I said this on a previous episode of the fantasy show but I want no part of the Denver backfield. In terms of fantasy anyway. I just don’t want to be wrong so I just want no part of it. There are so many questions that we have to dive into when it comes to Melvin Gordon, Phillip Lindsay, and Royce Freeman.
Who’s getting the touchdowns?
I think the answer is Melvin Gordon but what happens if Royce Freeman steals some? BIG YIKES.
Who’s the best pass catcher?
I also think the answer is Gordon but Phillip Lindsay will have a say there.
Do you trust Pat Shurmur? Hard pass.
Is this a run first team? I’m going with maybe.
All those are just part of the equation but we’re forgetting what might be the most important part. Who is the most talented running back on the depth chart? I think the answer is Phillip Lindsay.
Are we sure that we should just forget about Lindsay? Right now he’s being drafted as an afterthought. Lindsay came into the league in 2018 as an undrafted running back out of the University of Colorado. He’s done nothing but produce. Back to back seasons of over 1,000 yards and 4.9 average yard per carry clip.
Now compare that to Melvin Gordon who’s been in the league for 5 years and has never had more than one 1,000 yard season. Gordon’s yard per carry mark is replacement level (4.0). For some reason, Gordon will make $8 million per year while Lindsay makes pennies. Does it make any sense?
I think Lindsay is not only better than Gordon but I’m not sure you can even argue it. At least from an efficiency standpoint, it’s not close. Performance could put Lindsay on the field more than we expect. What happens if by Week 3 that Lindsay is just the better player? Is Denver really not going to adjust and just trout out Gordon more frequently anyway?
Look, I’m not touching this backfield. Lindsay is being treated as an afterthought and maybe that’s the correct path. Gordon is getting paid more and is likely headed for touchdown and passing game work. Check, please. The range of outcomes feel wide here and just ignoring Lindsay could wind up being a mistake.
