The Broncos entered the 2022 NFL season with one of the best-looking one-two punches at the running back position from across the NFL. However, just four weeks into the season, they are facing major questions in the backfield.
Denver's top running back, Javonte Williams, is out for the 2022 NFL season after suffering a torn ACL and LCL in his right knee in the team's Week 4 loss to the Raiders.
Under normal circumstances, the Broncos would be able to deal with this injury without issue. After all, Melvin Gordon has long been a solid NFL starter, so having him fill in for Williams would help fix the issue, right?
Not exactly.
MORE: How long is Javonte Williams out? Timetable for injured RB's return
Gordon has dealt with a significant problem during the early stages of the 2022 campaign. More specifically, he is fumbling a lot and is doing so to the point that coach Nathaniel Hackett may have him on a short leash.
How bad is Gordon's fumbling problem, and what might the consequences for him be if he puts the ball on the ground against the Colts? Here's what to know about the Broncos' running game as they look to move above .500 in Week 5.
Melvin Gordon fumbles
Gordon's ball security has been a major issue for the Broncos during the first month of the 2022 NFL season. The veteran running back has already put the ball on the ground four times. That is good for the most in the NFL, and it makes him one of just five running backs with multiple fumbles, along with Isiah Pacheco, Mark Ingram, Dameon Pierce and Trestan Ebner.
| Rank (among RBs) | Player | Total fumbles |
| 1 | Melvin Gordon | 4 |
| T-2 | Isiah Pacheco | 2 |
| T-2 | Mark Ingram | 2 |
| T-2 | Dameon Pierce | 2 |
| T-2 | Trestan Ebner | 2 |
It's worth noting that three of those running backs are rookies and two — Pacheco and Ebner — serve as return men for those teams. Muffed returns are counted as fumbles, so those skew the stats against those players.
Meanwhile, Gordon's fumbles have all come exclusively on offense, as the veteran doesn't play on special teams. His first came in Week 1 against the Seahawks when the Broncos were driving for a potential touchdown. Gordon lost control of the ball at the goal line, and that gave the ball to Seattle on a key fourth-down play.
GOAL LINE STAND. @Seahawks
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2022
📺: #DENvsSEA on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/54o9fOPBKO pic.twitter.com/NqXgyAYAk9
The Broncos would have turned the ball over either way if Gordon couldn't get into the end zone, but the Seahawks getting the ball at the 10-yard line gave them some much-needed breathing room. So, it proved costly.
MORE: Nathaniel Hackett, Melvin Gordon explain veteran's fumbling problem
Gordon's second fumble was arguably worse. It robbed the Broncos of a chance to score before halftime and effectively gifted the Raiders six free points.
AMIK. FREAKIN. ROBERTSON.
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) October 2, 2022
Scoop & score @_YoungTruth7‼️‼️
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/0JHbPMoP3s
That changed the complexion of the game and gave Las Vegas the energy it needed to get a leg up on Denver in a 32-23 win.
So far this season, Gordon has fumbled four times on just 45 carries. That's good for a fumble rate of one every 11.25 touches. While he has been fumble-prone throughout his career, his issues have never before been this problematic.
| Year | Touches | Fumbles | Fumble rate |
| 2015 | 217 | 6 | 36.2 |
| 2016 | 295 | 2 | 147.5 |
| 2017 | 342 | 1 | 342 |
| 2018 | 225 | 1 | 225 |
| 2019 | 204 | 4 | 51 |
| 2020 | 247 | 4 | 61.8 |
| 2021 | 231 | 3 | 77 |
| 2022 | 45 | 4 | 11.3 |
Gordon is certainly in danger of matching his high-water mark of six fumbles from his rookie season. His four through four games are already tied for the second-most of his career.
And if Gordon can't make progress with his ball security, it could put land him in Nathaniel Hackett's doghouse.
MORE: How Russell Wilson and the "Dangerwich" took the Internet by storm
What do Melvin Gordon's fumbles mean for the Broncos?
When Javonte Williams was healthy, it was clear that he was the No. 1 back ahead of Gordon. So, as the veteran struggled with ball security issues, the Broncos were able to lean more on Williams.
Without him, the team may have to rely more on Gordon. That appears to be their plan against the Colts, as NFL Network's James Palmer reports that Gordon is expected to be the "bell cow" on "Thursday Night Football."
That may be what the Broncos want to see, but their trust in Gordon was clearly waning heading into Week 4. He didn't play a snap against the Raiders until his late second-quarter fumble. And even when Williams was hurt, Denver chose to play Mike Boone ahead of him for most of the second half.
Hackett has given Gordon votes of confidence in recent days. However, given that Gordon had a short leash against the Raiders, he could be benched again if he puts the ball on the turf.
And Hackett also acknowledged that the team might use a committee-type approach with Williams out of action.
"We are going to have to disperse it between the guys that will have out there," Hackett said.
Whoever is out there is going to have to do the best job they can. We have some good backs, and we want to be sure that we showcase them just like we were with him. And if they're part of that progression and they get an opportunity, we want to see them be great.
So, in short, it's hard to know exactly what Gordon will do for Denver in Week 5. But what we do know if that the Broncos would probably lean on their backup heavily if Gordon's struggles continue.
Who is the Broncos' backup running back?
Mike Boone is the Broncos' freshly minted backup running back. The fifth-year pro originally entered the NFL in 2018 as an undrafted free agent out of Cincinnati. He played with Minnesota for the first three years of his career before joining Denver in 2021.
Boone has served as one of the NFL's better third-string running backs. He has averaged 5.6 yards per carry on 78 career totes and is a good special teams player as well. The 27-year-old should be able to spell Gordon and provide the Broncos some pop with his 5-10, 205-pound frame.
Of course, it's worth noting that Boone out-snapped Gordon in Week 4. He was on the field for 19 snaps while Gordon was on for just 10. That was largely due to Gordon's fumble, but it was telling that Hackett and Co. didn't turn straight back to Gordon when Williams hurt his knee.
As such, Boone could end up being the backfield leader if Gordon has another fumble or doesn't look comfortable running out of the gate. If not, he will be an effective backup and should see the field more than some realize.
RB DEPTH CHART: Breaking down Broncos' backfield behind Melvin Gordon
Denver will likely employ Devine Ozigbo as their No. 3 back on Thursday. Latavius Murray is set to be inactive after the team poached him from the Saints' practice squad on Tuesday. Murray just played in London and had only a couple of days to learn the playbook, so it makes sense that Denver would sit him.
But in future weeks, he could have a role in the Denver backfield. That could render the Gordon/Boone rotation into a true, three-way back-by-committee system.
