Player Page

Weather | Roster

Darren McFadden | Running Back

Team: Oakland Raiders
Age / DOB:  (25) / 8/27/1987
Ht / Wt:  6'2' / 210
College: Arkansas
Contract: view contract details
Share: 

Latest News

Recent News

Darren McFadden reportedly looks "energized" and "explosive" at Raiders early OTAs.
Averaging nearly five missed games per year through five NFL seasons, McFadden has all the incentive in the world to stay healthy entering his contract year. We don't doubt McFadden looks explosive in the non-padded practices. Whether Oakland's talent-deficient offensive line can open running lanes will be more critical to the 25-year-old's 2013 fantasy production. May 20 - 2:47 PM
Source: Steve Corkran on Twitter

Highest Searched Players over the last 7 days


Player News

Date:
Darren McFadden - RB - Raiders

Center Stefen Wisniewski expects Darren McFadden to "thrive" in the Raiders' new running scheme.

Instead of running laterally and then making a cut, McFadden is now being asked to get his shoulders square and go. "It's a downhill offense," McFadden said at last week's first minicamp under new OC Greg Olson. "That's one of the things I like about it. I'm the type of guy I like to get going downhill, so I'm looking forward to it." McFadden is a virtual lock to get back over 4.0 yards per carry after recording a woeful 3.27 mark in that category last year.
Source: Contra Costa Times
Apr 23 - 10:03 AM
Darren McFadden - RB - Raiders

Darren McFadden said he and the Raiders have not talked about a contract extension.

"We haven't talked about anything," McFadden said. "I'm a Raider right now and I'm playing football and preparing for the season. That's all I can do." McFadden is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and he's currently the team's highest-paid player at $5.8 million. There have been whispers the Raiders could trade the 25-year-old, but nothing concrete. Oakland doesn't have a viable No. 2.
Source: San Jose Mercury News
Apr 20 - 1:57 PM
Darren McFadden - RB - Raiders

Darren McFadden says he is 100 percent healthy and happy about the Raiders' new offense.

McFadden missed four games with a high-ankle sprain in a disaster of a 2012 season in ex-OC Greg Knapp's zone-blocking scheme. "I am the type of guy who likes to go downhill, make a cut and go; that's my thing," he said. "We'll mix it up like we used to, and get some zones in there, but for the most part, I will be keeping my shoulders toward the line of scrimmage." The 25-year-old is entering a contract year, and GM Reggie McKenzie is open to extension talks.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
Apr 7 - 12:20 PM
Darren McFadden - RB - Raiders

Coach Dennis Allen confirmed that the Raiders will build their rushing offense around Darren McFadden.

After wasting a year trying to force McFadden into former OC Greg Knapp's zone scheme, Allen has taken control now. "(McFadden's) most effective years have been in a downhill, power scheme," Allen said. "That's why Greg Olson and Tony Sparano are here." With Olson calling plays and Sparano coaching the line, McFadden won't have any schematic excuses this year. Entering a contract year, there's plenty of bounce-back appeal here.
Source: ESPN.com
Mar 20 - 9:22 AM
Darren McFadden - RB - Raiders

Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie says he believes Darren McFadden's injuries have been mostly "fluky."

Rotoworld has tried taking this optimistic approach with McFadden in the past, and it's come back to bite us each time. "He is as tough as they come," McKenzie insisted. "Those things happen." McKenzie says he hopes to resolve Oakland's rough salary cap situation so the Raiders can sign McFadden to an extension.
Source: Vic Tafur on Twitter
Feb 22 - 6:08 PM
Darren McFadden - RB - Raiders

Raiders OC Greg Olson strongly indicated Wednesday that he will be implementing a power-running offense in 2013.

"A year ago, they weren't sure about that zone scheme," said Olson, referring to fired OC Greg Knapp's system. "After a year of having to look at it, maybe (Darren McFadden) is a downhill runner. So we'll get back to some of the gap schemes and things he does well." Unfortunately, the Raiders wasted a year of McFadden's career under Knapp. DMC will still be a bounce-back candidate in 2013.
Feb 14 - 4:55 PM
Darren McFadden - RB - Raiders

New OC Greg Olson confirmed that he will be highlighting Darren McFadden.

Whereas fired OC Greg Knapp asked McFadden to fit into his offense, Olson is going to scheme to his player's strengths. "What we've decided to do, as a staff, is see what Darren McFadden is comfortable doing," Olson said. "Let's try and make it more comfortable for Darren, because he's one of our premier players." That means a return to the power-running game that McFadden excelled in under Hue Jackson. He's set up for a bounce-back season as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.
Source: San Jose Mercury News
Feb 14 - 8:25 AM
Darren McFadden - RB - Raiders

Raiders head coach Dennis Allen said they're going to "limit the times that we ask [Darren McFadden] to do some of the things that he may not be as good at."

