What to do with Melvin Gordon, Phillip Lindsay in Week 16 of the fantasy football playoffs

Game day update: Melvin Gordon’s opportunity with the backfield to himself could be just the ticket to winning people fantasy championships. He’s currently projected at 14 points, which could be on the low end if he can get involved as a receiver. He’s as safe a play as you can get in Week 16.

Week 16 provides Melvin Gordon with another “revenge game” against the Los Angeles Chargers. Might he go off against his former team with Phillip Lindsay out of the lineup?

Fantasy Football analysis: Broncos RBs Melvin Gordon, Phillip Lindsay

Lindsay didn’t practice all week and has already been ruled out due to his injured hip. Gordon didn’t exactly take his revenge against the Bolts when these teams met in Week 8. He operated as a true lead back earlier this season when Lindsay was sidelined for a few weeks with turf toe. He topped 20 touches in two of those three games and finished with at least 16 DraftKings points in those two workhorse weeks. Even when he has been sharing with Lindsay, Gordon has been the better player of late. Just in the past three games, Gordon had a slight edge in carries (39 to 37), but a huge yardage advantage (160 to 88). He also made more of an impact as a receiver and scored twice on the ground versus Buffalo in Week 15. The Chargers have allowed only one touchdown to a running back in their past four games, but they don’t have a shutdown run defense by any stretch. They have allowed the 11th-most rushing yards in the NFL.

Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendation

There aren’t many 20-touch RBs available at $5,600 or less on DraftKings, but that is Gordon’s cost. He has averaged 18.1 DraftKings over the past three games despite taking on no more than 16 touches in any game. He is a locked-in RB2 this week.