Week 9 vs. Tennessee
Melvin Gordon didn't find the end zone, but still had a pretty solid fantasy performance last week against the Broncos. Gordon ran for 111 yards on 23 carries and added four catches for 44 yards. He had a 4.83 YPC last week, his best of the season.
It was only the second time this year Gordon didn't find the end zone, ironically the other time also came against the Broncos (he finished the year with 50 carries for 205 yards vs. Denver). This week, it's actually a tougher matchup on paper as the Titans are ninth in allowing fantasy points to RBs. But Gordon comes in at fourth on our RB this week at home and looks to be a must-play. Over his last three games, he's averaging over 23 carries a game.
Week 8 at Denver
Melvin Gordon carried the ball 22 times for 68 yards and two more TDs last week, giving him eight rushing scores for the season. He added six catches for 53 yards and another TD in the passing game. He only averages 3.09 yards per carry and has just a 3.34 YPC average for the season. Gordon is getting the work but is very TD dependent in terms of fantasy.
Ironically, one of his highest yardage totals came two weeks ago against the same Broncos he'll face this week. He had a 27-94-0 line that game, and it was the only game this year where he didn't score a TD. The Broncos are 15th in allowing fantasy points to RBs, so it's not a terrible matchup and the Chargers are sure to try to once again establish the run game in this contest. As a result, Gordon comes in seventh on our RB list and remains a RB1 play even against a good Broncos defense.
Week 7 at Atlanta
Melvin Gordon didn't light the world on fire last week, but did have 94 yards against the Broncos. He needed 27 carries to do it, giving him a 3.48 yards per carry average (which is actually above his 3.39 YPC average for the year).
Gordon has been TD-dependent this year, but last week was the first week he didn't find the end zone. However, the 94 yards was his second-best total so far this season. This week, Gordon gets the Falcons, who are 27th in allowing fantasy points to RBs. The Falcon D only allowed 64 rushing yards to Christine Michael, but also allowed two rushing TDs. So, this is a nice matchup for Gordon who plays as a mid-range RB1. Just based on workload alone, Gordon should be in lineups.
Week 6 vs. Denver
Melvin Gordon's TD streak reached five games last week. That's the good news. The bad news is he fumbled again, which is now back-to-back weeks. The team says they will stick with Gordon, but the fumbles have to be a concern at this point.
Last week, Gordon carried 16 times for 69 yards and added an 18-yard reception for a TD. It was his first receiving TD of the season after racking up six rushing TDs in the first four weeks. Gordon gets the Broncos at home this week on a short week. Denver is only 24th in allowing fantasy points to RBs, so this isn't a terrible matchup for Gordon owners (on paper at least).
The Chargers have tried to run the ball over the last several years to keep then-starting QB Peyton Manning off the field and control the clock. It's possible they use that approach this week, even without Manning to deal with. Gordon did run 12 times for 55 yards against the Broncos during Week 13 of last year (4.58 YPC), so he has had limited success in a small sample size. He's ranked 12th on our RB list and should probably still be in lineups based on his workload alone.
Week 5 at Oakland
The good news is Melvin Gordon scored two more TDs in Week 4. The bad news is he only rushed for 36 yards on 19 rushes (though he did add six catches for 43 yards). He also lost a key fumble late in the game that helped the Chargers surrender a fourth quarter lead.
For Gordon, another fumble adds to what has become an issue in his short career. With not much behind Gordon to take carries, it's hard to imagine this puts him in the doghouse (but it's something to keep an eye on). Gordon has a decent matchup against the Raiders this week, who are in the middle of the pack in terms of allowing fantasy points to RBs. Gordon does have some juicy matchups in the future, and given how involved he now is in the passing game (10 catches for 89 yards over the last two games), Gordon should be a fixture in lineups.
Week 4 vs. New Orleans
It wasn't a great day running the ball for Melvin Gordon, but his fantasy owners were rewarded with a TD to help out his point totals. Gordon finished with 16 carries for just 35 yards, but did collect four passes for 43 yards on seven targets - a good sign for owners.
