Even with Willis getting 22 touches, McClain still had 50+ and a score again. Does he hold up this pace or does he fade away from here on out? Given the proliferation of the Thunder and Lightning type packages/RBBC, and the fact that Baltimore is better suited to be a run first team, I think McClain continues this pace and is a decent RB3-4.
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Is McClain A Good Weekly Start? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Burgendy
- Start date
TD vultures McClain and Hightower are going to be my RB starters in my TD only league until further notice. LJ is riding the pine after his 2 yd peformance Sunday. I think I can get away with the TD vulture strategy since it is a TD only league. If McFadden, Felix Jones or Kevin Smith ever start producing consistantly, then I will reconsider, but until then, it's McClain and Hightower.
North
Footballguy
I own McClain but think that once McGahee gets healthy he will take most of the workload and even steal some of those goal line carries McClain has been getting. In the Cleveland game McGahee would have gotten more than 1 TD if he hadn't been poked in the eye. I think as the season wears on McGahee's ability will seperate him from McClain. As for now ride McClain for all he's worth.
Why wouldn't they keep McCain the goal-line back?There is no way McGahee is a better goaline runner then McClain. Have you seen the guy's runs on those TD's?Baltimore isn't stupid, they aren't going to use a worse goal-line runner for the heck of it.
I've not seen the full Titans vs Ravens game from this week but I think I saw McClain line up as the RB in the goal line formation when he scored. In the previous games whenever Mcgahee has been healthy McClain lined up at FB in the goal line package with Mcgahee at RB. Basically up until the game Sunday every time Mcgahee has been active and healthy he lined up at RB in the goal line. So what I don't know is if the switch to McClain at RB in the goal line package this past week was permanent or because Willis is not 100%. I think if they revert back to what they did the previous games with McClain at FB and Willis at RB I would imagine we see both of them getting goal line carries.
cubbie5150
Footballguy
Whatever you do, don't start him week 6 because I will be using him to cover Lynch's BYE--my luck sucks w/ guys like McClain--I pick them up, they put up consistent pts on my bench, then when I need to start them----zilch, goose eggs, nada. For your own good, don't use him this week even though they're playing Indy!! Just trying to warn you. 
Broadway Joe
Footballguy
I aleady have, easy call in my viewI think McClain will 35% of the carries and goal line ops until the Ravens figure out that WG has diminshed skills.I don't know about weekly start. I think you have to go on a week-to-week basis with him. But I'm considering putting him in over Addai this week.
Deuce'sWild
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
That's a little nuts. But he's a good play in TD-only or TD-heavy leagues this week, as he almost always is.
North
Footballguy
I didn't say he wouldn't still be the goalline back, I said he could steal some goalline carries.
North
Footballguy
For what it's worth, they also have J. Jones at #3 ahead of Peterson vs. Detriot and they have MBIII 18th vs. Arizona????Come on, how legit are these rankings anyway? They're based heavily on what they have done in their previous games and not their matchup.
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MCguidance
Footballguy
ESPN has him at number 5, too. Don't know if I have the guts to start him over Barber.It seems very likely they use him in short yardage and GL situations, the guy is a truck.
mozzy84
Footballguy
FBG is at 19, I think he should be closer to 19 than 5. They have Mcgahee ranked a tad higher which I agree with.
cubbie5150
Footballguy
I don't like the karma... McClain is getting WAY too much love by the publications. Watch him fall flat on his face this weekend, i.e., watch him get no more than 5-8 touches.
Deuce'sWild
Footballguy
I would rank him around RB15 this week. No way would I start him over any of your big studs like ADP, Gore, MDIII, SJax, etc.
There is too much risk that he won't get 10 touches. And, I don't trust the coaching staff enough to not give McGahee some GL looks.
There is too much risk that he won't get 10 touches. And, I don't trust the coaching staff enough to not give McGahee some GL looks.
Kwai Chang Caine
Footballguy
So for anyone that has both McGahee and McLain, who would you start this week assuming standard scoring?
Deuce'sWild
Footballguy
Absolutely start Willis over McClain, IMO. McClain has been playing more because of injury.
I don't read KFFL but last week I was reading the ESPN projections and realized that whoever did the projections must have only seen the boxscores of the Ravens games and not watched the games themselves and I quit reading. If anyone had actually watched the Ravens last two games before this past weekends Tenn. game they would have saw that it was not a RBBC and McClain was only getting significant carries when Willis had to remove himself due to the eye and rib injury. Now in a week last week were Willis was injured and hardly able to practice he carried the majority of the load. I think we can all agree this is not a RBBC. Right?McClains only value when Mcgahee is healthy vulturing TD's and how much of that he does is highly questionable. . Not sure how goal line usage is going to work out for Baltimore but I would not count on McClain being the feature goal line runner all the time. He's done a heck of a job in that role so I'd be inclined to think the Ravens would still use him from time to time but before the Tenn. game McClain never lined up at RB in goal line formations when Mcgahee was healthy. It's not been real often this season Willis has been healthy but in the Steeler game they lined McClain up at FB and Willis at RB in goal line situations up until the point Willis left the game. Against Cleveland the week before Willis was getting the goal line looks and twice had to remove himself due to his eye and both times McClain replaced him and scored. My guess is this is the Ravens main goal line formation going forward with Willis at RB and McClain at FB and I'd think both of them are going to share goal line looks.
cubbie5150
Footballguy
^^ Unfortunately, I totally agree w/ the above. Was hoping McClain could be a semi-stress-free spot starter. Now, since Willis looks healthy (since he got 22 carries last week), I'm also questioning how many touches we can reasonably hope for McClain. Ugh
mozzy84
Footballguy
for me anyways
3nOut
Footballguy
Maybe because he's 72? Besides, Palin is a much better vulture.
North
Footballguy
I'm thinking about benching Addai and starting both McClain and McGahee.
I think McClain's limited action (5 to 10 carries) could be more productive than Addai's 15-20. You know the Colts are going to throw the majority of the time. If Addai is only getting 17 carries against the Texans, how many do you think he'll get against the Ravens? On passing downs it looks like they are comfortable bringing in Rhodes, so I'm gonna start McClain over Addai.
I think McClain's limited action (5 to 10 carries) could be more productive than Addai's 15-20. You know the Colts are going to throw the majority of the time. If Addai is only getting 17 carries against the Texans, how many do you think he'll get against the Ravens? On passing downs it looks like they are comfortable bringing in Rhodes, so I'm gonna start McClain over Addai.
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Mustang Man
Footballguy
I have been playing this guy for the last 3 weeks at the flex and my 3rd rb. He is a good bet to score in any contest and get 10-15 carries and a couple of catches. This guy is startable.
MCguidance
Footballguy
Projections are all over the board on him this week, making it tough to gauge value. I happen to think he will wind up somewhere in between and likely receive 10-15 carries, 2 receptions, 60 total yards and a decent shot at a TD.
