David Njoku Fantasy Stats

Los Angeles Chargers tight end David Njoku landed with a much better quarterback this offseason, but the fantasy setup around him is a lot less comfortable. Njoku caught 33 passes for 293 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games for Cleveland last season, well below the 81-882-6 line he posted in 2023. Justin Herbert gives him a chance to rebound, especially near the goal line, where 26 of Njoku's 34 career touchdowns have come. The problem is finding enough work between the 20s. Oronde Gadsden II is coming off a 49-catch, 664-yard rookie season, Charlie Kolar was added in free agency, and the Chargers' first unofficial depth chart lists all three with an OR designation at tight end. Njoku has flashed in the red zone during camp, but there still isn't much separation in this group. RotoBaller has him at TE33 in half-PPR. The quarterback upgrade is real, but without a clearer route and target advantage, Njoku looks more like a touchdown-dependent TE3 than someone to trust in standard redraft leagues.

The Los Angeles Chargers' new-look offense is thriving in the early days of training camp, and one of the reasons, as pointed out by Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, is the addition of tight end David Njoku and the improvements made to the position as a whole. Veteran Charlie Kolar was an early free agent signing, and as expected, he has been used primarily as an inline blocking tight end throughout the early days of training camp. With Njoku signing later in the process, there were questions about how his usage would impact second-year player Oronde Gadsden II, and Breer mentions that the former first-round pick of the Browns was brought in to play the F or "move" tight end position. A split between Njoku and Gadsden in that role could make both difficult to consistently trust for fantasy production, making any information coming out of camp all the more important. While that situation has pushed the veteran down to TE24 by current ADP, Gadsden is going around TE18, still in a range where some of the other available options appear to provide more certainty but a lower ceiling.

With Los Angeles Chargers veterans reporting for training camp on July 28, one of the most interesting position battles to pay attention to will be at tight end, after the late free agent signing of 10th-year professional David Njoku helped to make theirs one of the more well-rounded tight end rooms in the league. The Chargers return 2025 fifth-round pick Oronde Gadsden II after he reached some historic highs as a rookie, and the team made an early commitment to free agent Charlie Kolar, one of the best blocking tight ends in the league. It was the addition of Njoku in mid-May, though, that brought true multi-functionality to the room in Mike McDaniel's new offense. A first-round pick in 2017, Njoku had fallen clearly behind rookie Harold Fannin Jr. in his final season with the Browns, but given a fresh start with one of the most creative playcallers in the league, he could again find sporadic fantasy relevance in 2026. At RotoBaller's TE32, he is not a player worth targeting in redraft leagues, but he is a low-cost depth piece for contending dynasty managers and is worthy of the occasional late-round swing in best ball drafts.

After spending the first nine seasons of his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns, veteran tight end David Njoku signed a one-year contract for the 2026 campaign with the Los Angeles Chargers in May. Njoku's production declined significantly in 2025, as he missed five games with a knee injury and finished the year with 33 catches for 293 yards and four touchdowns on 48 targets. Njoku also had his role in the Browns' offense largely usurped by tight end Harold Fannin Jr., whose emergence as a rookie in 2025 made Njoku largely expendable. Njoku could now be facing a similar dynamic in Los Angeles, as he will be sharing the field with up-and-coming Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II. The Chargers should provide a significantly healthier offensive ecosystem for Njoku than the Browns did, which could lead to a production boost even in a limited role. Still, Njoku's upside appears to be capped as long as Gadsden II remains healthy. As Njoku enters his age-30 season, his dynasty value appears to be at an all-time low.

Los Angeles Chargers tight end David Njoku was one of the latest additions to the team, signing a one-year deal in mid-May, but he has a chance to make a legitimate fantasy impact in his tenth professional season. New Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has found great success in recent seasons by involving his tight ends, and the room he has already helped to build in Los Angeles boasts a variety of skill sets. Free agent acquisition Charlie Kolar is one of the league's most impactful blockers, while second-year player Oronde Gadsden II flashed game-breaking athleticism as a rookie, but with Njoku being the most well-rounded of the three, he could become the most difficult to pull from the field. Coming off a down year and turning 30 before the start of training camp, he has fallen to dynasty TE26, making him a low-cost trade target. Having finished as the TE13 or better in three of the past four seasons, while playing in a low-scoring Browns offense, Njoku offers obvious short-term upside to contending managers.

