Should I Drop Melvin Gordon III? Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Outlook

After finishing as the RB20 overall in 2021, Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon III has had an eventful 2022 season.

The Broncos have struggled on offense this year, despite adding Russell Wilson to the fold this past offseason.

Gordon appears to still be the lead back in Denver but things haven't been going all that smoothly. Should fantasy gamers be looking to send Gordon to waivers ahead of Week 10? Let's take a look.

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What Has Melvin Gordon III Done In 2022?

Gordon has struggled for the Broncos in 2022. On the year, he is averaging just 3.5 yards per carry on 75 rushes. To make matters worse, Gordon has already fumbled four times, just two shy of his career-high which was set back in his rookie year.

He also let a prime opportunity slip through his fingers as Javonte Williams was lost for the year with a knee injury after Week 4. Williams was slated to be on the strong side of a two-man committee in the backfield, giving Gordon an opportunity to run away with the job.

Instead, Gordon struggled to protect the football, prompting the Broncos to add veterans such as Latavius Murray and Marlon Mack and trade for Chase Edmonds. Gordon was benched for the majority of Week 6 due to his struggles, although he cleared the air with the coaching staff and returned to his starting role the following week.

Should I Drop Melvin Gordon III to the Waiver Wire in Fantasy Football?

Gordon is a starting running back in the NFL, which by default gives him at least some fantasy value, especially during the bye weeks. That being said, the Denver rushing offense has not been a great source of fantasy points in 2022. PFF has the Denver rushing game ranked as the eighth-worst unit in the NFL in 2022.

Gordon is currently averaging 8.0 PPR points per game in fantasy, making him RB46 on the season. He has not been impressive, which doesn't come as a shock for a running back who is now in his age-29 campaign.

Among all qualified rushers, Najee Harris is last in the NFL with -93 rushing yards over expected, per Next Gen Stats.

There is even a 36-yard gap between him and second last (Melvin Gordon, -57).

— Daniel Valente (@StatsGuyDaniel) November 9, 2022

Now Gordon will have to contend with Chase Edmonds, a decent all-around running back who is more well-rounded than anyone else Denver has on their roster. Despite the addition of Edmonds to the team, Denver's general manager George Patton is still showing some faith in Gordon and isn't ready to crown Edmonds as the team's lead back.

Broncos GM George Paton hinted that Melvin Gordon and Latavius Murray are still the top two RBs in Denver. https://t.co/N0B7yRgaSH

— Broncos Wire (@TheBroncosWire) November 9, 2022

Even if Gordon is able to hold Edmonds off for the lead-back role, the latter is likely to see some work on third down and cut into Gordon's opportunities in the passing game, which is not ideal for a running back who is already not producing many fantasy points.

Gordon is not a must-cut player in fantasy but it is definitely okay to send him to waivers if you have another player sitting out there who you have to have on your roster, especially in more shallow leagues.

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