ends — a career that places Gates in the top 1% of all players at the position. The Knox value model assigns Gates a career score of 89, reflecting sustained impact that most players at the position never approach.
Career Value · VORP
522 career value over replacement — #13 all-time of 4,695. 32.6/season above a replacement-level TE.
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Season totals or exact team stints. Career totals count each season once.
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Receiving | Snap Counts | Advanced Receiving (2018+) | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Ctch% | Y/R | Y/Tgt | AirYd/T | 1D | Off | Off% | Def | Def% | ST | ST% | ADOT | YBC/R | YAC/R | BrkTkl | Drops | Drop% | 1D | TgtRate | |||||
| 2003 | 23 | SD | 9 | — | 24 | 24 | 389 | 2 | 100.0% | 16.2 | 16.2 | — | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | 24 | SD | 15 | — | 81 | 81 | 964 | 13 | 100.0% | 11.9 | 11.9 | — | 55 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | 25 | SD | 15 | — | 89 | 89 | 1,101 | 10 | 100.0% | 12.4 | 12.4 | — | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | 26 | SD | 16 | — | 71 | 71 | 924 | 9 | 100.0% | 13.0 | 13.0 | — | 49 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | 27 | SD | 16 | — | 75 | 75 | 984 | 9 | 100.0% | 13.1 | 13.1 | — | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | 28 | SD | 15 | — | 60 | 60 | 704 | 8 | 100.0% | 11.7 | 11.7 | — | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | 29 | SD | 16 | — | 114 | 79 | 1,157 | 8 | 69.3% | 14.6 | 10.1 | — | 61 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | 30 | SD | 10 | — | 65 | 50 | 782 | 10 | 76.9% | 15.6 | 12.0 | — | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | 31 | SD | 13 | — | 88 | 64 | 778 | 7 | 72.7% | 12.2 | 8.8 | — | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | 32 | SD | 15 | — | 80 | 49 | 538 | 7 | 61.3% | 11.0 | 6.7 | — | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013 | 33 | SD | 16 | — | 113 | 77 | 872 | 4 | 68.1% | 11.3 | 7.7 | — | 49 | 968 | 87.2% | — | 0.0% | — | 0.0% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | 34 | SD | 16 | — | 98 | 69 | 821 | 12 | 70.4% | 11.9 | 8.4 | — | 44 | 769 | 72.1% | — | 0.0% | — | 0.0% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015 | 35 | SD | 11 | — | 85 | 56 | 630 | 5 | 65.9% | 11.3 | 7.4 | — | 33 | 497 | 61.5% | — | 0.0% | — | 0.0% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | 36 | SD | 14 | — | 93 | 53 | 548 | 7 | 57.0% | 10.3 | 5.9 | — | 34 | 585 | 61.6% | — | 0.0% | 1 | 0.3% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | 37 | LAC | 16 | — | 52 | 30 | 316 | 3 | 57.7% | 10.5 | 6.1 | — | 16 | 500 | 47.3% | — | 0.0% | — | 0.0% | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | 38 | LAC | 16 | — | 45 | 28 | 333 | 2 | 62.2% | 11.9 | 7.4 | — | 19 | 364 | 36.0% | — | 0.0% | — | 0.0% | 7.9 | 7.4 | 4.5 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 19 | 90.3 |
| Career | — | 229 | — | 1,233 | 955 | 11,841 | 116 | 77.5% | 12.4 | 9.6 | — | 651 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | 19 | — | |
16 seasons · peak 12.2 in 2009
VAL (Value Above League) measures each NFL season against that season's league; the dashed line is zero — a season that added nothing above the league's fringe. ● peak · ○ league-best season.
