Oregon Football: Step Away from the Ledge, 5 Players Who Keep Ducks on Track

While the injury of LaMichael James is known, a dislocated elbow, the duration and impact it will have on the Oregon Ducks is unknown.

After Thursday night's game against Cal, LaMichael James suffered an injury that looked like a season-ending play, but it was revealed to be a dislocation with no further injury. James went as far as to say that he suffered the same injury in high school and played the next week.

The best-case scenario would certainly be James coming back at full strength, but that is a reach at this point.

With James being less then his best right now, here are five Ducks that can and will step up to help the Ducks. 

David Paulson

So far this year, tight end David Paulson has quietly done a nice job blocking and has caught everything thrown his way when Darron Thomas has looked his direction.

With the questions at receiver and now the uncertainty with James, Paulson will become an even bigger part of the offense and the weapon that many believed him to be at the start of the year. 

Kenjon Barner

Most directly impacted by the LaMichael James injury is Kenjon Barner. Barner is next in line to get the majority of the snaps should James be unable to go and he is a No. 2 that any team would love to have on their depth chart.

While Barner certainly does not have the skills that James brings to the running attack, he has an excellent understanding of the offense, has good speed and running ability, and is great out of the backfield in the passing game. 

Josh Huff

Will the real Josh Huff please stand up? 

While Huff was hampered in the offseason and early in the year with a lower body injury, now is the time the Ducks need him to return to last year's form and be the leading receiver.

At times Huff has stepped up and made some big plays, but when going up against a defense like Arizona State, the Ducks need him to stretch the field, opening up holes in the running game and down the seams in the passing game. 

Darron Thomas

One thing that would really help with the loss of LaMichael James in the rushing game is Darron Thomas getting involved in the rushing attack.

The maddening thing for most Duck fans is it appears that Oregon is no longer running a read-option. Instead, Thomas has appeared to have gotten comfortable in just handing off the ball.

If you ask coach Chip Kelly, he would tell you that Thomas is making the correct read and that defenses are respecting Thomas and his running ability.

No matter what you believe, the fact is if Thomas was to run between five to 10 times per game, it will keep the defense honest and make life easier in the running game. 

DeAnthony Thomas

If LaMichael James was gone for an extended period of time, the biggest negative would be the inability to consistently use DeAnthony Thomas in the slot. 

With the loss of James, Thomas will be used in the backfield more often and take his obvious playmaking ability out of the passing game.

Two things are for sure. One, Thomas is an incredible talent no matter where you put him on the field. Two, Chip Kelly does an amazing job of putting players in the best situations.

If you trust in these two things, you know that Thomas will be huge in replacing James.