Melvin Gordon Fantasy Football Outlook A from John Short's blog

Melvin Gordon will report to the Chargers on Thursday, . That ends a contract holdout that began in the summer and has continued through the early part of the season. Gordon wouldve been a top-10 player in fantasy football drafts if not for the holdout concerns, which knocked him further and further down the rankings and Cam Akers Jersey opened the door for handcuff Austin Ekeler to become a top fantasy RB.

Gordons return puts a huge question mark next to the fantasy value of Ekeler (as well as Gordon himself). Justin Jackson now becomes the Chargers third-stringer and will have no fantasy utility once Gordon is activated.

(Update: Jackson is out for Week 4, Marqui Christian Jersey and Gordon could play a limited role, according to Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn.)

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Will Melvin Gordon play Week 4?

Gordonwill not play in Week 4, according to Rapoport, who tweeted that he's planning on being "back in the fold with his teammates." Unlike a player who was traded, recently drafted or signed in free agency, Gordon should know the Chargers playbook to nearly its full extent. Whats le s certain is the shape that Gordon is in.

Its likely Connor Barwin Jersey that whenever Gordon first takes the field -- likely Week 5 against Denver --his workload will be reduced for a week, much like we saw with Ezekiel Elliott in Week 1 after he reported le Bryce Hager Jersey s than a week before the opener. That week, Cowboys backup Tony Pollard saw about a third of the Dallas offensive snaps.

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Melvin Gordon fantasy outlook

As it looks now, Gordon will probably suit up in Week 5 with a potentially reduced workload. Then, in Week 6, he should start getting the majority of backfield work for L.A. That should yield solid rushing/scoring numbers, though it's worth pointing out that prior to Troy Hill Jersey last season, Gordon had not averaged more than 3.9 yards per carry. It's po sible that last year's 5.1 ypc was somewhat of an aberration and Gordon will regre s mightily. On top of that, Ekeler Marshall Faulk Jersey has proven to be one of the top receiving backs in football, and it's po sible Gordon won't be used as much in the pa sing game, especially over the next few weeks. That could limit him to RB2 status the rest of the way, depending how often he can get into the end zone.

Austin Ekeler fantasy outlook

Ekelers been too good in 2019 for the Chargers to relegate him to "change-of-pace" status. This was evident even last seasonwhen the Chargers were sure to involve Ekeler even when Gordon was healthy.

In the 11 games that both Ekeler and Gordon were active Jalen Ramsey Jersey together in 2018, Ekeler averaged 9.4 standard-scoring fantasy points per game. The lowest percentage of L.A. offensive snaps that Ekeler received in those games was 17 percent and his high was 41 percent. In seven of those 11 games, Ekeler saw the field on at least a third of snaps.

Ekeler was used some on third downs in his backup role, catching 27 pa ses acro s the 11 games he and Gordon both played in last season.

We could see Ekeler maintain a Nickell Robey-Coleman Jersey slightly bigger role now that hes proven what he can do in more time, po sibly closer to that40-percent mark that he reached once last year. Thats still going to be a tricky way for him to have fantasy value on a week-to-week basis, though. During bye weeks, hell probably work as a Aqib Talib Jersey standard-league FLEX and RB2in PPR formats.

We wouldnt advise dropping Ekeler. Hes too talented, we dont know how the Chargers will split the workload, and hes an injury away from being a top-10 fantasy RB again. Even trading him could be hardbecause everyone knows Gordon is returning. It might be best to stand pat and just take what you can get from Ekeler at this point.

With Gordon not Ndamukong Suh Jersey expected to play in Week 4, Ekeler remains a must-start against the putrid Dolphinsand Jackson is in play as a FLEX po sibility. Gordon's return should be a boost to the Chargers' offense overall, but Ekeler and Jackson will be the biggest losers from this news.