Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh had plenty to smile about following his team’s 37-10 rout of the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night, especially the continued rise of rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II.
As Yahoo Sports noted, the rookie standout once again proved to be a difference-maker, earning a glowing review from Harbaugh after back-to-back breakout games.
“The thing that strikes me the most is he plays like he’s been playing in the NFL for two, three, four years,” Harbaugh said postgame.
“I’m sure Mr. and Mrs. Gadsden have poured that into him. Well-coached into him and well-parented into Oronde, it bodes well for the Chargers.”
Harbaugh added, “He’s always in the right spot, doing the right thing. You don’t have to tell him twice. For a rookie, that’s extremely rare.”
Harbaugh has made it clear that Gadsden will be a focal point of the Chargers offense going forward.
Gadsden’s Breakout Stretch
Over the last two weeks, Oronde Gadsden II has been one of the NFL’s most productive rookie pass catchers, totaling 241 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 16 receptions.
Against the Colts in Week 7, Gadsden exploded for 164 yards on seven receptions.
Against Minnesota, he followed with 77 yards and a red-zone score, giving him touchdowns in consecutive games for the first time in his young career.
In the past two games, he has had two catches that have resulted in over 40 yards, which displays his ability to stretch the defense and create big plays while also being a huge red zone threat for the Chargers.
“He’s the kind of guy that just finds open grass,” Herbert said.
“You can see his basketball background when he boxes guys out. It gives us a ton of confidence on third down.”
Harbaugh noted how quickly defenses are adjusting to Gadsden’s presence:
“On Ladd’s touchdown, they doubled Oronde. That’s respect. That’s what happens when you make plays two weeks in a row.”
Since Week 6, Gadsden has been targeted on 22% of Herbert’s throws, the highest rate among Los Angeles receivers besides Keenan Allen and his 2.52 yards per route run in that span ranks top-five among tight ends in the league.
Teammate Ladd McConkey added, “He’s not just catching the ball; he’s reading defenses like a vet. It’s helping all of us.”
Fantasy Football Outlook: Climbing Toward TE1 Status
From a fantasy perspective, Gadsden’s momentum has made him one of the hottest waiver-wire adds in football this week.
Over the past two games, he’s averaged 24.05 PPR points and finished as tight end No. 2 last week in all of fantasy football.
Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman has taken notice of his stellar play, expanding Gadsden’s role into multiple formations, including in-line, slot, and even split wide on 23% of his snaps.
That versatility has made him a reliable red-zone threat, where he’s been targeted five times inside the 20-yard line in just the past two weeks.
Harbaugh hinted that his workload may keep climbing: “He’s earned every snap. When a guy blocks, runs routes, and finishes like that, you keep feeding him.”
With favorable upcoming matchups against the Raiders (29th vs. TEs), Titans (24th), and Patriots (27th), Gadsden’s upside remains massive.
This is not a one-week wonder type of guy.
Gadsden has a legitimate shot to finish as a top-five, and potentially even top-three, fantasy tight end for the rest of the season.
As Harbaugh summed it up, “He’s the real deal. You can build around guys like that.”
Jim Harbaugh Sends Strong Message on Oronde Gadsden II After Breakout Stretch