DMC

[Raider 84 29]

I believe he will play 15-16 games this year and be a top 5 rb. I'm jumping on the bandwagon. And not because I'm a Raider fan, but that helps. It wouldn't surprise me if he finished #1. Obviously I got Rice McCoy and Foster ahead of him still.

[kcBlitzkrieg 29]

I believe he will play 15-16 games this year and be a top 5 rb. I'm jumping on the bandwagon. And not because I'm a Raider fan, but that helps. It wouldn't surprise me if he finished #1. Obviously I got Rice McCoy and Foster ahead of him still.

 

Yes of course if he plays that many games he will finish in the top 5. That many games will translate into close to 300 carries with 1800 total yards and 10 TDs. Those numbers should be his floor if he plays that many games. The issue for everyone is do you trust him with your late first round pick (maybe early 2nd) to play 15 games?

 

The common argument I see popping up with this discussion is that he is "due" to play a full season. I never want to base my first round pick on this premise, I'll let someone else take him in the first and be happy if he fell to me in the 2nd as my RB2. A positive with DMC is that Oakland will be one of the lead leaders in rushing attempts so that if he is to miss time you should be able to still have a productive fantasy situation as long as you have Goodson/Reece as backups.

[LSUtiger 9]

I think DMC is without question a top 3 RB talent. The problem is him staying on the field all season. I can't trust him as a RB1. But, if I can pair him with a Chris Johnson or Matt Forte as my RB2 I'd be ecstatic.

[Joey Gladstone 33]

Screw DMC, I'm on the DHB bandwagon...

[DAGAME 0]

DMC who? Talk to me when he stops injuring his mangina.

[IGotWorms 4,058]

Fock DMC. Dude is fragile as all hell. That's all there is to it.

[We Tigers 71]

I never got off the bandwagon. Go, Darren, go! I have him in a keeper league so that somewhat lessens the risky sensation of drafting him, but I'd probably do it anyway.

[BLS 314]

To be completely honest, I'm no fan of DMC, but CLEARLY last year he proved he's a bonafide talent.

 

Now, will he go the way of Felix Jones or will he go the way of Priest Holmes?

 

I think DMC could be an EXTREME value pick (the type that wins a Fantasy Championship) because of his 'injury prone' status.

 

I wouldn't underestimate him...but I wouldn't bet the season on him either.

[Interesting Poo 0]

Last year I had DMC, Brees and Megatron. Week 6 I was undefeated and kicking serious arse.

 

I did not make the playoffs.

 

I don't blame DMC really as much has Hue Jass or whatever his name is, for lying about how severe the injury was.

[mobb_deep 920]

He runs too upright to ever be trusted.

[Giants Fan 85]

Bo Jackson might have been the best RB in the history of ever ... until he got hurt.

 

There may be more.

 

And we're just talking Raiders (WARNING: Gruesome injury!):

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT4kAKB2CT8

 

But Fred Taylor comes to mind. A guy who seemed like he had all the talent in the world ... but was fragile. Run DMC ... I dunno. I was high on him last year and got burned. I certainly hope he stays healthy and has an awesome career, but RBs like Gore, that always seem to get hurt, always seem to get hurt. I just can't bank on that in FF.

[Giants Fan 85]

Big mistake not drafting Bush. Guy who drafted him wouldn't trade him. I tried from week 1 to trade with the guy, wouldn't give up Bush. He even started him against me the week DMC got hurt. Like he knew it was gonna happen.

 

So sick. I was killing it ... and without McFadden, that was it. Season was over, because I kept him, hoping he was going to return. Never again.

[Giants Fan 85]

You can see the team in my sig still.

 

Auction. Got: Brees, Megatron, DMC, Witten ... did not make the playoffs. Could not get a running back, until I spent all my FA $ on Kevin Smith and then he got hurt.

 

It's sad, I know .... I would not be surprised if you cried actual tears.

 

ETA: I had targeted DMC as the best value RB last year. Had he stayed healthy, there's really no doubt that he would be the best value RB of last year. Even as a first, or early second rounder ... he was crushing it.

 

Who's my best value top tier RB this year? If I told you, I'd have to kill you ... but his name might end in -etterson.

[Frozenbeernuts 2,250]

Last year I had DMC, Brees and Megatron. Week 6 I was undefeated and kicking serious arse.