This week, it's a great matchup at home against the Saints, who are 32nd in allowing fantasy points to RBs. Gordon seems like a must-start this week, and actually has very favorable matchups straight through Week 8. Gordon is averaging just 3.59 yards per rush, but does have a TD in each of his first three games. With the passing weapons for the Chargers seemingly going down every week, Gordon should be counted on for about 20 touches again in Week 4.
Week 3 at Indianapolis
Melvin Gordon rushed 24 times for 102 yards and a TD last week. Gordon owners will likely cash in their lottery tickets this week with the loss of Danny Woodhead for the year. That now leaves Gordon as the team's primary back, with not a lot of experience behind him.
On top of that, Gordon gets a nice matchup this week against the Colts and is ranked all the way up to third on our RB list. In Week 1, with a big lead, Gordon got just six touches in an eventual loss, but that shouldn't be the case any longer. Gordon got 24 carries in Week 2, a career high. He never had more than 18 in a game in his short career. It looks like Gordon will be counted on heavily going forward and should be ranked as an RB1 in a lot of matchups the rest of the way.
Week 2 vs. Jacksonville
Melvin Gordon finally got his first NFL touchdown, in fact, he collected two last week. He finished with 14 carries for 57 yards and the two scores giving owners who trusted him a pleasant surprise. The bad news was Gordon got just six touches in the second half and played on 31.5-percent of the snaps while Danny Woodhead was close to 70-percent.
Gordon gets a nice matchup this week against the Jags who are ranked 24th in allowing fantasy points to RBs. Gordon is ranked 25th on our PPR RB list and should be poised for at least a similar workload, especially without Keenan Allen at WR. The Bolts could be forced to run the ball a bit more going forward, which would obviously benefit Gordon. It's still the safest bet to play him as a high-end flex option if at all possible. Something to keep in mind is he has favorable matchups straight through Week 12.
Week 1 at Kansas City
Melvin Gordon was generally a disappointment in his rookie season last year. But with a year under his belt and a pretty good camp and preseason, he could be a surprise fantasy RB to owners who waited until the middle rounds to draft at the position. Gordon fumbled four times last year and ran for just 641 yards before missing the final two games.
While Gordon has impressed so far in summer, this is going to be a tough first game. The Chiefs come in third in allowing fantasy points to RBs. Gordon had a combined 29 carries for 72 yards last season against KC in two games. Not great numbers. As a result, Gordon enters Week 1 ranked 29th among RBs, making him more of a flex or high-end RB2 option. If you have better options, owners may want to think about sitting Gordon.
Fantasy Upside
Early last season, head coach Mike McCoy saw flashes of the player he expected when the Chargers drafted Melvin Gordon in the first round last year. McCoy said he expects to see more of those types of plays from Gordon in his second season. "He's going to be a better player," McCoy said. He almost has to be, right? Gordon made it through 14 games, averaging 3.5 yards a carry. After scoring 32 touchdowns his final season at Wisconsin, Gordon was held without a score his first season in San Diego, although the Chargers seldom gave him the ball in the red zone. Gordon started the season strong but appeared to lose confidence as the offensive line experienced injuries and inconsistent play up front, failing to regularly open up holes. Gordon eventually exhibited fumbling issues and a hesitancy in choosing the right running lane. The Chargers could not get the running game going and had to lean on Philip Rivers to carry the offense. They obviously hope to change that this fall.
Fantasy Downside
Gordon underwent micro-fracture knee surgery in January. He was making all the cuts and stops and starts when working on individual drills in early June, but there's a long way between that and taking on live bullets in the regular season. He is expected to be ready for training camp, but his progress bears watching.
2016 Bottom Line
Gordon is still an athlete who has a 2,000-yard season on his college resume and McCoy hopes the addition of new offensive line coach Jeff Davidson will help create more consistent play up front. Assuming Gordon demonstrates he's at full speed at some point before Week 1, he'll be available at a very reasonable price and he's not without upside.
