3 years ago Darren McFadden was selected 4th overall by the Oakland Raiders with aspirations of doing just what Adrian Peterson had done just one year earlier. Come in and be dominant right away. And why not, he was runner up for the Heisman back to back years making his Adrian Peterson expectations not so far fetched and even feasible. Week two of his rookie season he flashed his elite potential carrying the ball 21 times for 164 yards. Unfortunately he suffered a turf toe injury in that game which put a damper on the rest of his season limiting his explosiveness. Proclamations of good health and explosive preseason runs the following year lead to regained hype for Mcfadden. In 09 he showed little ability to shed tackles going down at the first sign of contact. He would suffer a knee injury week 4 that would knock him out until week 10 from game action, but he was never able to gain any momentum or tap into any of his vast potential (posted an anemic 3.4ypc)
McFadden lost his starting spot to bruiser Michael Bush in the 2010 offseason. He was completely written off as an every down back in the NFL. His first two seasons had earned him the nickname “McFake” and “McFlop”. McFadden was penciled in as the 3rd down back heading into the season when Michael Bush broke his thumb late in the preseason. Run DMC would once again start the season as the raiders starting RB, this time by default. Week 1 vs the Tennessee Titans McFadden carried the ball 18 times for 95 yards and added 6 catches for 55 more and a score. Not only showing up in the statline McFadden looked like a completely different player. He had good elusiveness, tackle breaking ability and all the burst he had flashed when healthy. The trend continued as Bush remained sidelined as he carried the ball 55 times for 250 yards over the next two weeks. As bush returned McFadden once again went down with injury knocking him out for 2 weeks. Uncertain if he would return week 7 against the Denver broncos (listed as questionable) many fantasy owners sheepishly left him on the bench as his role in the offense with a healthy Bush was up in the air as well. Not only did Dmac play against the broncos he owned them, totaling 165 yards on just 16 carries and 3 TDs. Adding 31 yards and another score receiving. The rest of the season McFadden continued to tap into his limitless potential ending the season with 1157 yards rushing with 7TDs and 507 yards receiving with another 3TDs in just 13 games (good enough for 2nd overall in Fantasy Points per game just behind Arian Foster among RBs). What changed to cause such a drastic change in production? First off McFadden has always had the talent to produce the video game like highlights that he did this past season. This year he played with a chip on his shoulder. All the talk of him being a bust motivated him to shed his bust label. When Hue Jackson came in as Offensive coordinator he went to McFadden and asked him what kind of plays he liked to run. He then switched the offensive Run style to a power run system as opposed to the zone scheme they had been running. McFaddens greatest asset is his explosiveness. It was tough to explode and get to full speed and your hesitant waiting for the play to develop. In the power running system he just gets the ball and goes and anytime he hits a crease, a house call usually follows. So what will he do for an encore?
Many doubt his ability to repeat last years production and he won’t. He won’t repeat last years totals. He will exceed them. In 2011 McFadden has no ceiling of production. With Hue Jackson Running the offense McFadden will continue to get the ball again and again needing just one crease to take it the distance. He’s not just your typical speed guy. He’s incredibly strong and elusive. He gets better the more he gets the ball. Mcfadden averaged 7.2 yards per carry last year on carries 11-20. That’s right 7.2 yards per carry which beat out Jamaal Charles 6.5 for best in the league. McFadden will not only emerge as the best RB in the NFL this season he will break the single season record of 2105 yards set by Eric Dickerson in 1983 and the yards from scrimmage mark of 2509. He’s proven worthy of these claims through the first 3 weeks of the season. He’s averaging 131 rushing yards per game and 6.4 yards per carry and another 28 ypg receiving. There simply isn’t another back in the game today as dynamic.