 

I did not make the playoffs.

 

I don't blame DMC really as much has Hue Jass or whatever his name is, for lying about how severe the injury was.

I traded Vick and Steven Jackson for DMC. I could have had Foster but chose DMC because I already owned Bush. What a mistake. Prob would have won had Jackson still been on my team.

[Giants Fan 85]

I had so many huge offers for him. That woulda been it ... if after 6 weeks I had just traded away the top scoring RB in my league ... when I also had the top scoring WR and a top 3 QB? Top 5 TE ... everyone healthy. Nobody could offer me enough.

 

DMC got hurt, Brees had a couple ok games but, not Breeselike games, and Megatron was getting tripple covered. He was too good. Secret was out.

 

Witten was .... what I drafted him to be, but his production fell off too.

 

Take away the DMC injury ... I woulda crushed that league. Add the DMC injury, I go 7-7 and miss the playoffs.

[We Tigers 71]

Invoking Fred Taylor as a reason not to draft DMC is arguing against yourself. "Fragile Fred' missed 24 games his first 4 seasons, and then played all but 9 in the next 6 seasons as Jacksonville's bellcow back. In those 6 seasons, he averaged less than 4.6 ypc once, and had seasons of 1900+ yards, 1700+ yards, 1500+ yards...and so on.

 

Fred Taylor is the quintessential example of "this guy is always hurt" until he isn't anymore.

[Tomidius 1]

I had so many huge offers for him. That woulda been it ... if after 6 weeks I had just traded away the top scoring RB in my league ... when I also had the top scoring WR and a top 3 QB? Top 5 TE ... everyone healthy. Nobody could offer me enough.

 

DMC got hurt, Brees had a couple ok games but, not Breeselike games, and Megatron was getting tripple covered. He was too good. Secret was out.

 

Witten was .... what I drafted him to be, but his production fell off too.

 

Take away the DMC injury ... I woulda crushed that league. Add the DMC injury, I go 7-7 and miss the playoffs.

 

 

I had DMC FJax and CJ2YPC last year in my auction =( Made playoffs, lost in first round

[DocNiner 70]

Money league and we can keep up to 3 players. Aaron Rodgers is 1. Doubt I'll keep any of Bowe,J Nelson,S Johnson. Only Rb I have worth keeping is DMC but I'm still hesitant to pull the trigger on keeping him. If I don't keep him someone will snatch him up before I get my first pick. The missed games worries me. Luckily I was able to get Michael Bush last year but I don't see his type of RB on the Raiders roster. If I keep a WR it'd probably be Bowe as I think he'll bounce back some this year. So, the dilemma is do I keep DMC or not? He'll certainly be high risk/high reward this year. Now seeing that I have the best QB in the NFL in Rodgers I might have more of a tendency to keep DMC and make sure I get a couple of at least solid RB's that'll get playing time should D-Mac be out for any time. I might even throw out a few trade offers to some of the owners for McFadden and see what pops out. Who would you guys consider taking for McFadden in a 3 keeper league. No time limit on keeping players,non-ppr & standard scoring but QB's get 6pts. per td. Could I possibly get like a Ryan Matthews, T Richardson,D Murray or J Charles? Or take a shot with M Lynch,S Jax or AP?

[envoy9 5]

I have two words for all of you banking on a full season from DMC: Fred Taylor.

[Cara 0]

It is amusing the people that will take DMC, but claim you can't trust Chris Johnson this season.... lol Ummmm, really? I think DMC may be the most talented back in the league (possibly between him and McCoy), but he is on my do not draft list. When he plays, you likely win. That said, look at his carry totals since his rookie season;

 

Player Stats Rushing Receiving

Season Att Yds TD Fum Lost Rec Yds TD Tgt

 

2011 113 614 4 1 19 154 1 23

2010 223 1157 7 3 47 507 3 61

2009 104 356 1 3 21 245 36

2008 113 499 4 1 29 285 38

 

Four years in the league and if you've owned him each of the last 4, you've likely won your league once, if you did then as he didn't finish the season in 2010. He has all the talent in the world, but is as fragile as glass. Having never carried the ball more than 223 times in a season, or 22 times in a game, I am too worried he would let me down. If he does have a great year and stays healthy, so be it. Four consecutive years of not staying healthy is more than bad luck. Even if you take him in the 2nd round, with running backs being so scarce, you could cost yourself a season if he goes down. If he manages to stay healthy during the preseason, I'll consider him, but as of today, he's still on my DND list. The McFadden posts always come out this time of year. Amazing he is still only 24 years old.

