Raiders WR Javon Walker has started training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform List with knee and ankle injuries.
Pyro's Take:
Walker has only played in 16 games over the past 2 seasons and has posted less than 500 receiving yards over that time. He is expected to start the season, but you'd be better off drafting Madonna than Walker.
In an attempt to show his leadership, Oakland Raiders Quarterback JaMarcus Russell held a passing camp in his native state of Alabama over the offseason. However, only four receivers showed up, and none are in the top 3 on the depth chart.
Pyro's Take:
The Raiders and Russell both know that if he is to beat out Jeff Garcia for the starting job, he's going to have to step up his leadership. However, this is a sign that he's going backwards. Russell even sounded a little defeated by saying about Garcia, "if he do better than me that week, I'm going to be his biggest cheerleader. But we all for the same team. I wish him the best with whatever happens." Whatever happens with Russell, you still don't want to draft him.
Oakland Raiders Quarterback Jeff Garcia played catch with projected No. 1 receiver Chaz Schilens in the offseason at Garcia's home in San Diego.
Pyro's Take:
This could be another sign that Garcia, even though he was brought in as a backup, could end up starting in Oakland. Russell held a passing camp in Alabama, but neither Shilens nor any of the other top 3 receivers showed up.
Raiders RB Michael Bush believes the team could produce two 1,000-yard rushers this season while running behind Oakland's big fullbacks in their new zone blocking scheme. "With the fullbacks that we have, we're going to rock things with Lorenzo (Neal) and Big O (Oren O'Neal). The zone scheme is made to have at least two 1,000-yard backs. It's possible."
Pyro's Take:
While we love the positive thinking on Bush's part, he might be going a little too far with this one as the feat has only been accomplished 5 times in the history of the NFL. Bush and McFadden certainly have the talent. Too bad clubhouse favorite Justin Fargas is still hanging around.
According to NFL Post writer Michael Lombardi, the Chicago Bears wanted to sign former Oakland Raiders' QB Andrew Walter before the New England Patriots got him last week.
Pyro's Take:
the fact that the Bears were interested in a mediocre, old QB a week into training camp isn't good news for Bears' backup QB Caleb Hanie. Hanie must not be impressing and the Bears could be in deep dung if Cutler misses any time.
Dallas Cowboys No. 1 receiver Roy Williams said he pleased with the execution of the first-team offense during the team's preseason game against Oakland. "We looked good on that second drive," Williams said, referring to the touchdown drive. "We ran base plays. We didn't even try to trick them."
Pyro's Take:
The first-team offense performed pretty well against the lowly Raiders, but the same can't be said for the rest of the team. The Cowboys got annihilated 31-10, but the first-team only played a few series.
Dallas Cowboys TE Jason Witten caught and eight-yard TD pass from QB Tony Romo in the first quarter of the Cowboys' first preseason game against the Raiders.
Pyro's Take:
This was the only TD scored by the Cowboys in the game, and it was a finely executed play. Witten came off the line, ran straight at the linebacker, then peeled off to his left causing major separation and easily caught the pass thrown by Romo. With T.O. gone, Witten should be Romo's favorite end zone target this season.
Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable wants to throw the ball, and used the first preseason game to show it. "That was the plan coming out," Raiders coach Tom Cable said. "We have to be able to throw the ball to win." QB JaMarcus Russell completed 6 of 9 passes for 50 yards, with all of those 9 passes coming within his 13 plays of action.
Pyro's Take:
The stat-line is encouraging, but let's see if he can do it two games in a row before buying into the hype. His practices have been up and down so far during training camp, and the only reason why Jeff Garcia hasn't beaten him out for the starting job yet is because Garcia is still recovering from a calf injury. If Cable really thinks that the Oakland passing game is what's going to win them some games, he should probably say "no thanks" to the next round of kool-aid Al Davis tries to buy him.
Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable wants to throw the ball, and used the first preseason game to show it. "That was the plan coming out," Raiders coach Tom Cable said. "We have to be able to throw the ball to win." QB JaMarcus Russell completed 6 of 9 passes for 50 yards, with all of those 9 passes coming within his 13 plays of action.
