Once again, Darren McFadden is injured. This is becoming a pretty big issue for the Oakland Raiders running back who has yet to play a full season in the NFL since getting drafted by the team. McFadden has suffered three different injuries this season, missing games for all of them. He returned for the team's Thanksgiving matchup, appearing to be healthy and maybe, just maybe at full strength. But, the was short-lived as he is now hurt again.
ESPN.com is reporting McFadden is suffering from an ankle injury that caused him to miss practice most of this week. He had missed the previous three games with a hamstring problem. His return on Thanksgiving gave the team some hope, but now it appears he is likely questionable for Week 14.
"He actually injured the ankle in the game the other day and it was [hurt] more than what we had initially thought," Raiders coach Dennis Allen said, via ESPN.com. "He wasn't able to go today and hopefully we'll be able to get him out there soon, but I don't know."
McFadden has been with the Raiders for six seasons after being drafted as the No. 4 pick. He had a standout career with Arkansas, earning two trips to New York as a Heisman finalist. He appeared to be the next top running back to grace the NFL, but he has never played a full season in his pro career. He has missed 17 of the last 36 games, including four during the 2013 season. The running back notes that he is frustrated, but stresses he is not going to let these setbacks hurt his future.
"Like you said, man, there's always something," McFadden said, via ESPN.com. "But you just try to stay positive and just keep working hard and keep moving forward."
McFadden may intend to keep moving forward, but it will not be with the Oakland Raiders. The running back is averaging a disappointing 3.5 yards per carry, just ahead of last season's career-low 3.3 average. This was the season that McFadden was to find his former. The Raiders hired a new offensive coordinator in Greg Olson who operated under a similar style that McFadden ran when he was in college. However, that has not happened and other people are beginning to take his place on the depth chart.
McFadden is in a contact year and right now Rashad Jennings has emerged as the better long-term option for the Raiders after several breakout games while the veteran was injured. Now the Raiders have signed others on to help with depth, signifying the end of McFadden's run.
