Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn will play Melvin Gordon Sunday in the team’s Week 5 game versus the Broncos (0-4). The star running back may even start, although he will compete with a lightened workload as he makes his season debut.
“He’s definitely going to be a part of the game plan this week,” Lynn told Sirius XM NFL Radio on Thursday. “Last week we only suited him up for an emergency situation because we have some injuries to the backfield. If one guy had gone down, he would have had to play last week and that would have been tough because he only had a day and a half of practice.”
The Chargers (2-2) did just fine without Gordon’s help Sunday, downing the Dolphins (0-4) 30-10. Just 10 days after ending his holdout over contract negotiations (without a new deal), the two-time Pro Bowler is expected to work his way back into the offense with a workload that is “not too big,” according to Lynn.
Austin Ekeler is reliable, proving himself a strong skill player in Gordon’s absence, and will help enable the Chargers to be cautious with Gordon as he gets back into full game shape. Ekeler has cover 490 yards from scrimmage between 24 receptions (on 25 targets) and 54 rushing attempts. Ekeler has scored six total touchdowns.
