Mattek urged drafters to take late swings on Oronde Gadsden II after the rookie ran every passing-down route in the Hall of Fame game while being subbed out on run-blocking snaps—exactly the usage fantasy managers crave. Veterans Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin handled grunt work, underscoring that the coaching staff already sees Gadsden as the move tight end. Mattek added that Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman quietly flipped the Chargers to a pass-heavy attack after their 2024 bye, finishing positive in PROE, and he would not be shocked if Justin Herbert approached 600 attempts in 2025. If that volume materializes, Gadsden needs only a modest target share to pay off his free ADP, with upside to be Herbert’s primary seam-stretch option by midseason.

Steven Pintado called Oronde Gadsden a worthwhile end-of-bench dart throw after the rookie flashed throughout Chargers mini-camp and the opening week of training camp. Gadsden’s lone obstacle is veteran Tyler Conklin, who has never posted a top-15 fantasy season. Pintado conceded non-Day-1 and Day-2 tight ends rarely finish better than TE21 as rookies but argued Gadsden’s size-speed combo and a wide-open competition give him a puncher’s chance to beat that historical ceiling. Dynasty managers in need of upside should stash him now before preseason games drive up the price.

Steve Palazzolo said there is “a world where Gadsden becomes a favorite target of Justin Herbert” and laid out why the hybrid pass catcher is an immediate buy in late-round best-ball or rookie drafts. At 6'5 with a giant catch radius, Gadsden offers the contested-catch and seam-stretch profile the roster currently lacks after moving on from Mike Williams. Palazzolo noted Herbert has historically funneled red-zone looks to big bodies (23% of his career TDs went to Williams or TE Gerald Everett) and Greg Roman’s offense is expected to feature multiple tight ends and over-routes that play to Gadsden’s strengths. With first-round pick Ladd McConkey drawing primary coverage and Quentin Johnston relegated to vertical clear-outs, Palazzolo sees a realistic path to 80-plus targets as a rookie if camp reports remain positive. He advised scooping Gadsden now before preseason hype drives his ADP into the single-digit rounds.