8.9 career wins over 16 seasons · 1 win = 13.08 VAL
Best season · 2009 · +0.9 wins
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Ctch% | Y/R | Y/Tgt | AirYd/T | 1D | VAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 23 | SD | 9 | — | 24 | 24 | 389 | 2 | 100.0% | 16.2 | 16.2 | — | 19 | 2.7 |
| 2004 | 24 | SD | 15 | — | 81 | 81 | 964 | 13 | 100.0% | 11.9 | 11.9 | — | 55 | 10.4 |
| 2005 | 25 | SD | 15 | — | 89 | 89 | 1,101 | 10 | 100.0% | 12.4 | 12.4 | — | 62 | 11.4 |
| 2006 | 26 | SD | 16 | — | 71 | 71 | 924 | 9 | 100.0% | 13.0 | 13.0 | — | 49 | 9 |
| 2007 | 27 | SD | 16 | — | 75 | 75 | 984 | 9 | 100.0% | 13.1 | 13.1 | — | 54 | 9.4 |
| 2008 | 28 | SD | 15 | — | 60 | 60 | 704 | 8 | 100.0% | 11.7 | 11.7 | — | 39 | 6.9 |
| 2009 | 29 | SD | 16 | — | 114 | 79 | 1,157 | 8 | 69.3% | 14.6 | 10.1 | — | 61 | 12.2 |
| 2010 | 30 | SD | 10 | — | 65 | 50 | 782 | 10 | 76.9% | 15.6 | 12.0 | — | 42 | 9.3 |
| 2011 | 31 | SD | 13 | — | 88 | 64 | 778 | 7 | 72.7% | 12.2 | 8.8 | — | 45 | 8.3 |
| 2012 | 32 | SD | 15 | — | 80 | 49 | 538 | 7 | 61.3% | 11.0 | 6.7 | — | 30 | 5.2 |
| 2013 | 33 | SD | 16 | 14* | 113 | 77 | 872 | 4 | 68.1% | 11.3 | 7.7 | — | 49 | 7.6 |
| 2014 | 34 | SD | 16 | 12* | 98 | 69 | 821 | 12 | 70.4% | 11.9 | 8.4 | — | 44 | 9.8 |
| 2015 | 35 | SD | 11 | 7* | 85 | 56 | 630 | 5 | 65.9% | 11.3 | 7.4 | — | 33 | 6.2 |
| 2016 | 36 | SD | 13 | 9* | 93 | 53 | 548 | 7 | 57.0% | 10.3 | 5.9 | — | 34 | 5.7 |
| 2017 | 37 | LAC | 16 | 0* | 52 | 30 | 316 | 3 | 57.7% | 10.5 | 6.1 | — | 16 | 1.4 |
| 2018 | 38 | LAC | 15 | 0* | 45 | 28 | 333 | 2 | 62.2% | 11.9 | 7.4 | — | 19 | 0.9 |
| Career | 227 | 1,233 | 955 | 11,841 | 116 | 77.5% | 12.4 | 9.6 | — | 651 | 116.4 |
* GS not available from free sources — SG* estimated from snap share (nflverse 2012+)
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Off | Off% | Def | Def% | ST | ST% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 33 | SD | 16 | 14* | 968 | 87.2% | — | 0.0% | — | 0.0% |
| 2014 | 34 | SD | 16 | 12* | 769 | 72.1% | — | 0.0% | — | 0.0% |
| 2015 | 35 | SD | 11 | 7* | 497 | 61.5% | — | 0.0% | — | 0.0% |
| 2016 | 36 | SD | 14 | 9* | 585 | 61.6% | — | 0.0% | 1 | 0.3% |
| 2017 | 37 | LAC | 16 | 0* | 500 | 47.3% | — | 0.0% | — | 0.0% |
| 2018 | 38 | LAC | 16 | 0* | 364 | 36.0% | — | 0.0% | — | 0.0% |
| Career | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Career games and per-game totals are unavailable because the season rows do not establish complete career coverage. Published career totals are preserved.
* GS not available from free sources — SG* estimated from snap share (nflverse 2012+)
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | ADOT | YBC/R | YAC/R | BrkTkl | Drops | Drop% | 1D | TgtRate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 38 | LAC | 16 | 0* | 7.9 | 7.4 | 4.5 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 19 | 90.3 |
| Career | 16 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | 19 | — |
* GS not available from free sources — SG* estimated from snap share (nflverse 2012+)
| Wk | Opp | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W1 | KC | 3 | 2 | 16 | — |
| W2 | BUF | 1 | — | — | — |
| W3 | LA | 5 | 3 | 45 | — |
| W4 | SF | 4 | 2 | 27 | 1 |
| W5 | LV | 2 | 2 | 19 | — |
| W6 | CLE | 2 | 1 | 5 | — |
| W7 | TEN | 3 | 2 | 11 | — |
| W10 | LV | 2 | 1 | 18 | — |
| W11 | DEN | 7 | 5 | 80 | 1 |
| W12 | ARI | 1 | 1 | 18 | — |
| W13 | PIT | 1 | — | — | — |
| W14 | CIN | 2 | 2 | 19 | — |
| W15 | KC | 5 | 4 | 54 | — |
| W16 | BAL | 5 | 3 | 21 | — |
| W17 | DEN | 2 | — | — | — |
| PO18 | BAL | 4 | 4 | 35 | — |
| PO19 | NE | 8 | 5 | 41 | 1 |
Source: nflverse (CC-BY 4.0) · 2016–2026 · 17 games
Folded from the per-game logs on file. Home/away, result, month and division come from the NFL schedule feed; where a game has no schedule row those dimensions leave it out rather than guess, and the count is shown.
