Gordon's brief dalliance with being an iron man ended quickly. After playing 16 games the year before, he suited up for a career-low 12 in 2018, with multiple lower-body injuries plaguing him throughout the campaign, including a three-game absence due to a knee injury Weeks 13-15. Despite the bumps and bruises, Gordon enjoyed his most efficient season to date, producing 5.1 YPC and 14 total touchdowns, both career highs. Gordon still has great speed and can be hard to bring down (his 26 broken tackles on the ground tied for seventh in the league) but he's never shown particularly good vision. He relies heavily on his offensive line to pave the way, something the Chargers' rebuilt unit did more consistently in 2018 than in seasons past. Gordon is useful in the passing game but not a true difference-maker; his contributions fall shy of the Kamara-Barkley-McCaffrey level. The team also was reluctant to use him at the goal line, where his five carries inside the 5-yard line actually tied his scatback understudy Austin Ekeler, whose solid work may complicate contract negotiations between Gordon and the Chargers. The 26-year-old showed up for mandatory minicamp in June, but he was a holdout for the start of training camp. Quickly switching to a hardball approach, Gordon reportedly will request a trade if he doesn't get the deal he wants.