general
Chargers TE David Njoku is expected to return to practice this week
Chargers TE David Njoku to return to practice this week
Oronde Gadsden
TE · LAC · 23 yrs · exp 1 · Syracuse
Status
- Game status
- Active
Keep Trade Cut (SF TEP)
From latest snapshot · trend vs ~7d prior when data allows.
Value
3,373
Rank
#112
Pos rank
#15
7d trend
—
Value history (90d)
One snapshot point per calendar day (shown in your timezone).
Latest: Sep 7, 2026 · 3,373
News
Stories linked to this player — newest first.
TE · LAC
TE · LAC
analyst
Oronde Gadsden Expects to See More Work in Week 3 vs. Bills
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
analyst
Oronde Gadsden II 'ready to step up' per HC Jim Harbaugh
Chargers TE Oronde Gadsden II is ready to step up with David Njoku and Charlie Kolar sidelined
analyst
Oronde Gadsden "Ready to Step Up"
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
TE · LAC
analyst
Oronde Gadsden Now the Chargers' Clear TE1
Gadsden’s TE role solidifies after Kolar and Njoku injuries, positioning him as the Chargers’ top tight end for the 2026 season
general
Los Angeles Chargers news: Bolts sign TE Hayden Rucci, release WR Gary Jennings
Yahoo Sports NFLSource ↗
The Chargers signed Hayden Rucci to the active roster, leaving them with only two healthy tight ends (Rucci and Oronde Gadsden II) after placing Charlie Kolar and David Njoku on injured reserve
TE · LAC
trending
Oronde Gadsden heavily added (#25)
Sleeper trending/add: Oronde Gadsden (12493) count=71945 (Δ71945 vs prior poll)
TE · LAC
analyst
Oronde Gadsden - Set for elevated role as TE1
sleeper-rotowire+1 story · 30dSource unavailable
Gadsden is the only healthy tight end on the Chargers' active roster following the team's 26-14 loss to the Raiders on Sunday, Noah Furtado of The Athletic reports. Both David Njoku (fibula) and Charlie Kolar (forearm) are expected to go on injured reserve due to injuries they suffered during Sunday's loss. Given those injuries, as well as Ladd McConkey being limited by a lingering rib injury, Gadsden should operate in an elevated role in the passing game over the coming weeks. Gadsden showed flashes of promise during the 2025 regular season, including a three-game stretch from Weeks 6 to 8, when he caught 19 passes (on 22 targets) for 309 yards and two touchdowns. The Chargers hit the road for Week 3 against the Bills, whose defense has yielded a 14-116-1 receiving line (on 19 targets) to tight ends through two games
general
Chargers' worst-case scenario has come to life with nowhere for Justin Herbert, Jim Harbaugh to hide
In their first chance to put aside last week's debacle against the Cardinals , the Chargers moved quickly into Raiders territory, but the drive fizzled when tight end Oronde Gadsden II gave his best defensive-back impression, diving to bat down a pass intended for Brenen Thompson . In a chance to take advantage of the Raiders' own slow start, two possessions later, Justin Herbert found David Njoku open deep. Some offensive momentum finally seemed possible for the Chargers ... until Njoku bobbled the ball right into the arms of Jermod McCoy . The offensive blunders kept coming: Trailing by three late in the third quarter, an offensive snap hit Tre Harris in motion, and what should have been an easy third-down conversion became a punt. Herbert slammed the turf twice in frustration. And, finally, in a chance to prove that, despite all the mistakes, despite all the ugliness, despite, well, everything , the Chargers could get to 1-1 and stop the bleeding for at least one week, Omarion Hampton fumbled in Raiders territory. Three plays later, the Raiders were back in the end zone. Final: 26-14, Raiders — one week after 26-14, Cardinals. Two of the teams expected to be among the NFL's worst blasted their way past one expected to challenge the best. "That's not up to our standard," Herbert said. Unfortunately, though, this is the current standard of the Chargers. Their five turnovers are tied for second-most in the NFL, only behind the essentially quarterback-less Falcons . Their seven fumbles are the most in the NFL; they had six on Sunday alone. Their 13 offensive penalties are second-most. Herbert and Mike McDaniel were supposed to make sweet music, but through two games, the most appropriate music, on offense, would be "Yakety Sax." It has been a circus, and not the good kind. Jim Harbaugh credited his team's "fight" and said they weren't "deterred." But what is going to get things going in the right direction? Last week, Harbaugh wished he had played his starters more in the preseason, but the preseason is long gone. Unfortunately, Harbaugh would love for his team to look ready for the preseason. They look like they're still learning the basics of the offense. There was always a stylistic difference between what Herbert's been — a rocket-armed, stand-in-the-pocket-and-deliver-downfield quarterback — and McDaniel's quick-strike, motion-heavy