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One of Melvin Gordon’s biggest impediments in the San Diego Chargers backfield looks to be out of the picture.

The Chargers announced Danny Woodhead suffered a knee injury in the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars and won’t return to Sunday’s game.

Gordon is coming off a disappointing rookie season. He ran for 641 yards on 184 carries, averaging only 3.5 yards per attempt, and failed to find the end zone. He also had six fumbles, losing four.

Many were concerned the former first-round pick had spent his best football years in college, carrying the ball 549 times over his last two seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers.

Gordon did excite Chargers fans during the preseason. Perspective is important, but he showed more of his Wisconsin self during a touchdown run against the Minnesota Vikings, which the NFL shared on Twitter:

Expectations should still be tempered for Gordon, even with Woodhead out. The second-year star won’t transform overnight, and Woodhead didn’t steal a ton of carries to begin with.

Gordon could potentially be more of a pass-catcher out of the backfield, though, which would bolster his fantasy value. He proved to be a solid receiver last year, catching 33 passes for 192 yards.

Gordon was already hovering around RB2 territory before Woodhead suffered the injury. The 23-year-old went for 57 yards and two touchdowns in San Diego’s Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

In the event the veteran running back is out for a long period of time, Gordon is a must-start in most standard leagues. He could also be a cost-effective option if the right matchup comes along in daily fantasy leagues.

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With Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin out, backup Charles Sims will finally get his chance to shine Sunday.

Martin rushed for 23 yards on his first seven carries in his Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals, but the team announced he is unlikely to return after suffering a hamstring injury in the first-half.

Although the Buccaneers will miss their starting running back, this provides an opportunity for Sims to show what he can do on a full-time basis.

Tampa Bay selected Sims in the third round of the 2014 NFL draft and expected him to become the running back of the future, at least until Martin bounced back with an excellent 2015 season. This led to the starter re-signing with the team on a five-year deal in the offseason.

While Sims remained a backup, he came through with an impressive second season in the NFL, finishing with 529 rushing yards on 4.9 yards per carry. He also displayed his skill as a receiver out of the backfield by tallying 51 catches for 561 yards, with both marks ranking second on the team behind Mike Evans.

Even as Martin played every game, Sims proved to be one of the top second-string running backs in the NFL.

This continued in the 2016 season opener, when the backup finished with 41 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown despite earning just seven touches.

Before the team decided to keep Martin in the offseason, head coach Dirk Koetter noted his confidence in Sims, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times:

This hypothetical might now come to fruition with Sims finally getting a chance as a go-to option in the backfield.

The former West Virginia star has the ideal combination of size (6’0″, 211 lbs), speed, agility and hands to be an impact player on all three downs. Now, he should enough touches to turn his potential into production.

If he isn’t on a roster already, Sims should be a top priority off waivers in all fantasy leagues. With his upside, he should also immediately move into starting lineups regardless of the format.

There aren’t many consistent running backs in fantasy football, but Sims could be a useful player in standard leagues and a legitimate star in points-per-reception formats.

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The Detroit Lions lost their No. 1 rusher Sunday when starter Ameer Abdullah went down with a foot injury against the Tennessee Titans. 

Through a game and a half this season, Abdullah produced 158 total yards and one receiving touchdown for 20 points. It’s a solid contribution for a running back ESPN Fantasy ranked 32nd at his position and 75th overall entering the 2016 season. 

Now, with Abdullah shelved, rushing duties will fall on the shoulders of Theo Riddick and Dwayne Washington, who have emerged as possible fantasy replacements.

Behind Abdullah, Riddick has seen more of the ball than Washington has. In Week 1, he had seven carries compared to Washington’s two. Through three quarters in Week 2, Riddick recorded 11 carries, while Washington had just three. 

The main difference has come in the receiving category, as Riddick has eight receptions and Washington has none. 

Riddick has shown in the past he is more of a dual threat in Detroit’s backfield with an emphasis on receiving. In 2015, he caught 80 passes for 697 yards and three receiving touchdowns to go with 133 rushing yards.

Given his dual-threat capabilities, Riddick is the more appealing back to pick up for fantasy teams in a Lions offense that will be looking for receiving help following Calvin Johnson’s retirement. 

Moreover, he’s shown some improved footwork and strength on the ball, via the NFL:

Washington, meanwhile, is an unproven rookie who saw his playing time increase with Zach Zenner inactive for the first two games of the year. 

For fantasy owners who want to replace Abdullah with one of his teammates, Riddick looks like the better option as an RB2 or flex player. 

Stats courtesy of NFL.com. 

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