Chargers rookie Oronde Gadsden’s fantasy football value skyrockets entering Week 8

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Now would be the time to add Los Angeles Chargers rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden to fantasy football rosters. 

Now would be the time to start Gadsden, not sit him, too. 

A name to watch after the Chargers drafted him in the fifth round because he joined a Justin Herbert-led offense and Tyler Conklin wasn’t exactly a major free-agent signing, Gadsden just had his breakout game. 

In Week 7 against the Indianapolis Colts, Gadsden caught seven of his nine targets for 164 yards and a score. He’s now averaging 14 yards per catch and climbing Herbert’s priority list by the snap. 

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Or as ESPN’s Eric Karabell put it, the fact Gadsden is only one of five tight ends in the NFL to go for 100-plus yards makes him a must-add: 

“Something positive is happening with Gadsden, the fifth-round rookie from Syracuse, as he followed up his 11.8 PPR points from Week 6 against the lowly Dolphins with 29.4 PPR points against the solid Colts. Sure, a good bit of these numbers came late in the game with the Chargers trailing, but it still happened.”

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Oronde Gadsden fantasy football outlook

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Gadsden is only rostered in 2.1 percent of ESPN leagues, so there’s zero reason to avoid him. As the Chargers offensive line keeps suffering injuries, the rookie will become more of a target-happy outlet for Herbert, as plays don’t have enough time to develop and instead go to the likes of Quentin Johnston, Ladd McConkey and Keenan Allen. 

This outcome really wasn’t hard to see coming, either. Will Dissly was never a threat to start. And Conklin has been a bust of a signing who struggled with blocking, to  the point of getting benched. 

As always with tight ends in fantasy football, there will be some big variance on a weekly basis. But Gadsden projects to remain a key part of the Chargers offense from here on out, making him steadier than most with some proven major ceilings already. 

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