[boshek95 0]

McFadden seems like the ultimate high risk, high reward player right now. If you want him, you'll likely have to draft him in the first rd, as he has an ADP of 1.10 according to FFCalculator (12 team mocks, standard scoring). He could make or break your season.

 

Personally, I love his upside and would give him some real consideration in late Rd 1 or early Rd 2, but if I drafted him, I'd make sure that I had adequate RB depth help fill in any gaps if he missed time. Unfortunately, with Bush now in Chicago, McFadden's handcuff in Oakland isn't so obvious, and it isn't a lock that whoever fills that role will be nearly as productive in it as Bush was.

[waxg 3]

I have an offer on the table to trade me CJ2K for DMC, but I can't pull the trigger. CJ2K would cost me $10 more and I have more faith in DMC

[DocNiner 70]

I have offers out for Forte or Matthews for DMC.If one of the owners agree I'll pull the trigger. Otherwise I may take the risk of keeping him.

[IGotWorms 4,058]

I don't understand McFadden's first-round ADP.

 

The dude has had ONE good year in 2010. Even that year he didn't finish top 5 among RBs because he missed three games to injuries.

 

If you took him last year, you got BURNED.

 

If you took him 2009, you 600 total yards and one touchdown.

 

If you took him in 2008, you got 700 yards and four touchdowns.

 

Games played in his career: 13, 12, 13, 7.

 

I'm just not seeing the love for this guy. The only way he's worth his ADP is if he plays almost all 16 games. Sure there's a chance he finishes top 3 if he does that, but what are the odds that he plays 15 or 16 games? His career average is only 11.25 games played per year, and that INCLUDES his first couple years in the league when he wasn't used as heavily.

 

Go ahead, waste your first round pick on this guy. I wouldn't touch him until the end of the second, personally.

[Matt Mueller 146]

I took him last year....and although I got burned he helped me get off to a 5-1 start and all but secure a playoff spot.

 

When he plays he's a top 5 RB.

[IGotWorms 4,058]

I took him last year....and although I got burned he helped me get off to a 5-1 start and all but secure a playoff spot.

 

When he plays he's a top 5 RB.

 

Therein lies the rub.

 

Why would you expect him to suddenly become durable this year? About the only thing I can think of is that with Michael Bush gone, maybe the Raiders will be less inclined to sit DMac in debatable situations. I'm not sure that would have made a lick of difference last year though.

[Raider 84 29]

I'm riding the DMAC Train to the SUPERBOWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[We Tigers 71]

Therein lies the rub.

 

Why would you expect him to suddenly become durable this year?

Because injuries aren't predictable. Because none of his injuries have been recurring. A guy is always getting injured...until he isn't. Steven Jackson was a 6'2" hospital ward until he played 15, 16, and 15 games the last three seasons. Fred Taylor was a wreck until he picked up 1700 and 1900 yards in consecutive years.

 

I'm a big McFadden fan--he helped me win a title in 2010 and crush the first half of my season last year. Leave him on the board at your own risk, because there aren't a lot of guys out there that can put up points the way he does.

[Cuse9 129]

Because injuries aren't predictable. Because none of his injuries have been recurring. A guy is always getting injured...until he isn't. Steven Jackson was a 6'2" hospital ward until he played 15, 16, and 15 games the last three seasons. Fred Taylor was a wreck until he picked up 1700 and 1900 yards in consecutive years.

 

I'm a big McFadden fan--he helped me win a title in 2010 and crush the first half of my season last year. Leave him on the board at your own risk, because there aren't a lot of guys out there that can put up points the way he does.

Exactly, you draft accordingly. If you draft DMC, draft some insurance. Not to hard to do. You can waste a first rounder on DMC just as easily as you wasted a first rounder on CJ/AP last year. Any player is a risk, it's football. Some players are alot higher risk. If you take Peterson, DMC....some other guys, it's just more important to handcuff or draft another solid back a little quicker than you may like.

