Oronde Gadsden — Week 3: Three Third-Down Targets, No Catches
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 28
Gadsden was thrown to 3 times, all on third down, and caught none; two of the drives ended in punts and one in a field goal. A pass intended for him was intercepted in the end zone in the third quarter and wiped out by a Buffalo holding penalty, and David Njoku was on injured reserve, per Chargers.com, in a 24–16 loss to the Bills.
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10 to 10, nine minutes left in the third quarter, first and six at the Buffalo six. Justin Herbert threw short right for Oronde Gadsden, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson intercepted it in the end zone. It did not count: Buffalo was flagged for defensive holding, and the Chargers kept the ball at the three. The drive ended in a 21-yard field goal. Earlier on the same drive Gadsden had been flagged for an illegal block that wiped out a Ladd McConkey run and cost 10 yards.
The line: three targets, no catches, −3.3 expected points added on the targets — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — the second-lowest figure among the Chargers thrown to. All three came on third down. Third and nine at the Chargers 30 with six 14 left in the first quarter, up seven, deep left, 16 yards in the air, incomplete, and a punt. Third and 10 from the 30 with a minute 52 left in the third, up 13 to 10, short left, incomplete, and a punt. Third and seven at the Buffalo 15 with two oh six left in the game, down 24 to 13, short left, incomplete, and a field goal. One target before halftime, two after.
David Njoku went on injured reserve with a knee injury after Week 2, per Chargers.com. Three targets tied Gadsden with Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal, behind Tre Harris's seven, Quentin Johnston's six, Ladd McConkey's five and Alec Ingold's four.
Back in June the preview made no call on Gadsden: a rookie season of 49 catches for 664 yards, and the split with Njoku as the thing to watch. Week 1 went to Njoku, five targets to two. Week 2 Gadsden had two again with a touchdown, and Njoku was hurt in the second quarter. Sunday was the first game without Njoku at all, and the targets did not move: three, no catches, the first game this season he has not caught everything thrown to him. Three games: seven targets, four catches, 50 yards, one touchdown. Three games settle little. The Chargers are at the Seahawks on Sunday the fourth.
_Data via nflverse._
When Oronde Gadsden's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
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