In other words, the Raiders are going to play to McFadden's strengths in 2013. The first step was ditching OC Greg Knapp and his zone-blocking scheme. Oakland has since hired Greg Olson to fill that role, and he is expected to take the lateral running out of the offense. "We're really going to look at the things that McFadden does really well and we’re going to try to ask him to do those things as much as possible," said Allen. McFadden will be playing in a contract year in 2013.
Source: Contra Costa Times
Jan 24 - 6:23 PM
Darren McFadden - RB - Raiders

Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie told reporters Thursday that he is committed to Darren McFadden as Oakland's starting tailback for 2013.

Like coach Dennis Allen, McKenzie is attributing McFadden's 2012 struggles to simply being a poor system fit for outgoing OC Greg Knapp's zone-blocking scheme. "He's not a lateral mover," McKenzie said of McFadden's running style. The Raiders are expected to turn back to a power-blocking, gap-based running system in 2013. McFadden is owed a pricey $5.856 million base salary.
Source: Jerry McDonald on Twitter
Jan 17 - 5:17 PM
Darren McFadden - RB - Raiders

Coach Dennis Allen continues to express confidence in Darren McFadden.

Allen essentially blamed the zone-blocking scheme for McFadden's 3.27 YPC in 2012 when he fired offensive coordinator Greg Knapp. Whoever is hired as the next coordinator is expected to highlight McFadden's strengths via a power running scheme. "I like Darren. I think he's a good running back," Allen said. "He's an explosive player, and I think he can continue to produce in the future." McFadden will be entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2013.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
Jan 9 - 11:05 AM
Darren McFadden - RB - Raiders

Darren McFadden expressed frustration when asked about the future of the zone-blocking scheme in Oakland.

"I don't want to speak on it anymore," McFadden said. "It is what it is. The season is over now. I am just looking forward to next year." The Raiders are expected to choose McFadden over ZBS adherent Greg Knapp, as the two are clearly incompatible. Mike Goodson, Marcel Reece, and even undrafted rookie Jeremy Stewart were more comfortable in the scheme. Overhauling the running game should be a boon to McFadden's 2013 fantasy value.
Source: CSN Bay Area
Mon, Dec 31, 2012 11:30:00 AM
Darren McFadden - RB - Raiders

Darren McFadden rushed 19 times for 57 yards in the Raiders' Week 17 loss to the Chargers.

It's a fitting end to a miserable season for McFadden. Proving to be an atrocious fit in Greg Knapp's zone-blocking scheme, he managed just 707 yards on 216 carries -- a ridiculously low 3.27 YPC. During the first four seasons of McFadden's career, he averaged 4.75 YPC. Of course, McFadden's infamous injury woes cropped up again this year as he missed four games due to an ankle sprain, giving him 23 missed games in his five-year career. It would be logical for the Raiders to completely overhaul their running game this offseason and highlight McFadden's strengths.
Sun, Dec 30, 2012 07:31:00 PM
Darren McFadden - RB - Raiders

Darren McFadden was bottled up for 33 yards on 17 carries and caught three passes for 15 yards in the Raiders' Week 16 loss to Carolina.

At this point, three-yard gains are considered quality runs by McFadden. His per-play effectiveness has been brutal in the first year of Greg Knapp's zone-blocking scheme. McFadden and the Raiders will close out a forgettable 2012 season at San Diego in Week 17.
Sun, Dec 23, 2012 04:17:00 PM
Darren McFadden - RB - Raiders

Darren McFadden churned out 110 yards on 30 carries and added 39 yards on four receptions to lead the Raiders to a 15-0 victory over the Chiefs in Week 15.

McFadden wasn't nearly as explosive as change-of-pace back Mike Goodson, who totaled 103 yards on 14 touches, but he put the offense on his back and moved the chains in a game where both teams had trouble scoring. The 30 carries are a new career-high while the 34 touches and 145 scrimmage yards are season-highs for McFadden. He has another exploitable matchup at Carolina in Week 16, though fantasy owners shouldn't count on a monster workload against a team that is playing its best ball of the season.
Sun, Dec 16, 2012 07:25:00 PM

Depth Charts

Skill Players
PosRoleName
QB1Matt Flynn
2Terrelle Pryor
3Tyler Wilson
4Matt McGloin
RB1Darren McFadden
2Rashad Jennings
3Latavius Murray
4Jeremy Stewart
5Deonte Williams
GLB1Darren McFadden
2Rashad Jennings
3RB1Darren McFadden
2Rashad Jennings
FB1Marcel Reece
2Jamize Olawale
3Jon Hoese
WR11Denarius Moore
2Juron Criner
3Brice Butler
4Isaiah Williams
5Andre Holmes
WR21Rod Streater
2Jacoby Ford
3Josh Cribbs
4Conner Vernon
5Sam McGuffie
WR31Jacoby Ford
TE1Nick Kasa
2Mychal Rivera
3David Ausberry
4Richard Gordon
5Jeron Mastrud
K1Sebastian Janikowski
2Eddie Carmona