David Njoku and 2 More Sleeper TEs to Target

The Footballguys staff digs deep for sleepers at tight end.

Footballguys Staff's David Njoku and 2 More Sleeper TEs to Target Footballguys Staff Published 07/10/2026

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A fantasy draft is all about obtaining the most value with each selection. Value is available throughout a draft, and grabbing it is one of the most important keys to a successful fantasy team. To highlight this value, we asked our staff to go beyond the highly rated players and identify those who have a good chance of outperforming their current ADP.

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Here are the players who received votes.

David Njoku, Los Angeles Chargers

Maurile Tremblay: The fantasy community appears to have moved on from David Njoku, treating his offseason move as the quiet final chapter of a sunsetting career. That read is wrong. Njoku just turned 30 and is entering his tenth season as a proven, explosive athlete with elite yards-after-catch ability and a reputation in contested-catch situations that need not erode with age. His 2023 Pro Bowl line (81 catches, 882 yards, six touchdowns) is not ancient history, and his 25 red-zone touchdowns since 2017 rank tied for ninth among all tight ends in that span.

Drafters who view him as a complementary piece in a new offense are missing the structural reasons he could outproduce expectations. The blocking responsibilities in his new room are absorbed by Charlie Kolar, another offseason signing, freeing Njoku to function almost exclusively as a receiver.

And his new head coach has a long track record of scheming athletic tight ends open in the intermediate game. Pair that with red-zone usage that has been remarkably consistent across coordinators and a coaching staff that has publicly singled out his scheme versatility, and the ingredients for a very solid fantasy TE2 are in place.

Jason Wood: The fantasy community has quickly soured on David Njoku after just one disappointing season, completely ignoring the fact that he rattled off back-to-back-to-back top-8 finishes from 2022 through 2024. While it is fair to argue that Njoku should no longer be drafted as a locked-in fantasy starter, his current depressed market cost implies he has absolutely no path to relevance. That couldn't be further from the truth.

After biding his time in free agency, Njoku signed with the Los Angeles Chargers following the NFL draft. Chasing a potent offense with legitimate Super Bowl potential, he now finds himself running routes scripted by newly hired offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and catching passes from Justin Herbert. It is an immense structural upgrade from the inconsistent quarterback play he dealt with in Cleveland.  

Some managers worry that Oronde Gadsden II's presence relegates Njoku to a clear backup role. However, Los Angeles prioritizing an established veteran like Njoku despite already having Gadsden on the roster suggests the team wants a major two-tight-end attack. Smart fantasy managers should fade Gadsden as a top-10 option and instead target Njoku at the tail end of drafts as an elite TE2.

Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars

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