7 Fantasy Football Splits That Matter for Week 16

Melvin Gordon Could Carry the Load

Through the first six games of the season, Melvin Gordon essentially had the Los Angeles Chargers' backfield to himself, averaging a 74.79% snap rate. Since Week 7, however, Austin Ekeler has averaged a 30.85% snap rate, plummeting Gordon's average rate to 66.27% in that span.

Ekeler is currently practicing with a broken left hand and is considered a true game-time decision for Sunday. If he's unable to play, only Branden Oliver (who hasn't taken a snap since Week 8) and fullback Derek Watt would be behind Gordon on Los Angeles' depth chart.

The most comforting part about paying for Gordon in daily fantasy is that he's quietly averaged 23.7 touches over the last four weeks despite Ekeler's presence. Even if Ekeler is surprisingly active Sunday, Gordon's usage includes both a safe floor and potential tournament-winning ceiling.