Darren McFadden Grasping Raiders Offense…

KFFL reports that RB Darren McFadden, the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, is grasping the Raiders offense very well. Head coach Lane Kiffin his very impressed with his progress and ability to run plays in such a short time as a pro.

McFadden also understands that it’s up to him to help turn the Raiders franchise around and he’s up for the challenge. We don’t buy the reports that Justin Fargas will beat him out. Ask us, and we’ll tell you that McFadden is the man in Oakland.

Justin Fargas To See Bulk Of Carries?

ESPN.com’s John Clayton is reporting that Oakland Raiders coaches have said that Justin Fargas will receive 20 or more carries a game in 2007, while Darren McFadden will be used in a variety of roles, but will only get around 500 yards rushing in 2008.

Sorry, but we don’t really see this happening. McFadden has the talent to make the Raiders totally forget Fargas even exists. 1,000 yards from McFadden in year one, with 55 catches, seems like a solid bet to us. Call us crazy for going against what Clayton reports and what the coaches say, but we just don’t believe it.

Cedric Benson Not Focused On Football

Wondering why former fourth overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft Cedric Benson has grossly underachieved during his first three seasons in the NFL? Our sources tell us that the main reason for his lack of burst, speed and quite frankly - understanding of the NFL game - is a major lack of focus. Sources close to the University of Texas football program have told us that since entering the pros and receiving a big payday, he has steadily lost interest in football, and started to pursue other off-the-field interests. Read more

Michael Bush Looks Great In Practice…

We’re hearing that Raiders RB Michael Bush has looked very solid in recent practices. While it’s tough to judge the true potential of running backs when nobody is wearing pads, Bush has impressed the coaching staff with his pass catching ability and speed.

There’s still hope for him to carve out a role in Oakland’s backfield with Darren McFadden. Justin Fargas’ future appears to be shaky, and LaMont Jordan will be out the door soon enough.

Tie Goes To The Raider

We’ve made it pretty clear how we feel about Raiders rookie RB Darren McFadden as a dynasty prospect, ranking him in our top 15 overall players. We’ve also have made it obvious that he’s the best seasonal rookie running back prospect. That’s why, at the conclusion of our recent No-Offseason Reader’s Poll, we’ve given the edge to D-Mac, even though just as many readers thought Jonathan Stewart was a better investment in 2008. Read more

Justin Fargas Works As Starter At Mini-Camp…

Justin Fargas opened Raiders mini-camp as the starter at RB. We view this as a similar situation to what happened in Minnesota last year, where Chester Taylor opened as the starter when healthy but Adrian Peterson handled most of the production early on.

Fargas has minimal seasonal value. We borderline like Michael Bush better in all formats.

All in all, McFadden is a future fantasy stud and the guy to own in Oakland.

Post NFL Draft Risers & Fallers - Fargas Is This Year’s Chester Taylor & More…

Following the NFL Draft every year, there are several players - both incoming rookies and seasoned veterans - whose fantasy outlook completely change based on what players were added to their team. Whether you call this collateral damage, or just life, the bottom line is that once the cards are dealt, their value and chance at production either increases or decreases. Here is a look at the biggest name players to have their fantasy value affected based on the 2008 NFL Draft… Read more

Holmes Working Out With Rice

Word is that Pittsburgh second year WR Santonio Holmes will workout with Jerry Rice this off-season. Holmes came into the league as a glorified kick and punt returner after being selected in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Read more