Melvin Gordon

Gordon's second season in Denver was nearly a carbon copy of his first from a production standpoint, as he managed 11 fewer scrimmage yards on 16 fewer touches while once again scoring 10 touchdowns. He finished top 10 in the league for broken tackles (20) and top 12 for rushing yards after contact (456), with the latter also an exact match for his 2020 performance. Gordon's best asset remains speed, and he's averaged 4.6 and 4.5 yards per carry through two seasons in Denver after averaging 4.0 YPC in his five years with the Chargers. He's back with the Broncos on a one-year deal after failing to find a better offer this offseason, but his role could shrink after 2021 second-round draft pick Javonte Williams made a big impression as a rookie. The addition of quarterback Russell Wilson also makes a big difference, though an increased emphasis on the passing game could work out fine for the team's running backs if they spend more time in the red zone and get more high-value touches near the goal line. Just know that it likely will be the 22-year-old Williams working ahead of the 29-year-old Gordon this time around.

Gordon's first season in Denver was similar to his final year with the Chargers. The veteran back fell just short of 1,000 rushing yards and 10 rushing TDs while splitting work with Phillip Lindsay, but 4.6 YPC was the second-highest mark of Gordon's career, and his efficiency was even more impressive considering the dilapidated state of the Broncos' offensive line. Gordon has always possessed great speed in the open field dating to his Wisconsin days, though he isn't the most elusive or powerful runner. Denver didn't use him as a receiver as often as the Bolts did, but he's shown over the years that he's capable enough on that front when called upon. While the offseason departure of Lindsay opened the door to a significant volume increase, that door quickly slammed shut when the Broncos traded up in the second round to select Javonte Williams, a physical back with three-down potential. Instead of pushing for 300 touches this season, Gordon could be in a fight just to get back to 200.

Gordon's holdout for a big contract extension proved to be one of the poorer decisions in the league last year. The running back sat out the first four games of the season before reluctantly returning, and when the Chargers showed no interest in bringing him back this year, he wound up signing a two-year deal with the Broncos that was worth less than what the Bolts originally had offered him. Once he returned to the fold, Gordon saw his fewest touches per game since his rookie season, as Austin Ekeler had proven himself capable of handling a larger workload, and Gordon's performance did not warrant more volume anyway. In fact, his broken tackle rate (38th) and average yards after contact (1.9, 34th) both ranked near the bottom of the league, in the same range as the man he is supplanting in the Denver backfield, Royce Freeman. Gordon will find himself in a similar timeshare with his new team, splitting reps with Phillip Lindsay, but at the very least should enjoy better play from his offensive line, something he needs to make full use of his speed in the open field. A few big games should be on the horizon, but expecting consistent production from him week to week might be asking too much.

Gordon's brief dalliance with being an iron man ended quickly. After playing 16 games the year before, he suited up for a career-low 12 in 2018, with multiple lower-body injuries plaguing him throughout the campaign, including a three-game absence due to a knee injury Weeks 13-15. Despite the bumps and bruises, Gordon enjoyed his most efficient season to date, producing 5.1 YPC and 14 total touchdowns, both career highs. Gordon still has great speed and can be hard to bring down (his 26 broken tackles on the ground tied for seventh in the league) but he's never shown particularly good vision. He relies heavily on his offensive line to pave the way, something the Chargers' rebuilt unit did more consistently in 2018 than in seasons past. Gordon is useful in the passing game but not a true difference-maker; his contributions fall shy of the Kamara-Barkley-McCaffrey level. The team also was reluctant to use him at the goal line, where his five carries inside the 5-yard line actually tied his scatback understudy Austin Ekeler, whose solid work may complicate contract negotiations between Gordon and the Chargers. The 26-year-old showed up for mandatory minicamp in June, but he was a holdout for the start of training camp. Quickly switching to a hardball approach, Gordon reportedly will request a trade if he doesn't get the deal he wants.

Playing a full 16-game schedule for the first time last year, Gordon unsurprisingly produced career highs nearly across the board, including 1,581 scrimmage yards. Even so, there remains something a bit disappointing about the 15th overall pick from the 2015 draft. While he's dangerous in the open field and has averaged six runs of 20 yards or more per season, Gordon's lack of vision and tendency to dance and improvise are problems compounded by a Chargers offensive line that has consistently been among the weaker units in the NFL during his tenure. Gordon misses more holes than he should, and as a result he's never produced even 4.0 YPC in a season, leaving him reliant on volume to stay productive. Fortunately, volume and red-zone opportunity aren't issues for him in offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt's scheme, and the Chargers finally seem to have enough talent to cobble together a decent offensive line. Gordon was a big part of the passing game in 2017, and his 31 carries inside the 5-yard line the last two seasons put him second to only LeGarrette Blount (34). With scatback Austin Ekeler and seventh-round pick Justin Jackson as depth behind him, Gordon once again finds himself in a favorable position to pile up touches.

Gordon rebounded from a disappointing rookie season in impressive fashion in 2016, rushing for six touchdowns in his first four games and coming within a whisker of his first 1,000-yard campaign before a Week 14 hip injury ended his year prematurely. The 2015 first-round selection showed plenty of the big-play ability he was known for in college, finishing fourth in the NFL with 15 runs of 15 yards or more while also tying for third with 20 carries inside the 5-yard line. He also proved he could handle a significant role in the passing game after Danny Woodhead was lost for the season. Despite the big fantasy numbers, there are still questions about Gordon's ability. His 3.9 YPA ranked 28th among backs with at least 100 carries last year, and while an undermanned offensive line can take much of the blame for that lackluster showing, the second-year RB still failed to capitalize on some of his opportunities. The Chargers remade their line in the offseason, signing Russell Okung to replace King Dunlap at left tackle and drafting guards Forrest Lamp and Dan Feeney, but offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt is known more for high-volume passing attacks than keeping the ball on the ground, so Gordon may have to keep improving as a receiver if he wants to eclipse last year's 295 touches.

The peak of Gordon's rookie year was draft day, when he was selected with the 15th overall pick. He looked lost during extensive preseason action (20-45, 2.2 a carry) and it carried over to the regular season (3.5 an attempt, zero touchdowns). He's just the 10th player since the merger to go scoreless on more than 200 touches. To be fair, the San Diego offense line was a joke all season, too. And sometimes young players need some time to sort out the pro game and put things together— consider the jump Le'Veon Bell made from Year 1 to Year 2. That said, Gordon's second season didn't get off to a snappy start when he underwent microfracture surgery in January. The Chargers don't have a deep backfield challenging Gordon, but he remains a major question mark as we get ready for the 2016 season. If you want to buy into Gordon, consider the pedigree and the bad luck from last year. The price has come down significantly, too. If you prefer to fade, last year's putrid production and the uncertainty of his health play into your argument.

While Todd Gurley was considered the best running back in this year's draft, his knee injury and Gordon's impressive talent and record-breaking season at Wisconsin left some question as to who would come off the board first. A 6-1, 215-pound physical specimen, Gordon plays faster than his middling 4.52 40 time, but it's outstanding burst, balance and agility that are his true weapons, as evidenced by the difficulty college defenders had getting a good angle or clean hit on him. Some scouts questioned his vision, as he bounced outside too often and relied on his talent to gain yards rather than waiting for a hole to develop. On the other hand, the work he put into improving as a receiver bodes well for his work ethic and future as a three-down back. Barring a training camp disaster, Gordon will be the Week 1 starter for San Diego and should get a big workload immediately.