offense. But the meld is far behind schedule. The Chargers are 21st in EPA per play on plays with motion. McDaniel's motion is complex, but it is supposed to help solve defenses and provide quick answers. Right now, it's only creating more problems for the offense. These things needed to be ironed out weeks ago. And even when the ball is snapped smoothly, Herbert hasn't looked comfortable making the throws that McDaniel used to make Tua Tagovailoa the NFL's leading passer. From 2022-23, when Tagovailoa was at his best under McDaniel with the Miami Dolphins, 57% of Tagovailoa's throws came out in 2.5 seconds or fewer, by far the highest rate in the NFL. Herbert, by contrast, is currently at 33%, tied with Josh Allen for 24th in the league. Therein lies an issue. At his best, Herbert has played stylistically much closer to Allen than Tagovailoa. Herbert's biggest advantage over Tagovailoa — his arm strength — can only be unlocked if the basics of the offense can function. For all of Tagovailoa's flaws, he was accurate and on time in the quick game. Herbert currently has a 12.5% off-target rate on throws 15 yards or fewer downfield, the fifth-highest rate in the NFL this season through Sunday. Last year, it was 6.3%. Whatever the product is trying to be — the maximization of Herbert's physical skills and McDaniel's playbook — isn't happening. When asked about how long it takes to adapt to new coordinators, a clearly frustrated Herbert went back to a familiar refrain. "It wasn't good enough today. There's no time for us to be patient with how we were playing. It's not good enough, so we [... truncated ...]
analyst
Oronde Gadsden Gains Waiver Appeal After Tight End Injuries
Oronde Gadsden becomes a more interesting waiver option after tight end injuries
TE · LAC
analyst
Oronde Gadsden - Reels in TD in loss to Las Vegas
sleeper-rotowire+1 story · 30dSource unavailable
Gadsden caught both of his targets for 18 yards and a touchdown in the Chargers' 26-14 loss to the Raiders on Sunday. One week after running just five pass routes in the Chargers' Week 1 loss to the Cardinals, Gadsden ran 15 routes against Las Vegas. He played an increased role on offense after David Njoku was carted off in the first half with a knee injury. If Njoku needs to miss additional time, Gadsden will be one of the biggest beneficiaries as the pass-catching tight end alongside blocker Charlie Kolar
analyst
Oronde Gadsden Finds the End Zone in Week 2 Loss
Oronde Gadsden's fantasy value may increase if David Njoku and Charlie Kolar miss time due to injuries
TE · LAC
trending
Oronde Gadsden heavily dropped (#25)
Sleeper trending/drop: Oronde Gadsden (12493) count=7740 (Δ7740 vs prior poll)
analyst
Trey Lance Has Roller-Coaster Performance in Preseason Opener
Trey Lance had a mixed performance in the Chargers' preseason opener
analyst
Charlie Kolar a Player on the Rise
Charlie Kolar's usage in the Chargers' offense could lead to a fantasy floor, but a murkier upside case
TE · LAC
trade
Trade: Oronde Gadsden, Matthew Golden, Nico Collins
sleeper-tx-trade+1 story · 30dSource unavailable
The Cru🚂 trade — lstokesb received: Matthew Golden, Oronde Gadsden, and 2026 1st round pick (orig Lamarvelous). Ash(ton) Wednesday received: Nico Collins
analyst
Ladd McConkey an Appealing Dynasty Buy-Low Candidate Ahead of 2026
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey put together an underwhelming 2025 season, recording 66 catches for 789 yards and six touchdowns on 106 targets across 16 games. After finishing as the WR12 in PPR scoring in 2024, McConkey fell all the way to WR30 last season. However, there are reasons to believe the 24-year-old will bounce back in 2026. For one, Los Angeles hired Mike McDaniel as its new play-caller for 2026, which should help open up the offense and maximize McConkey's talent. Secondly, former Chargers wideout Keenan Allen currently remains unsigned. Allen led the team in targets in 2025 and also forced McConkey out of his natural position in the slot. As long as Allen does not end up back in Los Angeles, McConkey should be in line to set a new career-high in targets this year. In dynasty leagues where his stock is down, McConkey profiles as a prime buy-low target for fantasy managers
analyst
Keaton Mitchell Could be Low-Cost Trade Target
Keaton Mitchell could be a breakout candidate in 2026 due to a clearer path to carries with the Chargers
analyst
Backfield Kombat!!! | 2026’s High-Stakes Training Camp Battles to Watch
Training camp battles loom for several teams, particularly at tight end for the Chargers with additions of Charlie Kolar and David Njoku alongside returning Oronde Gadsden. In Carolina, Chuba Hubbard faces competition from a healthy Jonathon Brooks for the starting running back job. Meanwhile, the Browns will see Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders competing for the starting quarterback position
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.