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Melvin Gordon's Updated Fantasy Outlook After Danny Woodhead's Injury

Fantasy Football
September 18, 2016

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.

Read more Fantasy Football news on NerdyFootball.com

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