Keenan Allen and Mike Williams Fantasy Outlooks Improve Due to Melvin Gordon Holdout

With Melvin Gordon out for Week 1, and his holdout possibly lasting multiple games, other Los Angeles Chargers skill-position players stand to benefit.

While the situation has caused backup running backs Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson to become popular fantasy picks, it may be the wide receivers who capitalize the most from Gordon's absence.

Last season, when Gordon missed three games late in the season due to injury, wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams saw a noticeable boost in volume and production.

In Allen's two full games following Gordon's knee injury, in Weeks 13 and 14, the trusty WR totaled 19 receptions on 27 targets, for 226 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Allen averaged 18.3 fantasy points per game during that stretch, which was second only to Amari Cooper (22.6)

Williams, meanwhile, saw a sizable increase in his role last season in the four total games Gordon was inactive. During those games, Williams averaged 57.0 receiving yards per game and scored four total touchdowns. He also saw his his highest reception total of the season in Week 15 when he caught seven balls.

By comparison, Williams averaged only 41.5 yards per game on the season as a whole, so he was far more productive when Gordon was out of the lineup.

While Ekeler especially should have a role in the passing game, the small sample size of data from last year shows that Allen and Williams both carry significant upside in Gordon's absence.

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