Pyro's Take:
The stat-line is encouraging, but let's see if he can do it two games in a row before buying into the hype. His practices have been up and down so far during training camp, and the only reason why Jeff Garcia hasn't beaten him out for the starting job yet is because Garcia is still recovering from a calf injury. If Cable really thinks that the Oakland passing game is what's going to win them some games, he should probably say "no thanks" to the next round of kool-aid Al Davis tries to buy him.
Oakland Raiders TE Zach Miller led the team with 56 receptions and 778 yards last year, both stats that almost double the next best receiver. As nice as it is to be a leader, Miller could tell that teams were starting to lay off the wide receivers in order to pay more attention to him. "If we have wideouts that they're scared of or they have to pay attention to, that only opens me up more," Miller said. "We'll get our throws and we'll get our thing going, but I'd like to see the ball spread around as much as possible."
Pyro's Take:
Zach, as much as we're rooting for you, you're looking at a gimp (Jabroni Walker), two rookies (Darrius Heyward-Bey and Louis Murphy), and two guys named Chaz and Johnnie Lee as the players you're pinning your hopes on. Besides that, you still have JaBust Russell as your QB. Not to burst your bubble buddy, but you better learn how to break double-teams real quick or start posturing for a trade now 'cause this season just isn't gonna be an easy one for you.
Oakland Raiders QB Jeff Garcia's plans to take away JaMarcus Russell's starting job is still being stalled by the calf injury he suffered during practice in early August. Though the injury is not considered serious, the time missed while he rehabs is making all the difference to the coaches in camp.
Pyro's Take:
If Garcia is healthy, he would probably be able to take the starting gig away from Russell in about a week. However, being a banged up 39-year old doesn't help the situation any as the grizzled veteran continues to watch under-thrown after over-thrown pass by JaMarcus from the sidelines. For the sake of the whole city of Oakland, we hope Garcia finds himself healthy enough to get back into camp much sooner than later.
When the first depth chart of the year came out, the only person who wasn't surprised to see his name atop the RB list was Oakland Raiders RB Justin Fargas. RB Darren McFadden was listed as the backup, with RB Michael Bush listed third.
Pyro's Take:
If this was any other team in the league, we'd just chalk this up as some sort of late April Fools joke, but with Al Davis running the team, we know it's not. No worries though, as we have no doubt that McFadden and Bush will be pushing Fargas aside before the season starts.
When the first depth chart of the year came out, the only person who wasn't surprised to see his name atop the RB list was Oakland Raiders RB Justin Fargas. RB Darren McFadden was listed as the backup, with RB Michael Bush listed third.
Pyro's Take:
If this was any other team in the league, we'd just chalk this up as some sort of late April Fools joke, but with Al Davis running the team, we know it's not. No worries though, as we have no doubt that McFadden and Bush will be pushing Fargas aside before the season starts.
When the first depth chart of the year came out, the only person who wasn't surprised to see his name atop the RB list was Oakland Raiders RB Justin Fargas. RB Darren McFadden was listed as the backup, with RB Michael Bush listed third.
Pyro's Take:
If this was any other team in the league, we'd just chalk this up as some sort of late April Fools joke, but with Al Davis running the team, we know it's not. No worries though, as we have no doubt that McFadden and Bush will be pushing Fargas aside before the season starts.
Oakland Raiders QB Jeff Garcia was seen in pads at practice Monday, August 17th for the first time since he suffered a calf injury in early August.
Pyro's Take:
Garcia still has time enough to knock JaMarcus Russell out of the starting QB slot, but needs to make the most of it. It's good that he's back on the field raring to go, but he needs to put in some quick work if he wants Al Davis to sit his trillion dollar man-child in favor of him.
Oakland Raiders QB Jeff Garcia was seen in pads at practice Monday, August 17th for the first time since he suffered a calf injury in early August.
Pyro's Take:
Garcia still has time enough to knock JaMarcus Russell out of the starting QB slot, but needs to make the most of it. It's good that he's back on the field raring to go, but he needs to put in some quick work if he wants Al Davis to sit his trillion dollar man-child in favor of him.
Oakland Raiders RB Justin Fargas was still on the sidelines during practice on Tuesday. Fargas has been recovering from a hamstring injury the past two weeks.
Pyro's Take:
Fargas was listed as the starting tailback on their first depth chart three weeks ago, but nobody in their right mind expected that to stick, injury or no injury. Expect Darren McFadden and Michael Bush to be ahead of Fargas in playing time come Week 1.
Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable told reporters on Wednesday after practice that he will name his starting running back next week after seeing what happens in their final preseason game.
Pyro's Take:
The Raiders still have Justin Fargas listed atop the team's depth chart, but that's bound to change as Fargas won't be suiting up for that last preseason game. Darren McFadden's versatility and game-breaking abilities give him the edge over Michael Bush, though Bush should still get 10-15 touches a game. Handcuff these two together regardless of who comes out on top.
Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable told reporters on Wednesday after practice that he will name his starting running back next week after seeing what happens in their final preseason game.
Pyro's Take:
The Raiders still have Justin Fargas listed atop the team's depth chart, but that's bound to change as Fargas won't be suiting up for that last preseason game. Darren McFadden's versatility and game-breaking abilities give him the edge over Michael Bush, though Bush should still get 10-15 touches a game. Handcuff these two together regardless of who comes out on top.
Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable told reporters on Wednesday after practice that he will name his starting running back next week after seeing what happens in their final preseason game.
Pyro's Take:
The Raiders still have Justin Fargas listed atop the team's depth chart, but that's bound to change as Fargas won't be suiting up for that last preseason game. Darren McFadden's versatility and game-breaking abilities give him the edge over Michael Bush, though Bush should still get 10-15 touches a game. Handcuff these two together regardless of who comes out on top.
The Oakland Raiders announced on Saturday that they have released veteran QB Jeff Garcia.
Pyro's Take:
Just when we thought Al Davis couldn't get any loonier, he proves the world wrong yet again. Garcia won't be unemployed for long, though. Look for Green Bay and New England to come calling if they haven't already.
Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable said on Saturday that RB Justin Fargas' hamstring won't be an issue for Week 1.
Pyro's Take:
His hamstring may not be an issue, but he'll still be sitting behind Darren McFadden and Michael Bush when the Raiders take the field in Week 1. Don't bother drafting this guy.
Oakland Raiders running back Justin Fargas missed practice again on Monday and hasn't practiced now for the past three weeks.
Pyro's Take:
Fargas was still listed as the starting tailback on the last depth chart, but that should change when the Raiders come out with their new one on Tuesday. Expect Justin to be listed as the third man on the totem pole after missing so much of camp.
Oakland Raiders running back Justin Fargas (hamstring) returned to practice for the first time in three weeks on Friday, though on a limited basis. Despite his return, he likely won't be active for Monday night's game.
Pyro's Take:
Fargas won't be needed by the Raiders on Monday as both Darren McFadden and Michael Bush are ready and raring to go. Likewise, fantasy teams won't need him either... if there are any out there that actually have him.
As expected, the Oakland Raiders declared running back Justin Fargas inactive for Monday night's game against the Chargers.
Pyro's Take:
Fargas has barely practiced over the past few weeks and wouldn't be getting more than a few plays even if he was active. If he's on your squad, go stick your head in the toilet and give yourself a dirty swirly.
Oakland Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens (broken foot) won't play this week in Kansas City and isn't expected back until at least Week 3, and more likely not until Week 4.
Pyro's Take:
Coach Tom Cable also indicated that when Schilens returns, it will be rookie WR Louis Murphy's snaps that he would eat into, not rookie Darrius Heyward-Bey's. Why, we have no clue, but being the Raiders, nothing shocks us anymore. Either way, keep Schilens on your fantasy radar.
Oakland Raiders coach had this to say about wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey after the game Monday night: “I thought I saw a real nervous, uptight young man, a lot of big eyes,” Cable said. “They’ll have their highs and their lows as they go through this thing. We’ll expect him to be better next week."
Pyro's Take:
The Raiders other rookie receiver, Louis Murphy, looked light-years ahead of DHB at this point, but Al Davis and Tom Cable want (have) to stick with their first-rounder for now. Expect some growing pains with Heyward-Bey and stick him on the far end of your fantasy bench.
Oakland Raiders running back Justin Fargas (hamstring) was back with the team practicing in full on Wednesday.
Pyro's Take:
Practice all you want buddy, you still have McFadden and Bush ahead of you and that's not about to change. Then again, this is the Raiders...
The call came down on Friday that even though Justin Fargas is now healthy, Michael Bush will be the No. 2 running back behind Darren McFadden on Sunday. Fargas also is not guaranteed to be active Week 2.
