San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon unlikely to play Week 15
Barring something unforeseen, San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon will miss Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders.
Very early in last Sunday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers, while attempting to recover a fumble by quarterback Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon suffered a scary-looking left leg injury. He emerged with only knee and hip sprains, but Gordon’s status for Week 15, and perhaps the rest of the season, is in doubt.
On Wednesday, Chargers’ head coach Mike McCoy all but confirmed Gordon will miss Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders.
Chargers coach McCoy said it's highly unlikely Melvin Gordon will play v. Raiders.
— Tom Krasovic (@SDUTKrasovic) December 14, 2016
After a disappointing rookie season in 2015, Gordon has rebounded nicely this season with 997 rushing yards, 41 receptions for 419 yards and 12 total touchdowns (10 rushing). Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported on Monday that Gordon wants to play and reach 1,000 rushing yards, but with the Chargers at 5-8 and out of the playoff race, there’s a real possibility he will be shut down for the season. On Wednesday, Gordon confirmed his desire to play again this season.
Chargers RB Melvin Gordon (hip, knee) said he's "aiming for next week. ... I'm recovering a lot faster than I thought I would."
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) December 14, 2016
Gordon’s statement that he’s “recovering faster” is not all surprising, but suiting up again this season is not totally in his hands. He may only need one more carry to reach 1,000 yards, but in the bigger picture it’s not worth risking greater injury for an essentially meaningless milestone.
Next: 5 hottest defensive players in the NFL right now
In Gordon’s place last week, undrafted rookie Kenneth Farrow stepped into a workhorse role and produced a solid 78 total yards (55 rushing) on 22 touches (16 carries). Ronnie Hillman and practice squad stash Andre Williams could also be in the mix for touches during Gordon’s absence, so the Chargers have plenty of running back depth to get through the final three games this season without risking the health of their No. 1 running back.