Depth Chart Watch: McFadden Reclaims Starting Spot

Depth Chart Watch: McFadden Reclaims Starting Spot

This article is part of our Depth Chart Watch series.

BROWNS WR:Chansi Stuckey started Sunday's game with Mohamed Massaquoi out due to a head injury, and while the Browns surprised the Saints with a 30-17 victory, the offense was anything but responsible for the win. Cleveland only threw 17 passes the entire game, and Stuckey was targeted just three times, catching two for 16 yards. Brian Robiskie had an increased role but only caught three passes for 25 yards. Even when Massaquoi returns, Cleveland is no place to look for fantasy wideouts.

BUCCANEERS RB: Although it was Cadillac Williams who caught the game-winning touchdown, LeGarrette Blount was the Buc who saw the most carries Sunday. Williams had just four carries for 12 yards while Blount ran for an impressive 72 yards on just 11 carries. Before anointing Blount the new Tampa Bay halfback, note that Williams caught eight passes while Blount was not targeted even once. Kareem Huggins, for what it's worth, tore his ACL last week and is out for the season, so Blount's competition for the backup job - if not the starting job - has been lessened by one.

BUCCANEERS WR: Strictly speaking, Arrelious Benn replaced Sammie Stroughter in the Buccaneers' starting lineup for Sunday's game. However, Benn caught just one pass for the second straight week while Stroughter caught three passes for the third week in a row. Right now, there is not much reason to run out and pick up either.

CARDINALS QB: Starter Max Hall was awful before getting knocked out of

BROWNS WR:Chansi Stuckey started Sunday's game with Mohamed Massaquoi out due to a head injury, and while the Browns surprised the Saints with a 30-17 victory, the offense was anything but responsible for the win. Cleveland only threw 17 passes the entire game, and Stuckey was targeted just three times, catching two for 16 yards. Brian Robiskie had an increased role but only caught three passes for 25 yards. Even when Massaquoi returns, Cleveland is no place to look for fantasy wideouts.

BUCCANEERS RB: Although it was Cadillac Williams who caught the game-winning touchdown, LeGarrette Blount was the Buc who saw the most carries Sunday. Williams had just four carries for 12 yards while Blount ran for an impressive 72 yards on just 11 carries. Before anointing Blount the new Tampa Bay halfback, note that Williams caught eight passes while Blount was not targeted even once. Kareem Huggins, for what it's worth, tore his ACL last week and is out for the season, so Blount's competition for the backup job - if not the starting job - has been lessened by one.

BUCCANEERS WR: Strictly speaking, Arrelious Benn replaced Sammie Stroughter in the Buccaneers' starting lineup for Sunday's game. However, Benn caught just one pass for the second straight week while Stroughter caught three passes for the third week in a row. Right now, there is not much reason to run out and pick up either.

CARDINALS QB: Starter Max Hall was awful before getting knocked out of Sunday's game with a concussion, and Arizona had no choice but the give the ball back to Derek Anderson, who at least was a slight improvement over Hall. Hall has already been announced as the starter for next Sunday's game against Tampa Bay - provided he is cleared to play - but don't expect either quarterback to have much fantasy value in Week 8.

CHARGERS WR: With both Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee out with injuries, Patrick Crayton and Craig Davis were the starting receivers for the Chargers on Sunday. However, the loss of two starters did not keep Philip Rivers from looking for his receivers - Crayton and Davis were targeted a combined 23 times. Crayton caught seven passes for 82 yards while Davis hauled in six for 53. Floyd will likely miss at least one more game, and even though Naanee could retun next week, Crayton is a player who could do some damage in the short-term.

COLTS WR:Anthony Gonzalez should be able to return from an ankle injury soon, and the Colts could surely use him with the rash of injuries to their receiving corps. Austin Collie underwent hand surgery during Indianapolis' bye week and will miss several games, but with Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon on board and Gonzalez's ankle still not game-ready, Gonzalez does not appear to be a very good short-term option.

COLTS TE: Although we didn't hear much about Dallas Clark's wrist injury immediately after a Week 6 win over Washington, the injury turned out to be serious enough to require season-ending surgery. Clark is one of the best fantasy tight ends in the business, so his loss is big. Jacob Tamme will start in Clark's place, with Brody Eldridge backing him up.