Pyro's Take:
This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone as Bush is clearly the more talented back. Drop Fargas from your fantasy squad if you have him and only think about picking him back up if McFadden gets injured.
The call came down on Friday that even though Justin Fargas is now healthy, Michael Bush will be the No. 2 running back behind Darren McFadden on Sunday. Fargas also is not guaranteed to be active Week 2.
Pyro's Take:
This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone as Bush is clearly the more talented back. Drop Fargas from your fantasy squad if you have him and only think about picking him back up if McFadden gets injured.
Oakland Raiders running back Justin Fargas has been declared inactive for the game against the Chiefs today.
Pyro's Take:
Just drop this guy from your fantasy team already. It would be pretty embarrassing if Al Davis let this guy go before you did.
Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell had a terrible game on Sunday, but the team still got the win and coach Tom Cable never thought of giving his QB the hook.
Pyro's Take:
Russell knows full well that the Raiders have to stick with him through thick and thin as the team's other options are even worse than he is. However, completing just three passes all game before completing four more on the final winning drive is mind-blowing, especially since it was against the Chiefs. Russell cannot be considered a fantasy pickup at any point this season.
Raiders tight end Zach Miller had two or more catches in every game since September 21st of last year until being blanked against the Chiefs on Sunday. “They were paying extra attention to me, a little bit of bracket coverage, making sure a guy was trying to jam me or wall me, that kind of thing,” Miller said. “They made sure that I wasn’t too involved.”
Pyro's Take:
This is obviously just a blip on the radar screen for Miller, as he was one of the more consistent fantasy tight ends in the league last year. That being said, it almost seems like JaMarcus Russell is getting worse, so we hope you have another TE option.
Oakland Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens (foot) won't play in this Sunday's game, but plans on making his return to the field in Week 4 against the Texans.
Pyro's Take:
Schilens had the best rapport with QB JaBumpkin Russell before going down with a broken foot in the preseason. We'll see on October 4th if that chemistry is still there. Keep him on your fantasy bench if you have him and wait to see what shakes out.
Oakland Raiders running back Justin Fargas will be active for the first time this year on Sunday against the Broncos.
Pyro's Take:
Fargas will be the third RB in the game, but might be used on kickoff returns as well. Whatever way they use him, he's still useless for fantasy leagues at this point.
When asked what it would take to get wide receiver Javon Walker on the field, Raiders coach Tom Cable said, “Well, I think right now it would take injuries. We’re about to get Schilens back. You feel like that group has really done some good things and you want to keep that going obviously.”
Pyro's Take:
Huh? Speaka da English you dumb schmuck? Wow does it look like Al Davis has his hand pretty far up his little puppet's ass with a comment like that.
Stay away from the fantasy football dungpile known as the Oakland Raiders.
Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens (foot) has been ruled out for this Sunday's game against the Texans.
Pyro's Take:
Looks like we'll have to wait a little longer to see if the rapport between Chaz and JaMarcus in the preseason was for real or not. Keep him on your fantasy football bench again.
Raiders wide receiver Javon Walker is inactive for the game against the Texans today despite being completely healthy again.
Pyro's Take:
Walker can't seem to beat out the crap receivers the Raiders employ, even with the best of them, Chaz Schilens, still sitting on the sidelines. If you have him on your fantasy football team, go give yourself a swirly and wake the f*#k up.
Raiders running back Darren McFadden will be out 2-4 weeks as he undergoes surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Pyro's Take:
Justin Fargas and Michael Bush will take over in the interim, but neither will be worth a fantasy football play as the Raiders have tough match-ups the next three weeks.
Raiders running back Darren McFadden will be out 2-4 weeks as he undergoes surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Pyro's Take:
Justin Fargas and Michael Bush will take over in the interim, but neither will be worth a fantasy football play as the Raiders have tough match-ups the next three weeks.
Raiders running back Darren McFadden will be out 2-4 weeks as he undergoes surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Pyro's Take:
Justin Fargas and Michael Bush will take over in the interim, but neither will be worth a fantasy football play as the Raiders have tough match-ups the next three weeks.
Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens has been declared inactive for the game against the Giants today.
Pyro's Take:
When will this kid ever get on the field? He wouldn't have been a viable fantasy football play this week anyway, so keep him stashed away on your bench for at least another week.
