The Facts: Ken Whisenhunt began studying Gordon last year in anticipation of the Titans perhaps taking the Wisconsin running back 33rd in the 2015 draft. Instead, Gordon went to the Chargers at No. 15. The next time Whisenhunt studied him was in recent weeks as San Diego's offensive coordinator reviewing Gordon's uneven rookie season. A revelation was Gordon's actions as a receiver who caught 33 of 37 passes in 14 NFL games. "I think one of the things that really impressed me the most, which you don't really get a sense for of him playing college football, is how good of a receiver he is coming out of the backfield," Whisenhunt said. "He made some really good plays in that area. "
Diehards Line:Working in a Wisconsin offense whose identity was ground and pound, Gordon seldom was targeted as a receiver, though he said he fared well running routes and catching passes in practices. Over his 45 career games, he had only 22 catches. Remember: When Whisenhunt first joined the Chargers in 2013, RB Ryan Mathews had never caught a scoring pass in his three NFL seasons. In the '13 opener, Mathews ran free on a swing route and took a Philip Rivers pass for a touchdown against the Texans. He went on to have a very good season. Rushing will remain the bedrock of Gordon's game, but a more versatile approach couldn't hurt Gordon's fantasy potential. Gordon, for now, is recovering from knee-cartilage surgery.