Who Should I Start? Stephen Carlson or Oronde Gadsden

Saturday, September 28, 9:17 PM

The Chicago Bears placed tight end Stephen Carlson (collarbone) on injured reserve Saturday ahead of their Week 4 home matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Carlson, who was just signed from the team's practice squad this past Tuesday, suffered a serious collarbone injury during Thursday's practice and will now miss at least the next four contests. The earliest he is eligible to return will be Nov. 3 -- Chicago's Week 9 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. It's a crushing blow for the 27-year-old who was slated for his first NFL action since his time back in 2020 with the Cleveland Browns. The Bears will roll out their usual three-man tight-end rotation, with Cole Kmet set to take the majority of the snaps and Gerald Everett and Marcedes Lewis working in behind him.

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.