Raiders running back Darren McFadden (knee) has already been ruled out for the Week 6 game against the Eagles. McFadden is rehabbing a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Pyro's Take:
McFadden might be back before the team's Week 9 bye, but it's not likely. Michael Bush and Justin Fargas will continue to split the carries until then, though neither is worth a fantasy football play anytime soon.
Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens (foot) was on the field for his second straight day of practice, apparently showing no ill effects from practicing Wednesday.
Pyro's Take:
All we know for sure is that if Schilens plays on Sunday, there's no possible way JaMarcus Russell could do worse than he already has. No Raider is fantasy football worthy regardless.
Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens (foot) is listed as questionable on the injury report, but coach Tom Cable says he'll see how Chaz feels on Sunday and make a decision on "whether it’s time to pull the trigger and get him out there."
Pyro's Take:
Again, it will be interesting to see how Chaz does with JaMarcus Russell after the rapport they built during the preseason, but neither are worth your fantasy football efforts until their value is proven.
Raiders coach Tom Cable likes the way running back Justin Fargas plays the game, and said as much Sunday following the team's win. "I think he and I have had a connection since I got here about running the ball and how you do it," Cable said. "I thought he was really big for our football team today."
Pyro's Take:
Fargas had a decent game with 87 yards on 23 carries (3.8 average), so it doesn't surprise us that the Raiders are once again making a huge mistake in bypassing Michael Bush for this lump.
Hey Cable, you don't think Bush would have gone for far more than that if given the ball 23 times you putz?
Raiders coach Tom Cable likes the way running back Justin Fargas plays the game, and said as much Sunday following the team's win. "I think he and I have had a connection since I got here about running the ball and how you do it," Cable said. "I thought he was really big for our football team today."
Pyro's Take:
Fargas had a decent game with 87 yards on 23 carries (3.8 average), so it doesn't surprise us that the Raiders are once again making a huge mistake in bypassing Michael Bush for this lump.
Hey Cable, you don't think Bush would have gone for far more than that if given the ball 23 times you putz?
When asked about the status of wide receiver Chaz Schilens for Week 7, Raiders coach Tom Cable said “Chaz Schilens (foot) will be back and ready to go.”
Pyro's Take:
That is just wonderful Tom. Too bad you start a quarterback that couldn't hit a horse in stride if he tried. Schilens, or any Raiders player for that matter, should never get a start on your fantasy football team.
Oakland running back Darren McFadden (knee) has been ruled out for the Week 7 game against the Jets.
Pyro's Take:
This was expected, so being ruled out this early isn't much of a shock. We'll see if the Raiders can get him back healthy in Week 8, but it's looking more like it will be after the team's Week 9 bye.
Raiders wide receiver Javon Walker was given a chance by coach Tom Cable to show his stuff last Sunday, to which Walker responded with zero catches on zero targets.
Pyro's Take:
If this isn't an NFL match made in heaven, I don't know what is: Al Davis overpays for crap receiver. Al Davis signs crap coach. Crap coach and crap receiver don't get along. Al Davis pays them both to fail at their jobs.
Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell expressed his pleasure at getting his preseason favorite target, wide receiver Chaz Schilens, back in the fold Thursday.
“(It’s) like he hasn’t missed a beat,” Russell said. “Just had to get back used to him running certain routes but other than that he’s looking good.”
Pyro's Take:
If this were any other team with any other QB, we might get excited about this... but it's JaMarcus Russell we're talking about here. Give it a week or two to find out if Schilens is worth a look for your fantasy football team going forward.
Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell expressed his pleasure at getting his preseason favorite target, wide receiver Chaz Schilens, back in the fold Thursday.
“(It’s) like he hasn’t missed a beat,” Russell said. “Just had to get back used to him running certain routes but other than that he’s looking good.”
Pyro's Take:
If this were any other team with any other QB, we might get excited about this... but it's JaMarcus Russell we're talking about here. Give it a week or two to find out if Schilens is worth a look for your fantasy football team going forward.
"Let me start by making a few things very perfectly clear," VP of football operations Vinny Cerrato said. "Jim Zorn is the head coach of the Washington Redskins and will (be) for the rest of this season, and hopefully into the future."
Pyro's Take:
Looks like we have an Raiders/Al Davis clone situation on our hands here. Cerrato took away his head coach's ability to call plays, then endorses him as being the coach of the team's future? I'm not ashamed to say this: I just don't get it.
Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens (foot) could not finish practice on Friday and is now being listed as questionable on the team's Week 7 injury report.
Pyro's Take:
Looks like we may have to wait another week to see how the team-savior looks with JaMarcus in a real game. Keep him planted on your fantasy football bench for now.
Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens (foot) will make his season debut today after missing the first six games with a broken foot.
Pyro's Take:
Here we go. Time to see if that JaMarcus to Chaz combo is everything they say it was in the preseason. However, neither one is a good fantasy football play this weekend against a blitz-heavy Jets D.
Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell was confused as to why coach Tom Cable replaced him in the first half of Sunday's game, but Cable had a talk with him and set him straight. "I think talking to him today, he's pretty clear on what went on," Cable said Monday.
Pyro's Take:
Two interceptions and a lost fumble in just 24 minutes of play and you're confused JaMamma? We're guessing Cable used some simple terminology in his talk with him... as in "you suck", or something to that effect.
Raiders running back Darren McFadden (knee) is still unable to practice with the team and when he will return to the field is unknown at this point.
Pyro's Take:
Knee surgeries take a little more time to come back from than people realize. We don't expect to see him until at least Week 10, and possibly not for a week or two beyond that. Keep him stashed away on your fantasy football bench for now.
Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens (foot) was on the field but not practicing with the team on Wednesday.
Pyro's Take:
Schilens was again inactive last week and it's cloudy as to whether or not we'll finally get to see him out there in Week 8. Might as well keep him on your fantasy football bench for another week if you've held onto him this long.
Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens (foot) was still missing from the practice field as he deals with continual pain and soreness in his foot.
Pyro's Take:
The preseason darling has yet to play a snap for the Raiders this season, and with a QB like JaMarcus Russell under center, we highly doubt he'll be worth a fantasy football lick this season. Feel free to get rid of him now.
For the first time since his knee surgery, Raiders running back Darren McFadden was seen doing some light jogging and agility work on the side at practice Friday.
Pyro's Take:
He still won't be back until Week 10 at the earliest, but at least we know he's alive now. Keep him at the end of your fantasy football bench for now.
Raiders running back Darren McFadden (knee) was back working with the training staff on Monday working on footwork and cutting. “We went out there today and worked on cuts. I was kind of winded,” McFadden said. “That was one of the main things, see if I can get out there and do a little running around and get good footing.”
Pyro's Take:
When asked about his chances of playing in Week 10 after the team's Week 9 bye, McFadden said, “Realistic. That’s what we’re shooting for. We’re pushing for it.”
He wasn't much of a fantasy football contributor before the injury, but you could do worse if you're looking to make a pickup for your team (if available).
Raiders running back Darren McFadden (knee) was on the practice field with the team when they started doing warmups and drills in front of the media on Wednesday.
Pyro's Take:
This doesn't necessarily mean he'll play in the game after this, their bye week, but it's a good sign nonetheless. If he's out there to be had, you might want to add him to your fantasy football bench just in case.
Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens (knee) was with the team for the beginning portion of practice on Wednesday, though it's not known if he went through team drills later in the day.
Pyro's Take:
Whoopdee-doo. Show us some real game action and we'll get excited... Actually, we probably still won't.
Raiders running back Darren McFadden (knee) was back practicing in full on Wednesday and if he doesn't experience any setbacks, he should be able to play when the team comes out of the bye in Week 10.
Pyro's Take:
Whether or not he'll jump back into the starting lineup at that point is up in the air. Either way, his fantasy football value just went up a notch, so if he's on the waiver wire in your league, you might want to think about grabbing him.
Raiders running back Darren McFadden (knee) was out on the practice field going through all the normal warm-ups and drills on Monday. He should be in line to start on Sunday against the Chiefs.
Pyro's Take:
We would continue to check back with us throughout the week just to make sure he doesn't suffer a setback, but he does have a juicy contest against the Chiefs, so if he's active, think about using him as a low-end RB2 or flex on your fantasy football team next weekend.
Raiders running back Darren McFadden (knee) practiced again on Wednesday and doesn't seem to have suffered any setbacks in his recovery from surgery. He is expected to be active and playing on Sunday against the Chiefs.
Pyro's Take:
What his role will be this Sunday is unknown with Justin Fargas and Michael Bush still in the fold, so we'd hold off on playing him even at the flex position if you can on your fantasy football team.
Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens (foot) was back practicing in full on Wednesday and might even be able to start on Sunday. “I’m kind of messing around with personnel and how I’m going to start it and all that,” coach Tom Cable said.
Pyro's Take:
Wow, the moment we've all been waiting for...
Russell drops back, he sees Schilens open in the secondary, he heaves the ball, there it goes, he's open... OHHHHH NOOOO!!! Interception!
Schilens can't be considered a fantasy football start until Russell shows he can actually play... which might never happen.
Raiders running back Darren McFadden (knee) put in a full week of practice and looks to be ready to return to action against the Chiefs this weekend.
Pyro's Take:
If we weren't afraid of him splitting carries with Justin Fargas and Michael Bush this week, we'd tell you to go ahead and play him as a flex on your fantasy football team, but we'd stay away from him for at least another week.
After going 8-of-23 for 64 yards (2.8 YPA) in almost three quarters of action, Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell was pulled from the game by coach Tom Cable in favor of backup Bruce Gradkowski. When asked about it on Monday, here's what Russell had to say:
"I really can't explain it," Russell said of the benching. "I really don't know what to say about it, but that was his decision, and just move on from it."
Pyro's Take:
Has JaMarcus ever seen the stats that real quarterbacks put up in the NFL and college? Or High School? Or maybe even Pop Warner Youth Football?
Clueless? Check. Gigantic and overweight? Check. Worst QB in the NFL? Double-check.
Fit to be a Raider, that's for sure.
Bengals running back Cedric Benson left last week's game against the Steelers in the second quarter with a strained hip flexor. Both he and coach Marvin Smith believe that Benson could be a game-time decision come Sunday against the Raiders.
Pyro's Take:
Benson has an opportunity for a monster game against an Oakland rush D that has given up the most rushing TDs on the year with 14 and fourth most yards/game in the NFL at 155.6. Check back throughout the week to see if you can get this fantasy football stud in your lineup next weekend.
Bengals running back Cedric Benson (hip) said on Tuesday that he's not quite sure if he'll play this weekend against the Raiders or not, but will definitely be back for the Browns game in Week 12.
“It’s not a major thing,” Benson said. “It may take one week to get ready, but not two. Hopefully I’ll be ready this Sunday. I need to focus on it and let it get healed so I can hit the ground full speed.”
Pyro's Take:
When asked about the Larry Johnson signing, Benson said, “I don’t see it as any type of threat. It’s great to have the guy come in. It’s only going to make me work harder. Even harder than I normally do. I’m all for it."
Another Benson quote: “Once the hip is ready, I’m gone. I’m running all the way to Miami and the Super Bowl.”
Maybe so, maybe not, but if he keeps up his current pace, he could run your fantasy football team to your league Super Bowl.
There's no doubt that Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell has not lived up to his No. 1 draft pick status, and now it looks like the Raiders may go in a different direction as QB Bruce Gradkowski took the reps with the first team at practice on Wednesday.
Pyro's Take:
Our guess is that coach Tom Cable is just lighting a fire under his ass and that the team is not giving up on him just yet. However, they probably should as he looks like one of the worst starting QBs ever to lace 'em up in the NFL. We'd have a tough time telling you to keep him on your fantasy football team even in dynasty leagues at this point.
Just as it was last week, Raiders coach Tom Cable has decided to stick with running back Michael Bush as his starter in the backfield after Bush ran for 119 yards on 14 carries last week.
Pyro's Take:
Bush has always been capable of production like this, but for some unknown reason (Cable and Al Davis are morons), he never gets the chance to show it. He could be a very low-end RB2 for your fantasy football team this Sunday, but if you have another option, you should probably go with that.
Cowboys coach Wade Phillips told the media Monday that he is confident quarterback Tony Romo will be starting on Thanksgiving Day after taking a knee to the back last Sunday, while Romo himself said he "definitely will be playing" against the Raiders.
Pyro's Take:
Romo will be just fine for the Week 12 game, though he may not be a recommended fantasy football start against a tough Raiders secondary. Look for the Cowboys to run all day long against the 30th ranked rush D this Thursday.
Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (foot) went through a limited practice on Wednesday and is being deemed questionable and a game-time decision for the game tomorrow against the Raiders.
