Raiders TE Zach Miller (foot) remained unable to practice
Thursday as Oakland continued preparations for its Week 9
game with the Chiefs.

Miller had just one catch for 8 yards in Week 8 and has seen
his production go down with Jason Campbell at quarterback.
Coach Tom Cable is sticking to his guns and said when Bruce
Gradkowski is healthy, he'll take over at quarterback.
Fantasy owners should keep eye on on Miller's injury status
for Week 9 and check back to see who will be throwing him
the ball. When healthy, the 24-year-old is a No.1 Fantasy
TE.

* McFadden coming into his own

Raiders RB Darren McFadden leads the league with 111.3 yards rushing per game and has scored six touchdowns in six games. He has seven runs of at least 20 yards this season,
including a 59-yard touchdown scamper against Denver that
capped a four-touchdown day two weeks ago. "I always tell
myself, when I go into a football season, when I get that
first big run, it will be a big weight off of my shoulders,"
McFadden said. "It seems like it's been three years since I
have been able to get that weight off my shoulders." After
two disappointing seasons that raised questions whether
McFadden would be the latest in a line of first-round draft
busts for Oakland, he has finally arrived as a big-time NFL
running back. He will face off against a Chiefs defense in
Week 9 that ranks seventh in the league against the run and
has allowed an average of 17.6 Fantasy points to opposing
running backs per contest. In four career games against
Kansas City, McFadden has run for 223 yards and two
touchdowns.

The biggest question McFadden answered has been about his
ability to grind out the tough yards. Most of McFadden's
success his first two seasons came when the Raiders got him
out in space, often when he was lined up as a wide receiver.
More than half his yards on the ground this season have come
after initial contact, an improvement from his first two
seasons. "A lot of people said that, but I always knew what
I could do," he said. "Running past them, running around
them or through them, they're all on the same page for me.
However I can get to the next yard line." McFadden appears
to have taken the main role over Michael Bush in Oakland and
should be in line for a big game in Week 9. Fantasy owners
should continue to view the 23-year-old as a No. 1 option
against Kansas City.