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David Zalubowski/Associated Press

ADP: 9.7

Is Melvin Gordon III worth a first-round selection in your fantasy draft? If he's actually in a training camp by the time your draft rolls around, then perhaps. However, the situation is complicated in several ways.

First of all, there's no guarantee Gordon will be in camp before the start of the regular season.

He's currently holding out for a new deal from the Los Angeles Chargers and remains away from the team. Unlike Ezekiel Elliott—who has his own holdout situation with the Dallas Cowboys—Gordon simply doesn't have a lot of leverage. The Chargers relied on the tandem of Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson when Gordon missed time at the end of last season, and they can do so again if he continues to stay away.

The flip side of the situation is a possible trade.

According to ESPN's Josina Anderson, Gordon's agent, Damarius Bilbo, has requested a trade but has not been permitted to seek trade partners. If a deal does get done, it could put the running back into another starting position. But this too could be problematic.

If Gordon were to land with a new team, he would have to learn an entirely new offense and adjust to new personnel in a matter of weeks. There's also no guarantee he would be used in the same manner.

Gordon's status as an elite fantasy option stems from his receiving ability; he's caught at least 40 passes each of the last three seasons. However, he has never been an elite runner. He has a career average of 4.0 yards per carry and has topped 1,000 yards rushing just once in his career. If he lands in an offense that doesn't heavily feature running backs in the passing game, he'll be an average fantasy back at best.