Week 15 vs. Minnesota Vikings
In Week 14, Austin Ekeler out-snapped Melvin Gordon 31 to 29 but Gordon out-touched Ekeler 17 to 12. Gordon finished with 12 rushing attempts for 51 yards and one touchdown, five receptions for 29 yards, and was the half PPR RB12.
The Vikings are better at defending the run than the pass. They are a good example of a pass funneling defense. They are fourth-worst against wide receivers but eighteenth best against running backs, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Gordon ranked as a low-end half PPR RB1. The Chargers will continue to use a running back by committee approach but Gordon still has a safe floor and a reasonable ceiling for a running back in a committee.
Week 14 at Jacksonville Jaguars
The blueprint to beating the Jaguars is through the running game. The Jaguars are the third-worst defense against running backs, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Gordon ranked as the half PPR RB8. Gordon continues to split time with Austin Ekeler but is a good start in a great matchup against the Jaguars.
Week 13 at Denver Broncos
Points might be limited in this game because it has the second-lowest over/under (38.5) of the week. The Broncos are seventh-best against running backs, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. Since Gordon’s return to the field in Week 5, he has out-touched Austin Ekeler 118 to 80, out-snapped Ekeler 263 to 241, but Ekeler has outscored him in half PPR scoring 90.6 points to 85.1. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Gordon ranked as a high-end half PPR RB2.
Week 11 vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Mexico City)
In Week 10, Melvin Gordon out-snapped Ekeler 48 to 35 and out-touched him 23 to 8. Over the last three weeks, Gordon is averaging 18.7 touches per game and Ekeler is only averaging 9.7 touches per game. In Week 10, Gordon finished with 22 rushing attempts for 108 yards and one touchdown and one reception for 25 yards. He was the half PPR RB5.
The Chief’s defense is much better against the pass than the run. They are a good example of a run funneling defense. They are second-worst against running backs but seventh best against wide receivers, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. Gordon will look to follow in Derrick Henry’s footsteps and post back-to-back 100-yard rushing games. Henry gashed the Chiefs for 188 rushing yards and two touchdowns last week. This Monday Night game in Mexico City has the highest over/under (52.5) of the week. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Gordon ranked as a middle of the pack half PPR RB1.
Week 10 at Oakland Raiders
Welcome back, Melvin Gordon! In Week 9, Gordon out-snapped Ekeler 45 to 24 and out-touched him 23 to 16. He had 20 rushing attempts for 80 yards and two touchdowns and three receptions on four targets for 29 yards. Shane Steichen took over the play-calling duties and Gordon had his best week of the season. The Chargers had the fortune of playing with the lead for the entire game but it is good to see Gordon flashback to his 2018 form.
Oakland’s defense is much better against the run than the pass. They are a perfect example of a pass funneling defense. They are 11th against running backs but third-worst against wide receivers, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. Gordon has a difficult matchup but his usage is trending in a positive direction. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Gordon ranked as a high-end half PPR RB2 this week.
Week 9 vs Green Bay Packers
In Week 8, Gordon out-snapped Ekeler 25 to 24 and out-touched him 10 to 5. He had eight rushing attempts for 31 yards and a touchdown and two receptions on three targets for 3 yards. We will continue to monitor snaps and carries closely because offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt was fired after the game. Shane Steichen will take over the play-calling duties.
Green Bay is much better against the pass than the run. They are a good example of a run funneling defense. This is good for Gordon because he has been averaging more rushing attempts per game than Ekeler. Green Bay is eighth-worst against the running back position but eighth-best against wide receivers, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Gordon ranked as a mid-range half PPR RB2.
Week 8 at Chicago Bears
Gordon was out-snapped by Ekeler 38 to 34 but out-touched Ekeler 18 to 12. He had sixteen rushing attempts for 32 yards and two receptions on three targets for -3 yards and one touchdown. Yes, you read those stats correctly. Gordon had negative receiving yards but managed to score a receiving touchdown. Gordon has been inefficient since returning to the field in Week 5. His longest run in three games is seven yards. However, the coaching staff does not seem to mind but this isn’t surprising because the Chargers do not have a single analytics employee on staff.
Chicago is the sixteenth best defense against the running back position, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Gordon ranked as the half PPR RB25.
Week 8 at Chicago Bears
Gordon out-snapped Ekeler 37 to 28 and out-touched him 11 to 8. Continue to monitor the snaps and touches on a weekly basis to get a better idea of the Charger’s game plan with their running back by committee.
Tennessee is the ninth-best defense against the running back position, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4 rankings expert John Paulsen has Gordon ranked as the half PPR RB22 this week. Touchdowns might be few and far between because this matchup has the third-lowest over/under (41) of the week.
Week 6 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Chargers tried to force feed Melvin Gordon until they found themselves down by 17 points at halftime. Partially due to the negative game script, Ekeler out-snapped Gordon 46 to 32 and out-touched him 18 to 16. Gordon had 12 rushing attempts and four receptions while Ekeler had three rushing attempts and 15 receptions. Monitoring snaps and touches on a weekly basis will be key to solving this running back by committee going forward. After one week, it looks like Gordon will be the primary runner, while Ekeler is the pass catching back. However, it is important to avoid putting too much emphasis on a small sample and approach this backfield was with a fluid mindset.
Also keep in mind, a running back reception in half PPR scoring is worth about three times the value of a rushing attempt and four times the value in full PPR leagues, per Sharp Football Analysis.
Pittsburgh is the seventh best defense against the running back position, as shown by our signature schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed metric. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Gordon ranked as a half PPR RB18 this week. For reference, Ekeler and Gordon are back-to-back in Paulsen’s half PPR rankings at 17 and 18, respectively.
Week 5 vs. Denver Broncos
Gordon was active last week but did not play against the Dolphins.
Per Gilbert Manzano on Friday, Chargers Head Coach Anthony Lynn said, “I don’t want to put (Melvin Gordon) in there and play him too much, and I really don’t have to. I like what Austin Ekeler has been doing.” The Chargers will most likely ease Gordon back into the starting role.
The Broncos defense presents as a run-funnel. This means it is easier to run the ball against the Broncos than it is to pass. Their secondary is sixth best against quarterbacks but their defensive front is third worst against running backs. 4for4 rankings expert, John Paulsen, has Gordon ranked as a half PPR RB2 this week. Be sure to monitor the news around Gordon as Sunday approaches.
