Market Share Report: Should We Worry About Alshon Jeffery?
Carry Market Shares
1. Melvin Gordon Is a Bellcow
It's been a helluva ride for Melvin Gordon this season. He went from hardly seeing the field in Week 1 to being the potential lead back in Week 2 after Danny Woodhead's injury. Then the team brought in fantasy pariah Dexter McCluster, threatening Gordon's backfield autonomy.
Gordon gave that non-sense the nah wave on Sunday.
Gordon handled all 16 of the team's running-back carries, three of which came in the red zone. Gordon's 86.7% snap rate was easily above his previous career-high of 75.0%, and his 7 targets were the second most of his career. Unless McCluster's role expands, Gordon is going to get a lot of work on this team, and it's going to be high-leverage work.
As he enters a matchup with the New Orleans Saints, Gordon could yet again be one of the more popular DFS options available. Considering that the San Diego Chargers will now be at home against one of the league's worst units on short rest, though, he'll be worth that high-ownership burden.
2. Eddie Lacy's Role Is Expanding
Through the first two weeks of the season, James Starks had 11 carries for the Green Bay Packers. Exactly zero of those had increased the team's expected points for the drive, according to numberFire's Net Expected Points (NEP) metric, and you can bet the Packers realized that and adjusted in Week 3.
Instead of sprinkling Starks in, Eddie Lacy gobbled up all 17 of the running-back carries as the Packers posted 34 points. None of those carries got Lacy into the end zone, but he topped the 100-yard mark and had his highest snap rate since Week 1 of last year. This was a tremendous step forward for Lacy as a fantasy asset, especially if the offense keeps producing like it did against the Detroit Lions.
After their upcoming bye, the Packers will be at home for each of their next three games and four of the next five. Lacy will be in play for DFS for all of those games, and he should be on your season-long wish list as you try to spin deals prior to Week 5.
3. Frank Gore's Still Chugging
Through the first three weeks of the season, only four running backs have a higher percentage of their team's total carries than Frank Gore. One of those players -- DeAngelo Williams -- will likely fall from the ranks once Le'Veon Bell returns, leaving three guys with below-average quarterbacks in Todd Gurley, Lamar Miller, and Matt Forte ahead of Gore. Shouldn't we be talking more about this?
Gore saw that expand in Week 3 when he rushed 21 times for 82 yards and a touchdown, accounting for 80% of the Indianapolis Colts' total rushes. He also topped 60% of the team's snaps for the second time this year even though the Colts have trailed for most of their offensive snaps this season. If he has been this involved while they've been behind, what will his role look like if and when they start holding leads?
The Colts won't have many matchups as dreamy as the one they just had at home against the Chargers, so Gore's not a guy with ridiculous upside. But if you're looking for a steady, dependable asset on a high-powered offense, they don't come much cheaper than where he's at now.