Who Should I Start? Brayden Willis or Oronde Gadsden

Saturday, December 27, 6:41 PM

San Francisco 49ers tight end Brayden Willis has been elevated from the practice squad ahead of the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears. The elevation of Willis is not a good sign for fellow tight end George Kittle (ankle), who is questionable for this contest. The fact that Willis was brought up means Kittle is most likely going to miss this weekend's game. If Kittle sits, Jake Tonges figures to operate as the primary tight end in this offense. Tonges posted some decent performances earlier in the season when Kittle was sidelined. He could offer some streaming appeal to tight-end-needy fantasy managers, assuming Kittle is unable to play.

Sunday, January 11, 7:02 PM

Los Angeles Chargers rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden displayed his versatility and developed a strong connection with Justin Herbert during the 2025 NFL season. The 22-year-old had 49 catches for 664 yards and three touchdowns on 69 targets. Gadsden was a pleasant surprise for fantasy managers who were able to snipe him off waivers in his rookie season. Entering Wild Card Weekend, Gadsden will face a solid New England Patriots defense. The Patriots' defense allowed the fourth-fewest rushing touchdowns and the sixth-fewest rushing yards, while having one of the NFL's mild passing defenses. This could favor the Gadsden and the Chargers' passing attack. If the Chargers have a slow start running the football, they could turn Herbert's arm loose early. Gadsden could see a good number of targets against an average NFL passing defense in his NFL playoff game.