Oronde Gadsden Fantasy Stats

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden enters Week 3 as the team's TE1. The Chargers will be without Charlie Kolar (forearm) and David Njoku (leg) in Buffalo on Sunday. Gadsden had a promising rookie season, catching 49 of his 69 targets for 664 yards and three touchdowns. The 23-year-old is RotoBaller's PPR TE16 in an interesting matchup against the Bills defense. They have allowed the 5th-most passing yards and rank near the bottom of the league in EPA. The Bills defense is still adjusting to defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard while defending pass-heavy offenses and trying to keep up with the Bills' high-powered offense. Gadsden is a viable tight end option for managers in a barren tight end landscape heading into Week 3.

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said that tight end Oronde Gadsden "had a very good week" and is "ready to step up" in Week 3 against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday with both Charlie Kolar (forearm) and David Njoku (leg) out, according to Alex Insdorf. Harbaugh added that he thinks Gadsden has improved as a blocker. The 23-year-old should have been one of the more intriguing tight end pickups off the waiver wire after both Kolar and Njoku were injured in the team's Week 2 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Njoku is on Injured Reserve, and Kolar could miss several weeks with his injury. Gadsden only had two catches for 18 yards on Sunday against the Raiders, but he did manage to find the end zone for his first touchdown of the 2026 season. The Bills have been vulnerable against tight ends early this season, so this could be the perfect storm for Gadsden to be an excellent streamer at the TE position. As a rookie last year, Gadsden caught 49 of his 69 targets for 664 yards and three touchdowns in 15 regular-season games.

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden had a promising first year in the NFL in 2025, catching 49 of his 69 targets for 664 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games played, but his fantasy stock tumbled going into 2026 when the Chargers added competition at the position in Charlie Kolar (forearm) and David Njoku (leg). In the season-opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Gadsden caught both of his targets for 32 yards, and he had just two catches for 18 yards in the Week 2 loss to the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders, but he managed to find the end zone for the first time this year. The key for Gadsden going forward is that both Kolar and Njoku suffered injuries on Sunday that are expected to knock them out for multiple weeks -- Njoku is on Injured Reserve, and Kolar has already been ruled out for Week 3 at the Buffalo Bills. With the Chargers in need of reliable pass-catchers during a very difficult opening stretch of games in 2026, Gadsden could step up with both Kolar and Njoku out, and he will be an interesting TE2 streamer this weekend in Buffalo. He is only rostered in 18% of Yahoo leagues.

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden has become a much more interesting Week 3 waiver option after injuries thinned out the position Sunday. David Njoku was carted off with a knee injury and did not return, while Charlie Kolar later left with a forearm injury and was also unable to come back. Gadsden caught both of his targets for 18 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown from Justin Herbert. The volume was still modest, so this is not a must-add situation in every league yet. The opportunity could change quickly, though. Gadsden caught 49 passes for 664 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie last season, and he could move into a much larger role if Njoku or Kolar misses time. Through two games, he has caught all four of his targets for 50 yards and a score. Gadsden is a strong add in 12-team leagues, with his Week 3 value depending heavily on the injury updates ahead of him.

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden caught his two targets for 18 yards and one touchdown in Sunday's devastating 26-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The 23-year-old salvages his Week 2 outing by catching Justin Herbert's lone passing touchdown. However, Gadsden could see a slight bump in his fantasy value if David Njoku (knee) and Charlie Kolar (forearm) miss time. Both tight ends left the game early with their injuries and did not return. The severity of the injuries for Njoku and Kolar is something to monitor over the next few days. Through two games, Gadsden has caught all four of his targets for 50 yards and one touchdown. Gadsden has had a slow start to his sophomore campaign due to limited targets in a crowded offense. Gadsden and the Chargers will head on the road for the first time this season to face the Buffalo Bills in Week 3.

