Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden was once one of the best running backs in the NFL, and a surefire fantasy No. 1 overall pick on top of that. But McFadden has struggled big time in recent years on the field and with injuries. McFadden will get another chance at starting and another chance at being the running back he still feels he can be.
Darren McFadden hoping to bounce back this year, still has fantasy value
Darren McFadden looked good in the first preseason game and could establish his value with another strong performance Friday. We break down the fantasy implications.
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We saw flashes of that in the preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings. Just one flash, actually: McFadden carried the ball one time early on in the game, and he took it 23 yards before the coaches decided they'd seen enough. On Friday, the Raiders will take on the Detroit Lions in another preseason game and smart money is on McFadden getting the same workload this time around.
Fantasy Impact: If McFadden continues to pop off the same runs he did in the opener, then his fantasy prospects will be high. It’s hard to recommend a guy that has been injured so often, but then again, we’re not exactly recommending fantasy owners take him in the first round anymore. He has high potential to put up huge numbers in the right situation, so he’s always worth a look. Keep an eye on him in the preseason if you haven’t had your drafts yet.
