Rashad Jennings' Instant Fantasy Value After Darren McFadden's Injury

The Oakland Raiders have lost starting running back Darren McFadden to a hamstring injury, which means that backup Rashad Jennings will have an opportunity to become a valuable fantasy football option.

The official Twitter account for the Raiders reported that McFadden would not return to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles due to the injury.

With just under 13 minutes remaining in the game, Jennings had already run for 44 yards and a touchdown on eight carries. He also added two catches for 11 yards.  He finished the game with 102 yards on the ground and another 74 through the air, finishing with 23 fantasy points in ESPN's standard scoring leagues.

This is just the second game of the season with Jennings scoring at least 10 points. He's scored just nine total points in all other games.   

If McFadden is forced to miss any additional time, Jennings is at best a flex option, particularly in deeper leagues. He hasn't shown a lot when McFadden has been gone before, running for just 140 yards and a touchdown before Sunday. He also lacks big-play ability.

For owners extremely thin at the running back position, Jennings is certainly worth a pickup. With byes and injuries at this time of year, any starting running back has at least some value.

Still, keep expectations low and think twice about plugging him into lineups. With quarterback Terrelle Pryor a viable threat to run from under center, Jennings' upside is limited, even in a starting role. Consider him a low-end RB2 or Flex play if McFadden misses time.