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden should see more work in Week 2 after barely being part of the offense in the opener. Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel told Kris Rhim that Gadsden "isn't doing anything wrong" and added, "I'd expect to see more of him." Gadsden played 10 offensive snaps against Arizona but still caught both of his targets for 32 yards, including a 26-yard gain. David Njoku and Charlie Kolar each played 30 offensive snaps, so there is still plenty standing between Gadsden and a full-time role. The encouraging part is that McDaniel doesn't sound like the small Week 1 workload was punishment for poor play. Gadsden caught 49 passes for 664 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie, and Los Angeles clearly still has use for that receiving ability. He remains more of a deeper-league option for now, but Thursday's comments make the Week 2 snap count worth watching closely.

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden had a relatively quiet Week 1 showing, but the track record from his rookie season in 2025 suggests that he could be a key waiver-wire target for managers this year. Gadsden ranked as the TE15 in PPR leagues with 49 catches, 664 yards, and three touchdowns last year, and most of that production came in Week 6 or later. However, there's a new obstacle in his path this year, and it's the depth chart. Gadsden fell to second in the tight end pecking order after the Chargers signed David Njoku in free agency. Njoku played a modest 55% of snaps in Week 1, but Gadsden's snap share was even lower at just 18%. The 23-year-old needs one domino to fall in his favor, and there's a chance that's the injury to Ladd McConkey (chest). The veteran wide receiver went down last week, leading to a void in the passing game. Gadsden has a great opportunity to step up with more volume in Week 2, ranking as a TE2 for fantasy purposes. He's definitely a riskier target, but the Syracuse product is a proven player who knows what it takes to produce at the NFL level. There's some deep-league streamer appeal here for Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders, especially if McConkey doesn't end up playing.

Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is already cautioning fantasy managers against reading too much into how his tight ends are used in Week 1. McDaniel said Thursday that it "might not be the smartest move" to make fantasy decisions after one game, adding that the group is going to grow and the Chargers will be able to do plenty with them. Oronde Gadsden is the name fantasy managers will be watching most closely. He caught 49 passes for 664 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games as a rookie, but Los Angeles added both Charlie Kolar and David Njoku during the offseason. The Chargers' first unofficial depth chart has Kolar or Njoku starting, with Gadsden behind them. Kolar was brought in largely for what he can add as a blocker, while Njoku gives Justin Herbert another proven receiving option. That makes this a crowded room, but McDaniel's comments are another reason not to make a quick call on Gadsden based solely on Sunday's opener against Arizona. His rookie production is still worth betting on while the Chargers figure out how all three tight ends fit.

A fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden was a pleasant surprise for fantasy managers during his rookie season. Across 15 games (seven starts), the 23-year-old recorded 49 catches for 664 yards and three touchdowns on 69 targets. Despite the encouraging rookie campaign, Gadsden's fantasy value has fallen over the course of the summer. The Chargers added a pair of veteran tight ends in the offseason in Charlie Kolar and David Njoku, both of whom may currently be above Gadsden on the team's depth chart due to their superior skill set as blockers. Los Angeles also has plenty of target competition for Gadsden in its wide receiver corps between wideouts Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Tre' Harris. While Gadsden still carries some upside, his lack of a clear role in the Chargers offense makes him a player for redraft managers to avoid ahead of 2026.

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden impressed in 2025, finishing as the TE17 and hauling in 49 of his 69 targets for 664 yards (13.6 yards per catch) and three touchdowns. He was the most explosive tight end in football with a 131.3 explosive rating, and while he was very efficient and productive, his blocking limitations and the addition of David Njoku and Charlie Kolar are making it more difficult for him to find playing time or to increase his snap share. Additionally, in most of the Chargers' preseason games, Gadsden often played with the backups. Gadsden may be an explosive option in specific passing situations, but it's possible we'll see his 61.4 percent snap share, which was 28th in the NFL last season, continue to decline with the additional tight ends in the room. RotoBaller ranks Gadsden as the TE31 on the season, making him a clear fade in all one-tight-end formats.