[Saints1 4]

Not that this should sway anyone but the Raiders hired a probably 70 year old plus strength coach that's in the "strength and conditioning Hall of Fame" from my home town. He volunteered at my son's high school last year while retired and they won the state championship. My 16 year old days he will have all the Raiders ready to go so draft them! Anyway he thinks it's great his former strength coach is in the NFL. Al Miller is his name

[c9h13no3 0]

A few points on McFadden:

 

1) Staying healthy is a skill. Its not just luck. Keeping your flexibility up, genetics, eating right, putting time in the weight room, and keeping up your rehab exercises long after you're hurt all contribute to health. McFadden can't stay healthy, and at this point its not just bad luck. He's played an average of 10 games a season, and I'd project him to play 11 or so.

 

2) Last year I owned McFadden in every league, but I also owned Bush in every league. McFadden was a great pick when he had a clear handcuff. This year we don't know who his back up is, and whether they'll get a full time gig if DMC gets hurt. I probably won't own McFadden in any leagues this year.

 

3) The raiders are no longer coached by Hue Jackson, and they figure to run less and throw more in the future given their personel. So people expecting his upside to be higher this year because he'll now get goal line work might be dissappointed.

[jvirne 0]

McFadden seems like the ultimate high risk, high reward player right now. If you want him, you'll likely have to draft him in the first rd, as he has an ADP of 1.10 according to FFCalculator (12 team mocks, standard scoring). He could make or break your season.

 

Personally, I love his upside and would give him some real consideration in late Rd 1 or early Rd 2, but if I drafted him, I'd make sure that I had adequate RB depth help fill in any gaps if he missed time. Unfortunately, with Bush now in Chicago, McFadden's handcuff in Oakland isn't so obvious, and it isn't a lock that whoever fills that role will be nearly as productive in it as Bush was.

 

Any idea who the backup will be? Taiwan Jones?

[Frozenbeernuts 2,250]

Any idea who the backup will be? Taiwan Jones?

My money us in marcel reece.

[Raider 84 29]

Time to jump on board!

[ralphster 274]

A few points on McFadden:

 

1) Staying healthy is a skill. Its not just luck. Keeping your flexibility up, genetics, eating right, putting time in the weight room, and keeping up your rehab exercises long after you're hurt all contribute to health. McFadden can't stay healthy, and at this point its not just bad luck. He's played an average of 10 games a season, and I'd project him to play 11 or so.

 

2) Last year I owned McFadden in every league, but I also owned Bush in every league. McFadden was a great pick when he had a clear handcuff. This year we don't know who his back up is, and whether they'll get a full time gig if DMC gets hurt. I probably won't own McFadden in any leagues this year.

 

3) The raiders are no longer coached by Hue Jackson, and they figure to run less and throw more in the future given their personel. So people expecting his upside to be higher this year because he'll now get goal line work might be dissappointed.

 

Great post, thanks.

[Ace08 11]

Invoking Fred Taylor as a reason not to draft DMC is arguing against yourself. "Fragile Fred' missed 24 games his first 4 seasons, and then played all but 9 in the next 6 seasons as Jacksonville's bellcow back. In those 6 seasons, he averaged less than 4.6 ypc once, and had seasons of 1900+ yards, 1700+ yards, 1500+ yards...and so on.

 

Fred Taylor is the quintessential example of "this guy is always hurt" until he isn't anymore.

 

This is easily the best post in this thread.

 

Unless we're talking ACL, patella's, or achilles which can lead to further injuries or setbacks, the majority of other injuries are frequently the result of bad luck. Two years ago Stafford was labeled injury proned and one relatively healthy season later he's on everyone's top 5 QB list.

 

Focusing on "injuries" is a good way to talk yourself out of taking the more talented player sometimes.

[Bobbyn2022 53]

Dude is amazing. Tonight he almost took 3 to the house 2 carries 20 yards, and 1 catch for 18....If he stays healthy the only guy I see who could match him on pure talent is Chris Johsnon or a healthy AP. Mcfadden is a MONSTER!

[The Moz 69]

News just in DMC rolled out of bed this morning ... torn ACL

[PATSSOX 22]

I took him in 2 drafts Sunday so they better not play him one more down in the preseason My bold prediction is he actually plays 16 games and is top scoring RB in fantasy football this year

[Raider 84 29]

I took him in 2 drafts Sunday so they better not play him one more down in the preseason My bold prediction is he actually plays 16 games and is top scoring RB in fantasy football this year