Melvin Gordon expected to play Sunday vs. Steelers

Friday update: ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Melvin Gordon is expected to play after missing practice time this week with a leg injury.

Denver Broncos RB Melvin Gordon was back at practice on Thursday after missing Wednesday’s sessions ahead of Week 5 vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers. Gordon is dealing with a lower leg contusion that bothered him early in the week. We don’t know if Gordon is back at practice in a limited capacity yet, so we’ll have to see what the team says later on.

Fantasy football implications

Gordon probably isn’t in any danger of missing this weekend’s contest with Pittsburgh. It’s just a leg bruise, so really another few days taking it easy and Gordon should be alright. So with that news, we have to figure out if Gordon is worth playing. Gordon had 9 carries for 56 yards in the Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers run defense is supposed to be tough, but it’s difficult when you have an offense that struggles to move the ball and score. If Denver gets up early, Gordon should see plenty of work splitting the backfield with Javonte Williams. It’s also worth mentioning Teddy Bridgewater’s injury. That could factor into the game plan a bit.