With Marshawn Lynch out for an extended period of time, the Oakland Raiders are desperate for production out of the backfield, and Jalen Richard fits the bill. There’s been little to no positives to takeaway from the Oakland Raiders’ putrid start to the 2018 season. The offensive talent has underwhelmed, the defense has proven to be too old and incapable of adapting to the scheme, and most telling: Jon Gruden has provided no confidence in terms of the direction for this team. If there was something that fans could appreciate week in and week out it was Marshawn Lynch’s production, always running hard and gifting fans a few beast mode performances through the first couple of weeks. Emphasis on the word “was,” as it was reported that Lynch will be out for at least a month with a groin injury, with the potential for injured reserve a strong possibility. Now, the “Doug Martin experiment” that should have been canned looks alive once more; unfortunate given that what Oakland really needs is for Jalen Richard to have a strong featured role in the backfield. Fans know this, but it seems Gruden won’t oblige.<doc-sep>With Marshawn Lynch expected to miss extended time, it opens up new fantasy football possibilities for Doug Martin and Jalen Richard. The challenge is knowing which Raiders running back you should go after on your waiver wire. My advice is to pick up Martin where you can, but I would hold off on Richard unless you are playing in a deeper league. Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Michael Gehlken reported that Martin is expected to get the majority of the carries in Lynch’s absence. Raiders RB Doug Martin expected to handle bulk of carries with Marshawn Lynch (groin) sidelined. Jon Gruden high on him. Believes he’s ready for increased involvement. DeAndre Washington been inactive. Likely now to make season debut behind Jalen Richard. Martin is a different style running back than Lynch and posses a high level of quickness. I’m bullish on Martin’s chances of being an RB2 with upside in Lynch’s absence. Martin is a must-add in all formats. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Raiders are considering placing Lynch on injured reserve, which would put him on the shelf for even longer. Doug Martin Is a Must-Add in All Fantasy Formats The Raiders went out and signed Martin this offseason even though Lynch was already on the roster. Raiders head coach Jon Gruden was complimentary of Martin after the signing per Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud. Doug came to us for almost nothing. He’s got Oakland ties, which is important to me, Bay Area ties. He’s a hell of a player if he’s right now. So April 9 we put him in our system, and we see where we can take him…I’ve seen this guy be dominant. saw him in Oakland, California one day run for about 250 yards. And I know he averaged 2.9 and a lot of the statisticians out there have been on me about that, but what you haven’t seen is all the film and this guy’s a hell of….running back…He’s got a lot to prove. Martin is far removed from being a top fantasy running back, but did show some flashes in 2017. According to FFToday, Martin scored 15.2 points (PPR) in Week 5, 13.4 points in Week 6 and 13 fantasy points in Week 14. This season, Martin has not had many opportunities to shine aside from Week 4 when Martin had nine carries for 43 yards in Week 3. Richard does have relevance in PPR leagues. The past two weeks Richard had 13 receptions for 101 receiving yards. The Raiders running back has 31 catches for 253 receiving yards this season. Richard has not had many opportunities for rushing work. Richard has just 11 carries for 32 yards this season. That number is likely to go up with Lynch out, but he is likely only going to be used to spell Martin when it comes to the run game. As of now, Richard is only worth a pickup in deep PPR leagues.<doc-sep>John Ross should return for Cincinnati in Week 7, and his matchup is stellar. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) So the weekly waiver deadline has come and gone, but, with four teams on bye, many of us still have roster problems. If you’re a deep league fantasy player with holes to fill, here’s a six-pack of potential adds, each of them available in 90 percent of the Yahoo universe… John Ross, WR, Cincinnati (at KC, 5% owned) Ross is putting in full practices in preparation for this week’s matchup with Kansas City, so we can assume he’s recovered from the groin issue that sidelined him over the past two games. You probably don’t need an expert to tell you that KC’s defense has been a fantasy gift, allowing a ridiculous 340.3 passing yards per game and 7.9 per attempt. Ross isn’t a high-volume receiver, but he’s one of the league’s fastest players (4.22 speed) and he scored a pair of touchdowns in Cincinnati’s first four games. And here’s this Ross-related news, which can be filed under “intangibles”… Team has no chill lol im tired of it😂 https://t.co/vUYcMnowQt — John Ross III (@WatchJRoss) October 17, 2018 Anthony Miller, WR, Chicago (vs. NE, 7% owned) Here’s another TD-or-bust option for deep league players. Miller has visited the end-zone twice in his four games this season, though he hasn’t yet topped five targets or 35 yards in any game. On Sunday, he’s facing a Patriots defense that’s allowed 15 passing scores already, the