A bevy of fantasy football managers are celebrating, as Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon is ending his holdout. While this is bad news for everyone who has Austin Ekeler on their roster, anyone who has Gordon has an elite fantasy running back on their team.
Gordon only played in 12 games in 2018, but he was still a qualified RB1. He put up 885 yards to go along with 10 scores on the ground. He gave managers a decent receiving value as well, as he had 490 yards and four touchdowns through the air. Despite the Chargers having elite depth at tailback, Gordon will be an absolute machine when it comes to opportunity. He averaged 19 touches per game in 2018, which is a healthy usage rate. For reference, Los Angeles Rams star Todd Gurley averaged 22.5 touches per game last year, so the usage rates are somewhat similar. Opportunity is the key to success in fantasy football, and Gordon's opportunities should only increase. Three weeks off to start the season is definitely helpful to durability, so expect the Chargers to make Gordon their workhorse.
While Gordon is the clear lead back in Los Angeles, there are always fantasy managers who specialize in overthinking. People like this will inevitably be afraid of Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson taking Gordon's touches. I've already gone over Gordon's touches last year, and he played with both Jackson and Ekeler in 2018. “But what about Ekeler's hot start to the season?” skeptics ask. The answer is simple. It doesn't matter. Gordon is one of the most talented runners in the NFL, and Ekeler can't match his rushing ability. Even during the holdout, Ekeler split time with Jackson running the football, as there are concerns over his ability to run between the tackles. While Gordon will probably lose some receiving opportunities, it doesn't make much of a difference. He will dominate the offensive snaps at running back for Los Angeles.
Another factor in calculating Gordon's value is the amount of scoring opportunities he will receive. Through the three games that have been played in the 2019 season, the Chargers haven't had a clear-cut leader when the team gets on the goal line. One would think that Justin Jackson is the choice, but he just hasn't received the touches. Gordon should come back to the team and assume the rule easily. Gordon is 6'1″ and 215 pounds, which is taller and heavier than Jackson.
All in all, Gordon is a RB1 and should be valued as no less. He may get off to a slow start as the rust falls off, but don't panic. There's no doubt in my mind that he will finish inside the top ten in running back scoring.
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