Every time Marcel Reece has been given an opportunity to be Oakland’s lead back, he delivers. We saw it again last year when he rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown in a 37-27 loss to the New York Jets when both Rashad Jennings (Oakland’s lead back at the time) and Darren McFadden were injured. The versatile fullback was the only Oakland player selected for the Pro Bowl. Of course, having a talented player is apparently a problem for the frequently ridiculous Raiders, as Reece keeps getting shoved back into a secondary role. Is there any reason to believe things will change in 2014?
Fantasy Upside
Jennings is gone, but McFadden, who spends plenty of time in traction, has been joined by aging Maurice Jones-Drew, a longtime standout in Jacksonville. Jones-Drew played just six games in 2012 and averaged a career-low 3.4 yards per carry last season. The odds of Jones-Drew and McFadden both playing 16 games are about as good as the San Antonio Spurs firing Gregg Popovich and replacing him with Isaiah Thomas. Maybe, just maybe, the Raiders will have to turn to Reece more often.
Fantasy Downside
Or will they? The Raiders refuse to budge on having Reece concentrate on any position but fullback, as Latavius Murray is third on the depth chart at halfback despite Reece’s track record of success. Murray seems to represent the future at the position. Even if Reece got a shot, the Raiders have a horrible schedule and uncertainty at quarterback between fading veteran Matt Schaub and unproven rookie Derek Carr. They also have an offensive line that is far from perfect.
Bottom Line
Consistent fantasy glory will continue to elude Reece thanks to the incompetent Oakland organization. This incompetence means he should not be on your roster at the start of the season. If history repeats itself and Marcel gets a few games in the spotlight, you will want to quickly scoop him up off the waiver wire.
