#114 overall · LAC · 99.4 projected half-PPR pts · -12.6 Draft Value
Oronde Gadsden — 2026 Fantasy Outlook
The case for drafting him
Oronde Gadsden put together a legitimate first full season of NFL production in 2025: 49 receptions on 69 targets for 664 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. For a tight end, that catch rate and that yardage total on a modest target share represent a real foothold in the LAC passing game. He's young, he's already the primary tight end on the depth chart, and the raw counting stats suggest a player who can hold a role — not just fill one. The question is whether the volume grows.
What the model projects
The projection for Gadsden is 99.4 half-PPR fantasy points in 2026. His draft value sits at -12.6, meaning the projection lands below replacement level at the tight end position. That places him at TE11 and #114 overall, in Tier 9 on the board. The numbers reflect a player who is on the roster bubble of fantasy relevance — present, but not yet projecting as a reliable weekly starter.
| Att | Comp | Pass yds | Pass TD | INT | Car | Rush yds | Rush TD | Tgt | Rec | Rec yds | Rec TD | Fum | FG | XP | Half-PPR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 69 | 49 | 664 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 106.9 |
| 3-yr avg | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 69 | 49 | 664 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 108.9 |
The range of outcomes
The three-year aggregate stats are identical to his 2025 season line — 69 targets, 49 receptions, 664 yards, 3 touchdowns — which tells you 2025 was his entire NFL receiving history entering this projection. That single-season sample creates a wide outcome band. A season where his target share climbs and the touchdowns tick up could push him into TE1 territory on a weekly basis. A season where the volume stays flat or regresses leaves him as a streamer at best. There is genuine upside here, and genuine risk of irrelevance.
How to draft him
Gadsden is not being drafted consistently enough across platforms to carry a market ADP, so there is no pick cost to anchor to. In practice, that means he is available deep in drafts or on waivers in most leagues. At #114 overall as TE11, he profiles as a late-round flier or a post-draft add — the kind of tight end you target as a handcuff to your starter or a speculative upside play if you've already secured a reliable option at the position. His bye is Week 7, worth noting when building your roster. Don't reach for him, but don't forget him either.
Practice it in a free mock draft →
Questions drafters ask
He caught 49 of 69 targets for 664 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns, with 1 fumble lost. That is his entire NFL receiving history — the three-year aggregate is the same line.
He is TE11 and #114 overall, sitting in Tier 9 on the board. His draft value of -12.6 puts him below replacement level at the position.
The projection is 99.4 half-PPR fantasy points.
He does not have a market ADP — he is not being drafted consistently enough across platforms to produce one. He is available as a late-round speculative pick or a post-draft waiver add in most leagues.