Who Should I Start? Albert Okwuegbunam or Oronde Gadsden

Saturday, October 4, 8:41 PM

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Albert Okwuegbunam was elevated from the practice squad ahead of Sunday's meeting with the Colts. Michael Mayer (concussion) has already been ruled out, marking his second-straight absence. In addition, Brock Bowers (knee) is "trending toward not playing." If Bowers ends up missing the Week 4 matchup versus Indianapolis, Ian Thomas and Okwuegbunam could see extra looks from Geno Smith. However, neither player can be trusted from a fantasy standpoint, so managers should look in another direction for Bowers' replacement. The same can be said for rookie Carter Runyon, who hasn't done much this season.

Friday, December 26, 10:08 AM

Los Angeles Chargers rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden saw his involvement crater last week, recording just one catch for seven yards on a season-low 3.5% target share. This drop in usage stems from the Chargers prioritizing extra pass protection for their battered offensive line, leaving non-blocking Gadsden on the sidelines for significant stretches. The Week 17 matchup against the Houston Texans offers little hope for a rebound. While Houston is occasionally susceptible to tight end touchdowns, they rank top-10 in yards allowed to the position and lead the league in EPA/Pass. With Gadsden's routes and targets trending sharply downward, he cannot be trusted during the most important week of the fantasy season. He should remain on your bench as a low-end TE2.