Broncos HC Nathaniel Hackett Confident in RB Melvin Gordon

The sputtering Denver Broncos offense suffered a blow on Monday when the team announced that running back Javonte Williams would miss the remainder of the 2022 season with a torn ACL, leaving veteran Melvin Gordon as the next man up for lead rushing duties.

It’s been a rough start to the season for Gordon, who had a bad case of fumbleitis, putting the ball on the ground four times in four games, including a costly one in Week 4’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Despite the 29-year-old’s ball security issues, Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett is confident Gordon will right the ship, starting with Week 5’s tilt against the Indianapolis Colts.

“Melvin’s a true pro,” said Hackett. “We love the guy. He knows there was a mishap right there, and it’s a great opportunity for him to get right back out onto the field and prove himself, and we’re excited to be a part of that and put him in great positions to be able to make plays…He’s run the ball really well. He’s going downhill, he’s exploding through the hole. We want to see that continue. Like I said, he’s a true pro, and I expect him to step up and have a great game.”

While Gordon will have to clean up his fumbling woes, he appears safe to deploy as an RB2/FLEX in all fantasy formats – at least for now.

FanDuel Sportsbook has the Broncos as -3.5 home favorites on the spread and -174 on the moneyline.