The Oakland Raiders have had a rocky start to their 2013 draft class after cutting fourth round pick Tyler Wilson and placing up and coming rookie Latavius Murray on injured reserve and after those moves the final roster is basically set, making Rashad Jennings the best backup option for starter Darren McFadden in fantasy football.
McFadden is looked at as one of the riskiest picks in fantasy football, but he also could end up being a pick with the biggest upside, as people have low expectations for him since he is always injured, but coming into a contract year he could surprise everyone as a top 10 player. McFadden has never played in more than 13 games in any season in his career and he has gained over 1,000 yards just once, making this a crucial season for him and the Raiders both.
General manager Reggie McKenzie is trying to bring the franchise out of a big hole and with McFadden has has a very important decision to make, including whether to extend him in season or trying to as a free agent. If McFadden has a big year and McKenzie doesn't sign him, he likely will be gone and he also could be in hot water if he signs him and McFadden gets injured again. Fantasy football wise, McFadden is not a huge risk as a later pick or a second running back, as he could put up big numbers if healthy. The smartest thing to do for fantasy owners regarding McFadden is to pick up Rashad Jennings, as he will be his main backup and a smart handcuff to have.
The team is going to use Jennings as the primary backup with Jeremy Stewart after Latavius Murray was placed on IR and he will be out for the season. The Raiders liked what Murray did in college, but now he is done for the year with an ankle injury, making Jennings the best option to pick up for McFadden owners. McFadden has the talent and the potential to be a star in the league, especially after he put up 1,157 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground in 2010 along with 47 catches for 507 yards receiving.
McFadden is valuable if he does that in a PPR league, but his biggest issue is staying healthy and he missed 13 games over the past two seasons and that number is the most games he has played in any season, doing it his rookie year and in 2010. McFadden has just 707 yards last season in 12 games and he played in 13 in 2010 and seven in 2011.