Elijah Higgins or Oronde Gadsden: Who Should You Start?

Start Gadsden — the availability and game script edges are too wide to ignore.

Oronde Gadsden is the healthier side of this call (Higgins carries a Questionable tag) and plays in the better game script (28.5 implied team points to 17.0). No signal favors Higgins this week. The gap is wide.

Elijah Higgins

TEARIvs LAC

1.31.92.6 Projected Points

Sit· high

Oronde Gadsden

TE26LACvs ARI

3.03.94.8 Projected Points

Sit

Why Elijah Higgins

Sit· high

TE2 and converted receiver. Move-tight end role with rotational snaps behind McBride.

2.6 projected points on a 6% target share, plus a top-5 DvP matchup and a 17.0 implied total as 11.5-point dogs — unstartable TE.

Carries a Questionable tag — usually plays, but monitor the final report.
LAC ranks 5 of 32 against TEs (one of the tougher matchups, 0-game sample).
Vegas implies 17.0 team points as 11.5-point underdogs.
Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 43% snap share in 2025.

The call

The usage isn't there: 43% snap share with just a 6% target share over 16 games means he's a blocking-first TE, not a receiving option worth a lineup spot.
Vegas paints an ugly picture — 11.5-point underdog with a 17.0 implied total, so there are few touchdowns to go around and the passing volume that does come won't funnel to him.
The Chargers rate 5 of 32 in DvP vs tight ends (softest = 32), so even the projected 2.6 points has little upside baked in.
Questionable tag adds pure downside risk to a floor that's already near zero — any waiver TE with a defined route role beats this.

Why Oronde Gadsden

Sit

Sit — TE26 consensus, projects TE35 this week: ARI is the 6th-softest matchup vs TEs, 28.5 implied team total.

ARI ranks 27 of 32 against TEs (one of the softer matchups, 0-game sample).
Vegas implies 28.5 team points as 11.5-point favorites.
Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 63% snap share in 2025.

Head-to-head stats

Metric	Elijah Higgins	Oronde Gadsden
Projected points	1.31.92.6	3.03.94.8
Consensus rank	—	TE26
Opponent vs position	LAC · 5 of 320-game sample	ARI · 27 of 320-game sample
Receptions	3 of 32	30 of 32
Receiving Yards	4 of 32	30 of 32
Receiving TDs	9 of 32	26 of 32
Targets	2 of 32	24 of 32
Anytime TD	9 of 32	26 of 32
Target share	6%(2025)	14%(2025)
Reception share	8%(2025)	15%(2025)
Implied total · spread	17.0+11.5	28.5-11.5
Depth chart	TE2	TE3
Snap share	43%(2025)	63%(2025)
Injury designation	Questionable	—