Melvin Gordon likely out this week; has chance to return this season

San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon is not expected to play Sunday against the Oakland Raiders, but there remains a chance he will play again this season, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

An MRI revealed Monday that Gordon suffered a hip strain and left knee sprain when he tried to recover a fumble and was hit in the back by Carolina PantherslinebackerThomas Davis.

Gordon had microfracture surgery on the same knee in January.

Gordon is 3 rushing yards short of his first 1,000-yard season. Coach Mike McCoy, who described Gordon as day-to-day Monday, said the running back's pursuit of the milestone won't play a role in the team's decision to put him on the field in the final weeks of the season.

"We're not going to throw him out there so he can get a couple yards so he can say he got a thousand yards," McCoy said. "And he doesn't want that, either. I'm going to make sure that he's ready to go and be Melvin when he gets back on the field. That's the most important thing."

The Chargers (5-8) play twice more -- at Cleveland and versus Kansas City -- after the Raiders game.

"It's very important just because I know the guys need me out there and I want to be out there," said Gordon this week, when asked about the importance of returning this season. "We started together and I want to finish it. We've lost so many guys, so just losing me doesn't help the energy around here. So I'm going to try and do what I can to get back."

ESPN's Eric D. Williams contributed to this report.