| Home / Away | G | Tgt | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | FPts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 16 | 55 | 34 | 352 | 3 | 53.2 |
| Away | 17 | 54 | 33 | 373 | 3 | 57.3 |
13 of 46 games have no schedule row for this dimension and are excluded from the rows above rather than assigned a bucket.
A all-time great career by KV-H: a peak-driven profile that scores 89 of 100, era-normalized against rec yds/g peers across 16 scored seasons.
Blend 85.8 × longevity 1 = KV-H 89· confidence 100%
Todd Heap
TE
91% match
2003 Draft ClassmatesFull class →
Famous Partnership
Philip Rivers
13 shared seasons · combined KV-H 1883
Latest season · 2018 · +0.1 wins
VAL 3.0 measures each part of a NFL player's game in his sport's own currency against what that season's fringe players produced, converted to team wins with rates fitted from every team-season in the encyclopedia.
#8 of 698 all-time TEs by KV-H
| Wins / Losses | G | Tgt | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | FPts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wins | 21 | 57 | 36 | 408 | 2 | 54.8 |
| Losses | 12 | 52 | 31 | 317 | 4 | 55.7 |
13 of 46 games have no schedule row for this dimension and are excluded from the rows above rather than assigned a bucket.
| Regular season / Postseason | G | Tgt | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | FPts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular season | 44 | 190 | 111 | 1197 | 12 | 191.7 |
| Postseason | 2 | 12 | 9 | 76 | 1 | 13.6 |
| By opponent | G | Tgt | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | FPts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs ARI | 1 | 1 | 1 | 18 | — | 1.8 |
| vs ATL | 1 | 10 | 5 | 38 | — | 3.8 |
| vs BAL | 2 | 9 | 7 | 56 | — | 3.6 |
| vs BUF | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| vs CAR | 1 | 9 | 5 | 61 | — | 6.1 |
| vs CIN | 1 | 2 | 2 | 19 | — | 1.9 |
| vs CLE | 3 | 19 | 12 | 131 | 1 | 19.1 |
| vs DAL | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| vs DEN | 6 | 28 | 14 | 150 | 2 | 27 |
| vs JAX | 2 | 7 | 4 | 18 | 1 | 7.8 |
| vs KC | 6 | 28 | 17 | 185 | 2 | 32.5 |
| vs LA | 1 | 5 | 3 | 45 | — | 4.5 |
| vs LV | 6 | 18 | 13 | 140 | 1 | 18 |
| vs MIA | 2 | 13 | 6 | 74 | 2 | 19.4 |
| vs NE | 2 | 10 | 7 | 66 | 1 | 12.6 |
| vs NYG | 1 | 3 | 2 | 23 | — | 2.3 |
| vs NYJ | 1 | 8 | 6 | 81 | 1 | 14.1 |
| vs PHI | 1 | 5 | 3 | 18 | — | 1.8 |
| vs PIT | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 |
| vs SF | 1 | 4 | 2 | 27 | 1 | 8.7 |
| vs TB | 1 | 4 | 4 | 37 | — | 3.7 |
| vs TEN | 2 | 12 | 7 | 86 | 1 | 14.6 |
| vs WAS | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| By month | G | Tgt | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | FPts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2 | 12 | 9 | 76 | 1 | 13.6 |
| September | 7 | 25 | 13 | 146 | 2 | 28.6 |
| October | 8 | 19 | 14 | 121 | — | 12.1 |
| November | 6 | 16 | 8 | 119 | 1 | 17.9 |
| December | 10 | 37 | 23 | 263 | 2 | 38.3 |
13 of 46 games have no schedule row for this dimension and are excluded from the rows above rather than assigned a bucket.
| Division games | G | Tgt | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | FPts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | 12 | 40 | 25 | 310 | 2 | 45 |
| Non-division | 21 | 69 | 42 | 415 | 4 | 65.5 |
13 of 46 games have no schedule row for this dimension and are excluded from the rows above rather than assigned a bucket.
Season-by-season quality (era-relative rec yds/g)