Four running backs Kansas City Chiefs must stop in 2019

Weeks 11 & 17 – Melvin Gordon

As long as Melvin Gordon is still a Charger this upcoming season, he’s another dynamic back that Kansas City will have to be prepared to stop. There’s no doubt that the Chargers have a talented offense and Gordon is a big part of that. His 38 total touchdowns (28 rushing, ten receiving) over the last three seasons make him one of the more productive backs over that stretch.

While Gordon’s career started slowly with only 641 rushing yards and zero touchdowns in his first year, the years following have been consistently good. Over the last three seasons, he has averaged very close to 1,000 yards rushing. In addition to his rushing average, he has also averaged over 450 yards receiving over those three years.

One thing that has hindered Gordon’s game to some degree is that he has only played a full 16-game season once in his four-year career. This may be one of the reasons that he’s not viewed as elite, even if he is one of the better running backs in the league. If he’s able to settle his potential contract dispute and put together a full season, he could move into that next tier of talent.

Playing the Chargers twice later in the season increases the chances of injury to Gordon, his offensive line, and the Kansas City defense. This could be the deciding factor on who gets the better of who. Hopefully, all parties will be healthy and the Chiefs will simply stop what Gordon can do as the division race and playoffs begin to really heat up.