EAGLES WR: While last week's pronouncement in this space that DeSean Jackson could be done for the season might have been considered hyperbole, it was a no-brainer to sit him out Sunday after he was unable to pass his concussion tests. The Eagles have this week off, but it's unknown if Jackson will be ready to return when Michael Vick returns from an injury of his own in Week 9. Jason Avant took Jackson's spot in the lineup Sunday, but neither Avant nor Jeremy Maclin was able to produce much against the stingy Tennessee defense.

49ERS QB: 49ers fans had their wishes granted when Alex Smith was removed from the starting quarterback role in Sunday's game. However, after backup David Carr came in and tossed a crushing interception late, the same fans can only find solace in the fact that the Giants are in the World Series. With Smith looking on after being knocked out of the game with a left shoulder sprain, Carr completed just 5-or-13 attempts and threw the previously mentioned pick that set up the game-winning field goal by the previously winless Panthers. Smith is planning to travel to London with the team this week, but for right now, it does not look like he is going to be playing across the pond. Either Carr or Troy Smith will get the start if Smith can't go.

JAGUARS QB: Have the Jaguars found their quarterback? Probably not, but for one day at least, Todd Bouman proved to be at least serviceable. Following last Monday's David Garrard/Trent Edwards debacle, the Jags brought in Bouman, who last threw an NFL pass five years ago. On Sunday he threw for 222 yards and two scores, but the clock struck midnight in the third quarter when he threw an interception that was returned for six points. Garrard has a concussion and Edwards has a sore thumb, but even when everyone is healthy, Jacksonville can do worse than give Bouman another shot.

PANTHERS QB:Matt Moore has his job back, and this time it doesn't look like he's going to let it go. After a miserable start to the season cost Moore his job, he came back with a vengeance Sunday, throwing for 308 yards and two scores. Jimmy Clausen will remain on the bench for now.

PANTHERS WR: Of course, part of Moore's re-emergence might have been due to the return of Steve Smith, who had missed the last game-and-a-half with a sprained ankle. Smith caught four passes for 50 yards Sunday before leaving the game after tweaking the same ankle. The previously invisible David Gettis had a huge game, catching eight passes (including two touchdowns) for 125 yards, and Brandon LaFell wasn't too shabby either, gaining 91 yards on six catches. Gettis and LaFell have been learning on the job, and while the overall results have not been pretty, they looked like they could handle a starting role in Sunday's game.

RAIDERS RB:Darren McFadden came back from a two-game absence and had the game of his life Sunday as the Raiders administered a beat-down of epic proportions on the Broncos. McFadden scored four times and totaled nearly 200 yards of offense. Michael Bush had 15 carries and a score Sunday as well, but given how ugly the game had gotten, not much can be taken away from those numbers. McFadden is the man in Oakland.

RAMS WR:Laurent Robinson took Mardy Gilyard's place in the starting lineup Sunday, but the Rams are still searching for any consistency from the wideout position. Robinson, Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson, and Danario Alexander were targeted a combined 16 times Sunday, but they totaled just seven receptions for 55 yards. Gilyard missed the game with a sore hamstring, but it's doubtful he would have made a difference.

SAINTS RB: Although Chris Ivory didn't come up as big Sunday as he did last week, the distribution of carries was significant - Ivory received 15 of the Saints' 18 carries. New Saint Julius Jones had only two touches in the game, and although Ladell Betts was active in the passing game, he did not receive a single carry. Pierre Thomas is nearly healthy, but he may be in head coach Sean Payton's doghouse to a point. Reggie Bush is almost healthy as well, but right now it looks like Ivory will be the primary ball carrier.

Want to Read More?
Subscribe to RotoWire to see the full article.

We reserve some of our best content for our paid subscribers. Plus, if you choose to subscribe you can discuss this article with the author and the rest of the RotoWire community.

Get Instant Access To This Article Get Access To This Article
RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only NFL Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire NFL fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kenn Ruby
Kenn has been writing and editing for RotoWire since 2003. Though he attended Northwestern with the co-founders of RotoWire, he is not considered a made member of the RotoWire Northwestern mafia, as he can't trace back all of his ancestors to Dan Okrent.
NFL Waiver Wire: Week 16 Deep Dive
NFL Waiver Wire: Week 16 Deep Dive
Weekly Rankings: Week 16 Value Meter
Weekly Rankings: Week 16 Value Meter
NFL Odds: NFL Key Line Moves for Week 16
NFL Odds: NFL Key Line Moves for Week 16
Target Breakdown: WR & TE Usage Report + Week 16 Waivers Preview
Target Breakdown: WR & TE Usage Report + Week 16 Waivers Preview