Oronde

Gadsden II

The Chargers have used free agency to stockpile players custom made for McDaniel’s Shanahan-style offense, including fullback Alex Ingold and tight end Charlie Kolar. Popper describes Kolar as “an elite run blocker who is an ideal fit in McDaniel’s movement offense” who “will allow Oronde Gadsden to play in a role that maximizes the 2025 fifth-round pick’s receiving skill set.” Gadsden was a welcome surprise in fantasy circles last season, totaling 664 yards and three touchdowns on 49 receptions. He ranked 14th among 50 qualifying tight ends in yards per route run, in line with Tyler Warren and Harold Fannin. If he runs 60 or 70 percent of the Chargers’ routes in 2026, Gadsden could be a tight end to target late in drafts.

Gadsden was unable to deliver a high-end performance against the Patriots, but he continued to show off his ability to get open on in-breaking routes. The talent should serve him well in his second NFL season next year. The fifth-round rookie caught 49-of-68 targets for 664 yards and three touchdowns this season, far surpassing expectations given his draft capital. A knee injury suffered by veteran TE Tyler Conklin allowed Gadsden to remain active on game day in Week 3. He seized the opportunity, catching 5-of-6 targets for 46 yards in his first NFL game. Gadsden finished as the half-PPR TE16 this year as the Chargers spread the ball around down the stretch. Gadsden has a wide range of outcomes in 2026, but will probably be drafted as a low-end TE1 due to his upside.

Gadsden produced a 17-yard gain on a post route on the Chargers’ fifth drive. He showed up again later on by making a nice diving catch on a short out route, picking up six yards on the play. Gadsden is still developing, but shows enough most weeks to remain in play for fantasy purposes against the Patriots next week.

Gadsden had quite the volatile day. He first chipped in a six-yard gain on a checkdown pass during the Chargers’ fourth drive. Two drives later, Gadsden got open at the Texans’ five-yard line against Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair. Instead of securing the target and powering in for the score, Gadsden swiped at an albeit high, fast pass, bobbling it behind him and into Al-Shaair’s hands for the interception. He dropped his next target, two drives later. He earned a 13-yard end zone target two drives after that, but Texans CB Kamari Lasster broke up the pass. Chargers QB Justin Herbert stuck with the young tight end, though, connecting with him for a one-yard touchdown via a delayed post route for Herbert’s lone passing touchdown of the day. Gadsden remains a TE1 in re-draft against the Broncos next week.

The Chargers somehow found space for three Will Dissly targets (3/28/0) before getting Gadsden involved. Wouldn’t be our game plan, but it worked. Gadsden has been hard to trust down the stretch and will probably be more of a TE2 against the Texans in Week 17.

It was Gadsden’s first game with more than two receptions since early November, and he led all Chargers pass catchers in receiving yards in another low-volume outing for Justin Herbert in an increasingly run-heavy LA offense. Gadsden logged a pass route on 22 of the Chargers’ 32 drop backs against KC. It’s a decent rate, but one that keeps Gadsden as a thin option in 12-team fantasy leagues. Gadsden should be in lineups next week against a vulnerable Dallas coverage unit.

Gadsden’s four targets actually ranked second on the team behind the five of Ladd McConkey, highlighting the defensive deadlock the Chargers found themselves in against the defending Super Bowl Champions. It has now been more than a month since Gadsden has caught more than three balls, although his emergence in the offense gives offensive coordinator Greg Roman yet another chess piece to attack opposing defenses. Gadsden could be busier in Week 15 when the Chargers take on the Chiefs on the road.

Chargers QB Justin Herbert missed a portion of the team’s second drive after injuring his left ring finger late in the first drive. He returned partway through the second drive. On 1st-and-10, from the Raiders’ 29-yard line, Herbert found Gadsden wide open on a seam route and let it rip. The agile tight end went up, secured the pass and was immediately brought down at the Raiders’ two-yard line. So close. Herbert went back to him on the Chargers’ fourth drive, 10 yards down the field on 2nd-and-16. Gadsden had the pass in his hands, but Raiders LB Devin White laid a hard hit, leaving Gadsden unable to secure the catch. If Herbert plays, Gadsden is once again on the TE1 line in an admittedly difficult matchup against the Eagles in Week 14.

If you throw out his injury-shortened Week 10 against the Steelers, this was Gadsden’s first quiet box score since Oct. 5. Of course, he was second on the Chargers in both targets and receiving yards. It just didn’t mean much in a game where a beleaguered Justin Herbert was limited to 81 yards on 18 attempts. The good news is Gadsden’s quad injury already appeared to be a thing of the past. With the Bolts headed on bye for Week 12, Gadsden can be trusted as a TE1 for their Week 13 return against the Raiders.

He’ll be a dialed-in TE1 against the Jaguars in Week 11. Gadsden left Week 10’s game with the injury and had an MRI, but was practicing in full by Thursday. It looks like the Chargers have avoided anything serious happening to their 22-year-old breakout tight end.