Gates caught the only pass thrown his way for eight yards Sunday against the Bills.

A week after catching all seven of his targets for 96 yards and three touchdowns against the Seahawks, Gates had one of the worst outings of his career. Quarterback Philip Rivers targeted five other receivers more, including tight end Ladarius Green, who caught four passes on six targets for 64 yards. Gates will look to turn it around in a promising Week 4 matchup against the Jaguars.

Gates (hamstring) is active for Sunday's game at Buffalo.

Gates will probably be handled with care each week in practice even though he is about as healthy as he has been at any point over the past several years. He is good to go for this game.

Gates (hamstring) is listed as probable for Sunday's game against the Bills, the Chargers' official site reports.

Gates returned to a full practice Friday and is thus on track to suit up Sunday, on the heels of a three-TD effort in Week 2.

Gates (hamstring) returned to a limited practice Thursday, the Chargers' official site reports.

We'll circle back on Gates' status Friday, but a probable designation for the tight end once the team's Week 3 injury report is released seems a likely outcome.

Gates (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday, the San Diego Union-Tribune's Michael Gehlken reports.

Gates -- who caught seven passes for 96 yards with three touchdowns in Week 2 -- is presumably being held back for maintenance purposes, however. We'll let you know if that assessment changes in the coming days.

Gates (hamstring) caught seven passes on seven targets for 96 yards with three touchdowns in Sunday's 30-21 win over Seattle.

Gates played like he was in his prime, abusing Seattle's secondary from the onset. His third touchdown was a thing of beauty, as he snatched the ball in the end zone with one hand. He also made a huge third-down catch in the final five minutes to extend the drive, chewing up more time. The talented Ladarius Green will one day be San Diego's top tight end, but for now, Gates is clearly still ahead of him.

Gates (hamstring) is listed as active for Sunday's game against the Seahawks.�

Gates, who caught six passes for 81 yards in Week 1, is out there if you need him this week, but his matchup appears less than optimal.

Gates (hamstring) was listed as a full practice participant Friday, the Chargers' official site reports.

After sitting out Thursday's practice, Gates' return to a full session Friday now puts him on track to suit up Sunday against the Seahawks.

Gates (hamstring) did not practice Thursday, the Chargers' official site reports.

Gates was listed as a limited practice participant Wednesday, and with no reported setback with his hamstring issue at this stage, we suspect that his absence Thursday was maintenance-related. A return to practice on Gates' part Friday would support that notion in advance of Sunday's game against the Seahawks.

Gates (hamstring) was listed as a limited practice participant Wednesday, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Gates played through his hamstring issue this past Monday against the Cards, catching six passes for 81 yards, and with no reported setbacks on that front, we suspect that the tight end's limited work Wednesday was maintenance-related.

Gates (hamstring) caught six of his 10 targets for 81 yards Sunday.

Despite being a game-time decision, Gates led the team in catches, targets and yards. As LaDarius Green had only two catches on two targets for 24 yards, it seems Gates is still the clear No. 1 TE on the team.

Gates (hamstring) is active for Monday's game against the Cardinals, the San Diego Union-Tribune's Michael Gehlken reports.

Good news for those who gambled despite the late kickoff that Gates would be available Monday. If Gates suffers any setbacks, or is limited at all in the contest, fellow TE Ladarius Green would be in line for added opportunities.

After being limited at practice Saturday, Gates is now listed as questionable for Monday night's game against the Cardinals, the Chargers' official site reports.

Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune indicates that Gates apparently tweaked his hamstring during Saturday morning's practice, thus clouding the tight end's status for Monday night's 10:20 ET kickoff. If Gate sits, or is limited Monday, then Ladarius Green would be in line for added Week 1 opportunities.

Gates caught three passes for 28 yards and a touchdown on three targets in Sunday's preseason game against the 49ers.

Meanwhile, Ladarius Green had no receptions on one target in the first half. Whether or not Green makes good on his potential this year, Gates is locked into a key role in the offense. A breakout by Green wouldn't preclude Gates from having a fine season of his own, as the Bolts figure to be one of the league's better passing teams, and they don't have an impressive group of wideouts. A good portion of Green's snaps will likely come with Gates also on the field, as was the case last season. That said, the 34-year-old Gates is a far cry from the 27-year-old version of himself.

Despite the growth of Ladarius Green, Gates remains the starting tight end in San Diego and will likely still get the vast majority of the targets this season, especially in the red zone, ESPN.com reports.

Gates has been the most targeted receiver for the Chargers two of the last three seasons. The Bolts are smart to bring the young and dynamic Green more into the fold this year, and they will likely feature both tight ends on many occasions, but Gates is still the top dog. When it comes to total yards and more importantly, touchdown grabs, count on Gates still coming out on top for at least one more year barring injury of course.

Antonio Gates (personal) rejoined the Chargers Wednesday.

Antonio Gates is an excused absence at this week's mandatory minicamp.

Gates is believed to be dealing with a serious illness in his family, but it's not like the 11-year veteran needs these practices anyway. He's going to be the starting tight end once again despite slowing down drastically last season. Now at age 34 in a run-heavy scheme with Ladarius Green breathing down his neck, Gates is not a recommended TE1. Over the final eight games of last year (including playoffs), he averaged 3.0 catches for 27.8 yards and scored one touchdown.

Antonio Gates managed two catches for 10 yards in San Diego's Divisional Round loss to Denver.

The Chargers got nothing going in the air in the first half, going into the break with one net yard passing. Gates finally caught a ball with under nine minutes left in the third quarter, gaining five yards. Gates slowed considerably down the stretch of his age-33 season, failing to top 50 yards in eight consecutive games to close out the year, including playoffs. Gates turns 34 in June. We suspect he'll return for 2014 at a $5 million base salary, but it's not guaranteed with Ladarius Green coming on. Gates certainly won't be a recommended re-draft fantasy pick.

Antonio Gates was held to one reception for five yards in the Chargers' Wild Card round win over the Bengals.

As San Diego managed six first-half pass attempts compared to 20 runs, Gates was a non-factor with zero catches through two quarters. He got his lone reception early in the third quarter before San Diego milked its lead for the final two frames. Ladarius Green played a larger passing-game role in Sunday's victory, finishing with a 3-34-1 line. Gates has now been held to 50 receiving yards or fewer in seven straight games.

Antonio Gates caught four balls for 31 yards and a touchdown in the Chargers' Week 17 win over the Chiefs.

Gates finishes the regular season with solid numbers across the board -- 77/872/4 -- but his production slowed rather dramatically down the stretch, and Gates turns 34 in June. With Ladarius Green emerging as a dangerous threat at tight end, Gates is not going to be an upside pick in 2014 re-draft leagues. He's becoming a better real-life player than he is in fantasy.