Darren McFadden, Maurice Jones-Drew's Instant Fantasy Reaction After Week 7

The Oakland Raiders have a nice running back tandem on paper, with the likes of talented veterans in Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew. However, neither ball-carrier has produced at a particularly high rate in 2014, as the Raiders had the second-worst rushing offense in the NFL before Week 7.   

McFadden scored a touchdown in Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals, which is a victory in and of itself since they have a top-three rush defense. It was an otherwise forgettable fantasy outing for McFadden, though—and even less memorable for Jones-Drew.

Player	RUSH	YDS	REC	YDS	TD	Fantasy Points
Darren McFadden	14	48	4	7	1 (rush)	10
Maurice Jones-Drew	3	6	0	0	0	0

At least the Raiders are trying to be creative in finding ways to get the ball in McFadden's hands, per Ben Volin of The Boston Globe:

Following a 14-carry, 80-yard performance in Week 6 against San Diego, McFadden's confidence wasn't in short supply.

"That's how I take pride in running the ball," said McFadden, per the San Jose Mercury News' Jerry McDonald. "Every time I go out there and get the ball in my hands, I feel like I'm going to score, so that's how I run the ball every time."

Jones-Drew had 30 yards on four carries last week, but didn't have a big role versus the Cardinals.

Having a suspect offensive line and a rookie quarterback in Derek Carr under center hasn't helped the Raiders' ground game, so fantasy owners' expectations can't be high at this point. Those circumstances make McFadden little more than a decent flex option in deeper leagues. A modest involvement in the passing game adds to his value in PPR formats, too.

Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie acquired Jones-Drew in the offseason along with several other veterans in an attempt to infuse Oakland with experience and leadership. But Jones-Drew didn't play in two of the previous five contests, and his impact in the backfield has been minuscule when he has been in action.

Those who were counting on Jones-Drew as a potential fantasy sleeper this season can rather safely presume his best football is behind him. Barring a bigger role moving forward, Jones-Drew should linger on the waiver wire for the rest of the year.