Year 2 Chargers TE Oronde Gadsden has already had a roller-coaster of a career. He started out as a late round flier in 2025 rookie drafts and by midseason he was a Top-10 dynasty tight end. From weeks 6-9 in the 2025 season, Gadsden averaged 17.9 PPR ppg and it looked like a full on breakout was imminent before a deep bone bruise knocked him out in Week 10.
The Chargers signed the two veteran TE’s David Njoku and Charlie Kolar this offseason, squeezing Gadsden’s role. He posted just 32 yards on 2 catches in Week 1 and saw the field sparingly. Budding star WR Ladd McConkey left week 1’s game with a chest injury and has not practiced this week. On Thursday, Mike McDaniel said that “moving forward; this game in particular” Gadsden will be “more involved.” He is PlayerProfiler’s TE28 with room to rise in the weeks ahead. ~Justin Teck
The Los Angeles Chargers selected Auburn wide receiver ...
Charlie Kolar secured a three-year bag and sits atop the depth chart, yet his profile lacks juice after posting an anemic 3.7-percent Target Share and 19.9-percent Route Participation rate last season. While David Njoku offers 97th-percentile Burst Score athleticism and sophomore Oronde Gadsden II brings slot versatility, Mike McDaniel’s deployment trends suggest a cannibalistic rotation that limits route volume.
Bottom line for fantasy football: Do not chase this fragmented tight end committee, even for Week 1 against Arizona.
Los Angeles’ first unofficial depth chart lists Charlie Kolar, Oronde Gadsden II and David Njoku as co-starters, meaning the second year breakout candidate is looking closer to the Chargers’ TE3 than the TE1.
Gadsden flashed serious upside as a rookie, but a potential TE committee with Kolar and Njoku could crush the consistent volume fantasy managers are seeking. The talent is still there, but he may be starved for opportunity in Year 2. For the Chargers, the depth gives Justin Herbert more versatility, but Gadsden is dropping in fantasy drafts. He is PlayerProfiler’s TE19 in the “World Famous” Draft Kit.
Daniel Popper of The Athletic wants you to believe Charlie Kolar is primed to take over the tight end room, pointing to untapped pass-catching potential. Kolar was brought to Los Angeles to play in-line, but his athletic profile is impressive.
Kolar has managed just 30 receptions for 409 yards across four seasons while buried behind Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. The Chargers have a high-octane offense, and Kolar recently signed a 3-year, $24.3 million contract with Los Angeles. Kolar’s athleticism combined with the organizational commitment and media buzz demands the attention of deep dynasty league managers in tight end premium leagues.
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey is officially the first Top-50 ADP fantasy asset to be injured during June workouts. McConkey minimized concerns regarding his hamstring strain, which was echoed by head coach Jim Harbaugh who said, “he is working through something” and it “isn’t a big concern.”
While the injury costs the sophomore receiver valuable training reps in Mike McDaniel’s new offensive scheme, he is facing a standard recovery window of weeks rather than months. Ironically, one of June’s highest ADP risers is the first to fall. Buy the dip on McConkey in all fantasy football formats and expect the target hog, who commanded a 21.3-percent Target Share to be fully functional by August.
Veteran David Njoku is expected to compliment second-year hybrid weapon Oronde Gadsden and $24 million in-line bruiser Charlie Kolar as Mike McDaniel plans to draw up jumbo packages with “run-pass conflicts” in 2026. Njoku brings a decade of elite yards after catch upside, but he is coming off a massive efficiency cliff where he recorded a meager 12.0% Target Share across 12 games.
Gadsden and his 13.6 Yards Per Reception (No. 3) are undeniable, but if Njoku makes it to Week 1 healthy, Rhim expects him to carve out a meaningful role demonstrating “valuable experience that a guy like Gadsden can learn from.” Meanwhile, Kolar is the highest-paid tight end on the roster, so it is reasonable to assume McDaniel is preparing to call a high rate of 13-personnel packages this season.
