The Denver Broncos and Melvin Gordon III have parted ways, which may very well be some sort of relief for fantasy football managers. Gordon is now out of the messy committee backfield that the Broncos’ situation has become and could end up in a situation where he has more fantasy value.
Let’s examine the potential landing spots for Gordon and whether he would have fantasy value in those spots.
Fantasy Implications of Melvin Gordon III’s Potential Landing Spots
It is intriguing to consider the potential places that Gordon could end up playing for the rest of the 2022 NFL season. The intriguing thing will be to see which teams might be in the market for him. Gordon is producing his worst efficiency since his rookie year, averaging just 3.5 rushing yards per attempt.
Could we see a team that is on the verge of being eliminated put in a claim for Gordon in the hope of evaluating him as a potential free agent signing this offseason? Alternatively, would a team that is challenging for the playoffs view Gordon as a potential piece that could boost their chances down the stretch?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers have the worst run game in the entire NFL, averaging just 70.7 rushing yards per game at 3.1 yards per rush attempt. They’ve seen some improvement in the last two weeks, and the emergence of rookie RB Rachaad White has been intriguing. However, the Buccaneers are a team that has never shied away from looking to add veterans if they think they can help their chances of getting a ring.
Gordon is certainly not the force he once was, but he’s a veteran option who can contribute both rushing the ball and in the receiving game. We know how much Tom Brady loves having a pair of hands he can trust out of the backfield, and Gordon fits that bill.
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The idea of Gordon in this backfield is not all that appealing for fantasy managers. The situation is already messy with White and Leonard Fournette. Adding Gordon would only further cloud the picture.
If Gordon does end up in Tampa Bay, it could very much be a situation where none of the three end up having consistent value, as we see a potential mix of them all on game day.
Los Angeles Chargers
Could we see Gordon remain in the AFC West and head back to where it all started for him? The Los Angeles Chargers have been the third-worst team running the ball this year, averaging just 87.9 rushing yards per game. They added Sony Michel to the backfield, but the options behind Austin Ekeler have been underwhelming.
They could look to add Gordon to provide a potential boost to the offense and give them a different option as a short-yardage back. From a fantasy perspective, the problem here would be that Gordon likely would not have standalone fantasy value but could see enough touches in key situations to hurt Ekeler’s ceiling.
Cincinnati Bengals
If the concussion situation with Joe Mixon has the Cincinnati Bengals concerned, then they could look to add Gordon as insurance. Samaje Perine found the end zone three times, but he could only average 2.73 rushing yards per attempt as the lead back last week.
While Mixon’s concussion might only prove to be short term, it has given the Bengals a glimpse into life without him if he were to miss significant time. If they’re not happy rolling forward with Perine, Chris Evans, and Trayveon Williams as their lead trio, then Gordon would be an intriguing addition. He could be a third-down option for the Bengals in the short term and be Mixon’s long-term handcuff.
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From a fantasy perspective, this would not be great in the immediacy for Gordon. His role would be as the backup to Mixon, so his opportunities will likely be limited in the short term.
Nevertheless, he would potentially be one injury away from a major role, which always has value. That proved not to be the case in Denver, but it could be with a fresh start elsewhere.
New York Giants
The New York Giants have, for the large part, rolled exclusively with Saquon Barkley at RB this year. But looking to add a player like Gordon would give them a second veteran option that they could lean on in crucial moments.
Gordon doesn’t have Barkley’s upside, but he is a more durable early-down option than Matt Breida would likely be.
Fantasy value-wise, Gordon would largely be a handcuff option if he winds up with the Giants. However, the potential if something did happen to Barkley could be huge. Barkley is averaging more yards before contact per rush this year than at any other point in his career (2.5).
With this in mind, Gordon would potentially have a shot to be a lead back behind an offensive line that seems to be an upgrade on what he was dealing with in Denver. It may not result in immediate fantasy value, but this could be one of the higher ceiling opportunities down the line.
Kansas City Chiefs
Could the Kansas City Chiefs be a surprise destination for Gordon? We saw Clyde Edwards-Helaire leave with an ankle injury in Week 11. That could potentially leave rookie RB Isiah Pacheco working alongside Jerick McKinnon and Ronald Jones. However, Gordon would provide more stability as the veteran option in that backfield.
Much like the Buccaneers, this as Gordon’s landing spot might be a worst-case scenario for fantasy. If Gordon replaces CEH, this could very easily remain a three-back committee where there is no clear fantasy-relevant option. That is obviously far less than ideal for the values of Pacheco, Gordon, and McKinnon.