David

Njoku

Njoku is not worth rostering whenever he officially returns to the active roster, but he theoretically can contribute offensively. He will likely be a mildly productive member of the Chargers’ three-player tight end rotation.

Njoku entered the contest listed as doubtful, although he practiced in a limited capacity all week. He might be able to return next week, but he does not need to be added in 12-team leagues. The Chargers declared LG Kayode Awosika (fibula), S Kendall Williamson (calf), CB Deane Leonard (concussion), WR Brenen Thompson (quad/hamstring) and WR Theo Wease inactive for Week 9 against the Texans.

Njoku was limited all week, though he apparently is not ready to return from injured reserve. He does not need to be rostered in 12-team formats. The Chargers will likely employ a three-player rotation whenever he returns.

Njoku’s return is probably a good thing for the offense as a whole, but the Chargers’ tight end rotation makes for a fantasy-unfriendly situation. Njoku does not need to be rostered in 12-team formats. Brenen Thompson (quad/hamstring) remains sidelined.

Njoku had his practice window opened this week, giving the Chargers 21 days to activate him off injured reserve. He has been out since Week 3 and is now nearing a return, getting in limited work with a fibula injury on Wednesday. WR Brenen Thompson (quad/hamstring) was a DNP on Wednesday. Neither Njoku nor Thompson need to be on fantasy rosters just yet.

Njoku has been on the shelf since being placed on injured reserve ahead of Week 3, with the potential to return following five missed games plus the team’s Week 7 bye. The team will have 21 days to activate him from short-term injured reserve, meaning Njoku is not guaranteed to be activated in time for Week 9 against the Texans. Fantasy managers that have held Njoku through his time on injured reserve can continue patiently waiting for his return while those in shallower leagues can consider adding him from waivers before he is activated.

Njoku was unable to put any weight on his right leg and was carted from the field in Sunday’s loss to the Raiders. Njoku has caught six passes for 67 scoreless yards for the Chargers in his first two games with the team and led all tight ends on the roster with 25 routes run. He’ll have to miss at least the next four games now that he’s landed on IR, but we should have a better sense of his return timeline in the coming days.

The team officially called it a knee injury and listed him as questionable to return. Njoku was unable to put weight on his right leg and had to be helped onto the cart. Several Chargers players came to the cart to see him off the field. It looks like his day is done, even if the team is calling him questionable. Charlie Kolar and Oronde Gadsden will see an uptick in routes going forward.

Njoku logged a pass route on 19 of the team’s 31 drop backs and was third on the Chargers in targets. Oronde Gadsden, meanwhile, ran a grand total of seven routes and caught both of his targets for 32 yards. Charlie Kolar, listed as the team’s No. 1 tight end in August, was not targeted on 13 routes against Arizona. Njoku should have some deep league value as the team’s TE1 in Week 2 against the Raiders.

Way back in late May, the Athletic’s Daniel Popper suggested Kolar, who signed a three-year, $24.3 million contract with the Bolts this spring, would enter the season as LA’s top tight end “because of his complete skill set.” Week 1 usage will tell us a lot about how offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel will use his tight ends, but for now it seems Kolar will lead the group in Week 1 against the Cardinals. David Njoku and Oronde Gadsden II, however, could see more pass game involvement depending on how many routes they run in a given week, and whether the Chargers go run-heavy against an opponent. None of the Chargers’ tight ends are particularly appealing fantasy plays for Week 1.