Veteran tight end David Njoku has agreed to a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers worth up to $8 million. The 2023 Pro Bowler played his first nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns but was allowed to reach free agency after ceding work to rookie Harold Fannin Jr. in 2025, resulting in his lowest reception and yardage totals since 2020. In Los Angeles, Njoku adds another option to Justin Herbert's crowded group of pass catchers, already including Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Tre' Harris. Offering a rare blend of size and athleticism, Njoku should still see plenty of fantasy spike weeks, making him an attractive late-round best ball target. Meanwhile, after rising all the way to TE10 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings, second-year player Oronde Gadsden could now be forced to wait at least one more season before taking over the coveted pass-catching tight end role in offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's offense.

Free-agent tight end David Njoku is scheduled to visit with the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday, as reported by NFL insider Ian Rapoport. Njoku has been a productive fantasy tight end across his nine seasons with the Browns, but his play fell off in 2025 as he ceded opportunities to breakout rookie Harold Fannin Jr. At almost 30 years old, Njoku still offers rare athleticism and a massive catch radius, and Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has seen past success utilizing tight ends Jonnu Smith and a 33-year-old Darren Waller. As such, Los Angeles looks to be one of the better landing spots for Njoku, though his presence would likely frustrate the dynasty managers of Oronde Gadsden II. Gadsden showed some historic flashes as a rookie, and the thought of him in that same McDaniel offense has pushed him up to RotoBaller's dynasty TE10. Njoku, meanwhile, has fallen to TE26, though his value would spike should Monday's visit result in a contract.

Former Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku remains unsigned after a down year led to his release. The 29-year-old veteran ceded a considerable workload to breakthrough rookie Harold Fannin Jr. and finished his ninth season in Cleveland with only 293 yards on 33 catches. Njoku is a plus blocker and a huge target who has long been a menace after the catch, and despite seeing 21 tight ends selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, including nine through the first three rounds, there are still tight end-needy teams on the market. With NFL offenses gearing more towards heavy personnel, this recent draft was evidence of the growing need for depth at the position, and Njoku's versatility could still make him a factor in fantasy regardless of where he ultimately lands. At RotoBaller's dynasty TE23, he's a low-cost dart throw depth piece who is likely to see his value spike as soon as he finds a new home.

Free agent tight end David Njoku was unable to find a home in the early wave of free agency, and at this point, it would seem he is waiting until after the NFL Draft to make a decision on his future. The soon-to-be-30-year-old former first-round pick was released by the Cleveland Browns after nine seasons with the team, largely in part to the emergence of Harrold Fannin Jr., who led the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns as a rookie. This is considered to be another deep rookie class, with a record 27 tight ends receiving invites to the NFL Combine, so many teams might opt to look for a younger, cheaper option at the position, with Njoku seeing a year-over-year decline in production since recording career highs across the board with 81 catches for 882 and six touchdowns in 2023. That said, even approaching his second decade in the league, Njoku's athleticism is rare for the position, and he could still find a fantasy-relevant role, even if it comes as a mid-season injury replacement.

Free-agent tight end David Njoku visited with the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The former Cleveland Browns tight end has been greeted with a cold free-agent market after the Browns cut him following the 2025 season. The Ravens let Isaiah Likely walk in free agency and could use some more depth at the position behind veteran Mark Andrews. Baltimore signed Durham Smythe, but he's more of a blocking TE. The 29-year-old Njoku fell into a backup role in Cleveland last year due to the swift emergence of rookie Harold Fannin Jr. The former first-rounder in 2017 out of the University of Miami regressed with 33 catches for 293 yards and four touchdowns on 48 targets in 12 games played. Injuries didn't help, but it was clear that Fannin is the future in Cleveland at tight end. If Njoku were to land with the Ravens, he'd probably be in a similar role as the TE2 behind Andrews, limiting his bounce-back potential in fantasy football.