Chargers tight end Antonio Gates is leaning toward having surgery on the left big toe he injured in early January. He plans to make a decision by the middle of this week.

Gates has been seeking medical opinions and even traveled to Indianapolis on Saturday to meet with several doctors who were in town for the NFL scouting combine.

"They're going to make a decision based on how they feel it's healing," Gates told chargers.com. "We're going to go from there by Wednesday. There's a higher chance I'm going to have surgery. If it's not healing right, I don't have a choice."

Gates dislocated the big toe during the Chargers' playoff victory over Tennessee on Jan. 6. He played in ensuing playoff games against Indianapolis and New England despite being in intense pain and severely hampered by the injury.

Chargers general manager A.J. Smith said he expects to know within the next couple of days whether Gates will undergo surgery.

"Obviously, we know he was hurt and we are checking it out," Smith said via phone from Indianapolis. "All I know is he is moving around medically and gathering a lot of information from various people for an end result to, 'What direction should I go?' "

Gates had been hoping the toe would heal with rest. But if surgery is needed, the sooner the procedure occurs, the sooner Gates would be healthy for the 2008 season.

"As of right now, we've got to make a decision by Wednesday," Gates told chargers.com.

Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com. Comment at sports.nctimes.com