Three measly yards stand between Melvin Gordon and his first 1,000-yard season, which he won't reach this weekend — and maybe not at all.
Gordon has been ruled out for the Chargers' game Saturday against the winless Browns, the team said Friday, casting some doubt around the rest of his season.
The budding star had been enjoying an impressive sophomore campaign until he was carted off with a hip injury Week 14. He was given a "week-to-week" prognosis at the time, but he was held out for last week's loss to the Raiders that eliminated the Chargers from playoff contention.
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Gordon did not practice this week, officially listed with hip and knee ailments, and so he'll enter a meaningless Week 17 matchup with the Chiefs at less than 100 percent and 997 rushing yards to his name. Whether he plays presumably will be determined by his ability to return to practice next week.
We won't be down for long our time will come !!! #⚡️Nation pic.twitter.com/9oXnw7L3bs
— Flash | 28™ | A01 (@Melvingordon25) December 23, 2016
The 2015 No. 15 overall draft pick suffered through a dubious rookie season in which he failed to score a touchdown.
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Gordon has made up for lost time in the end zone in 2016, with 12 scores in 13 games, but finishing agonizingly close to the 1,000-yard milestone would add another odd, if not meaningless, asterisk to the start of his career.
