David Njoku
Njoku is out on injured reserve with a fibula injury, so he is unavailable now, and no return date has been reported. His role after he returns is unsettled.
Role
He has missed games since going on IR, and the minimum is four games. The Athlon/Harbaugh injury update from today still lists him on IR. Before the injury he led Chargers tight ends with 25 routes run in two games, catching six passes for 67 yards (NBC Sports/Rotoworld). Oronde Gadsden was described as the clear No. 1 tight end while Njoku is out (Rotoballer). Charlie Kolar (forearm) was initially expected to go to IR. ESPN later reported the team reversed that and would not place him there. I have not read a current depth chart or any snap-share data, so I won't state a snap share.
Before the injury he looked like the top pass-catching tight end on the roster. He caught all five of his targets for 58 yards in Week 1 (Rotoballer). Coverage also called him one of the league's best tight ends at yards after catch over the past decade, and the new offense under Mike McDaniel is meant to create run-pass conflict through the tight end spot (Rotoworld). If he returns healthy, he could take back the lead receiving role.
Coverage describes his last season as one of his worst as a pro, and notes he has had lower-body injuries recently (Rotoworld). Now he has a fibula injury that kept him on the field for only two games. He is 30, and the team has not announced a recovery timeline or whether surgery is needed (PicksHub). Gadsden and Kolar will keep taking tight end snaps while he is out, so he may not walk back into the lead role.
Where analysts split
Broad agreement on the near term: he is out for at least four games. The open question, which the sources I found do not address, is whether he reclaims the lead tight end job from Gadsden after IR, or whether the job has already shifted. I found no analyst argument on this.
Injury: IR: assessed real
Fibula injury, practice window opening this week
Njoku remains on IR but the report indicates the team is likely to open his practice window this week, a concrete step toward activation; he is not yet fantasy-startable until he's actually back and shows snap share.
What would change this: Confirmation that the practice window has opened and subsequent practice participation/snap counts once activated.
Research confidence: thin. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
Others at TE
Fantasy Memo reads your league and answers that every Tuesday, and checks again before kickoff.
Connect your league: 14 days free