Should I Draft Melvin Gordon? Fantasy Football Outlook

August 11, 2023

Should Melvin Gordon be on your fantasy football radar this season? Read the 2023 fantasy football outlook for the RB in his first season with the Baltimore Ravens.

The Baltimore Ravens recently added veteran running back Melvin Gordon to an already precarious backfield.

Gordon produced 318 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 10 games with the Denver Broncos last season. He now steps into a window of opportunity with projected starter J.K. Dobbins (knee) still not suited up and backup Gus Edwards (knee) in his second year removed from ACL surgery.

Does Gordon, a once-steady fantasy producer, have anything left in the tank to provide a spark for this Ravens offense if called upon? Let's dive in.

Melvin Gordon's 2022 Performance

After RB2 finishes in 2019, 2020, and 2021, Gordon's performance last season dropped off exponentially. In 10 games, he finished with one of the NFL's worst yards per carry and breakaway run rates, two data points measuring running back efficiency. He was also bottom half of the league in broken tackles and missed tackles forced per attempt.

Fumbling issues ended up being the final straw for Gordon's 2022 campaign, as the Broncos waived him following a Week 11 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Is Melvin Gordon Worth Drafting For Fantasy Football?

Despite the 30-year-old coming off a poor season, his current situation shows potential. J.K. Dobbins, if healthy, could explode this year. Unfortunately, he's still dealing with lingering knee issues following an ACL repair. He has yet to practice in training camp, which has become a clear concern.

Baltimore has shown an affinity to Gus Edwards, who appears to be the current clubhouse leader for carries. Behind him, the battle between Gordon and Justice Hill is intriguing. Hill is a younger, explosive talent at this point, but that doesn't guarantee an increased snap share.

Gordon is also a better receiving back than the aforementioned Edwards and Hill, but it's improbable that Lamar Jackson becomes more of a check-down quarterback at this point in his career.

We are currently in wait-and-see mode with Melvin Gordon. Although his 2022 production was lackluster, he's being given another chance on one of the league's best rushing attacks. If Dobbins' injury problems continue, there is a chance Gordon can carve out a role in this offense.

Virtually undrafted, you could easily sprinkle Melvin Gordon with the last pick in best ball leagues for differentiation. Currently, he should not be drafted in redraft or managed leagues but is a player to note if the situation improves.

UPDATE*

Melvin Gordon has been released by the Baltimore Ravens and remains unsigned. This indicates that Baltimore is comfortable with J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill leading the backfield. All three players have fantasy potential, with the latter two being handcuffs and waiver wire pickups if anything happens to Dobbins. Gordon should not be drafted at this time, but he could be signed by a running back-needy team in the future.

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