Pyro's Take:
Witten is a tough cat, as he has only missed one game over his seven-year career. Our guess is that he plays, but hasn't been more than a TE2 for fantasy football squads all year.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (concussion) is fully expected to be back starting for the team against the Raiders this coming Sunday.
Pyro's Take:
We suspect Big Ben could have played against the Ravens this past week, but with the beat-down Baltimore tends to give opposing QBs, we're not shocked he was held out. Obviously, it's a bit different against the Raiders D who don't nearly have the same reputation. You can return Roethlisberger to QB1 fantasy football status for this coming weekend.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (concussion) went through a full practice on Wednesday and is expected to start this weekend against the Raiders.
Pyro's Take:
Coach Mike Tomlin has said that Big Ben will be starting this Sunday, so there shouldn't be any worries there. Oakland may boast a pretty good pass D, but Tony Romo didn't seem to have a problem picking them apart last week, so go ahead and start Roeth on your fantasy football team this week and see if he can't do the same.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (concussion) went through another full practice on Friday and looks good to go against the Raiders this weekend.
Pyro's Take:
Big Ben should only be a very low-end QB1 on your fantasy football team this week as the Steelers will likely be running Rashard Mendenhall up the Raiders gut all game long.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (concussion) is active and starting against the Raiders today.
Pyro's Take:
The Steelers will likely run the ball pretty heavily today, but with the offense as dynamic as it is, we'd still recommend playing Big Ben on your fantasy football team today.
Raiders coach Tom Cable said in a conference call on Wednesday that the team will be going with Charlie Frye as it's starting quarterback against the Broncos this weekend instead of QB JaMarcus Russell.
Pyro's Take:
When Bruce Gradkowski got hurt at the end of the first half last week, Russell was the one who replaced him. In one half of play, Russell threw one interception, fumbled once (Raiders recovered), and was sacked SIX times. Russell's days in Oakland are likely over, and it's possible he never plays another down in the NFL.
Broncos running back Correll Buckhalter (ankle) missed practice on Wednesday and doesn't look likely to play this weekend against the Raiders.
Pyro's Take:
Bump Knowshon Moreno way up your fantasy RB chart for this week as the Donkeys take on a porous Oakland Raiders D.
Even though Raiders tight end Zach Miller (concussion) is being listed as questionable on the injury report, he didn't practice all week and is expected to be out for the game against the Broncos on Sunday.
Pyro's Take:
It's not looking good for Charlie Frye and Co. over there in Oakland. Denver should eat them alive this Sunday, so make sure you stay clear of any and every Raider the fantasy weekend.
Broncos running back Correll Buckhalter (high ankle sprain) missed practice again on Friday and is listed as doubtful for the game against the Raiders on Sunday.
Pyro's Take:
With Buckhalter out, Knowshon Moreno will take on the every-down back role against a team that gives up the world to RBs. Boost him up to a borderline RB1 on your fantasy football team this weekend because of the news.
Broncos running back Correll Buckhalter (high ankle sprain) missed practice again on Friday and is listed as doubtful for the game against the Raiders on Sunday.
Pyro's Take:
With Buckhalter out, Knowshon Moreno will take on the every-down back role against a team that gives up the world to RBs. Boost him up to a borderline RB1 on your fantasy football team this weekend because of the news.
Raiders tight end Zach Miller took his concussion test on Monday and likes his chances of playing in Week 16.
“The way the symptoms have been kind of going away, I expect in the next few days here I should be feeling pretty good and get back out there at practice,” Miller said.
Pyro's Take:
The Raiders have picked their game up of late winning three of their last five games, and the return of Miller can only make them better. As good of a player as Zach is, he's still just a TE2 at best for your fantasy team.
Raiders running back Justin Fargas (knee) has been declared inactive for today's game against the Browns.
Pyro's Take:
Michael Bush becomes a decent RB2 play for your fantasy team because of this, as he and Darren McFadden will likely split the duties with Bush getting more of the first and second down work and McFadden getting more third down situations. Bush will also take the goal line carries.
Raiders running back Justin Fargas (knee) has been declared inactive for today's game against the Browns. Michael Bush will get the start.
Pyro's Take:
Michael Bush becomes a decent RB2 play for your fantasy team because of this, as he and Darren McFadden will likely split the duties with Bush getting more of the first and second down work and McFadden getting more third down situations. Bush will also take the goal line carries.
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