second-highest total in the league. Danny Amendola, WR, Miami (vs. Det, 10% owned) Any time you can add one of Brock Osweiler’s primary receiving options, you gotta do it, right? RIGHT? ! No, obviously, you do not have to do any such thing. But some of us are playing in 14 and 16-team PPR formats in which anyone who might see seven or more targets is a viable option. Amendola drew 11 looks in Miami’s Week 6 OT win over Chicago, hauling in eight for 59 yards. He has a shot at reproducing those numbers against a Detroit defense that’s allowed 8.1 yards per pass attempt so far. Story continues Jalen Richard, RB, Oakland (bye, 9% owned) Richard can’t offer immediate help because the Raiders have a Week 7 bye, but there’s a decent chance he’ll see a value bump in the days ahead. Jalen Richard could see his usage rise if Marshawn Lynch’s injury proves serious. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola) Marshawn Lynch is dealing with a groin injury of as-yet-unknown severity, leaving Richard and Doug Martin atop the Oakland backfield hierarchy. And c’mon, you do not want to mess around with Martin at this stage; he hasn’t averaged better than 4.0 YPC since 2015. Richard somewhat quietly ranks fifth among all NFL backs in receptions (31) and seventh in receiving yards (253), so he has plenty of PPR appeal. Darren Sproles, RB, Philadelphia (vs. Car, 7% owned) We still don’t have an ETA on Sproles, who’s been sidelined by a hamstring issue since the opener. Just keep in mind that he played 29 snaps back in Week 1, handling nine touches. Whenever he returns, he’s guaranteed to have a substantial receiving role. Vernon Davis, TE, Washington (vs. Dal, 3% owned) Some of us are old enough to remember a time when the Alex Smith-Vernon Davis combo was fantasy magic. Davis hauled in three passes for 48 yards in last week’s win, with a 22-yard touchdown included. Washington’s receiving corps is full of injured and/or bad options, so it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if Davis continued to be a factor. If byes or injuries have you desperate for TE help, give him a look. Follow the Yahoo fantasy football crew on Twitter: Andy Behrens, Dalton Del Don, Brad Evans, Matt Harmon, Liz Loza, Scott Pianowski and Tank Williams More from Yahoo Fantasy Sports • Rankings: Position-by-Position • Listen to the Yahoo Sports Fantasy Podcast • Week 7 Sleepers: Trust in Money-Making Mitch<doc-sep>Matthew Stockman/Getty Images The Oakland Raiders suffered a blow when head coach Jon Gruden revealed Marshawn Lynch is suffering from a groin strain, The Athletic's Vic Tafur reported Tuesday. The Raiders have a bye in Week 7. Should Lynch's injury carry through beyond that, Doug Martin, Jalen Richard and Co. will have to step up in Beast Mode's absence. In the wake of Lynch's injury, fantasy football owners were likely scrambling to check on the status of Martin in their league. If he was available, he immediately became a must-add. While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers opted to save $6.75 million in cap space by releasing Martin during the offseason, it's important to remember the veteran is a two-time Pro Bowler. He has two 1,400-yard campaigns through his first six seasons. However, inconsistency has plagued him to this point and thus made him expendable in Tampa. Martin's career trajectory is a good sign for Oakland. The 29-year-old has gone through two cycles of a 1,400-yard performance followed by two 400-yard seasons; if history repeats itself, he is due in 2018. For those looking to cash in on points per reception, Martin may not be the best option. After catching 49 passes as a rookie, he has averaged just 16.2 receptions over the last five seasons, including a career-low nine last year. Through six games, Martin has caught four passes for five yards. Video Play Button Videos you might like Meanwhile, that opens the door for Richard to see more snaps in passing downs should Lynch miss time. Richard has piled up 56 catches for 450 yards and three touchdowns in his first two years in the league. His role in the passing game has grown in 2018. He has 31 receptions for 253 yards. Perhaps more importantly for Richard, the former undrafted free agent has proven he can pick up yards in bunches. He has averaged 5.5 yards per carry and 8.0 yards per reception thus far. He was the team's most-targeted back last year. As Pro Football Focus noted, nobody was better than Richard at picking up yards after contact just two years ago: While his yards per carry dropped last season, he did pick up 9.5 yards per reception in 2017. DeAndre Washington figures to be Oakland's third option on the ground with undrafted rookie Chris Warren still on injured reserve. Washington has yet to make an appearance this season, so he's not worth much of a look in standard leagues. Martin's fantasy value figures to soar if he has to move into the starting role. He has proven in the past that he can be a featured back, picking up yards on the ground as well as finding the end zone. On the other hand, Richard figures to be the classic boom-or-bust PPR back for fantasy owners. He has a knack for picking up chunks of yards at a time, but he is most valuable catching passes out of the backfield. Depending on availability, both Martin and Richard could be worth a look if Lynch has to miss time.<doc-sep>
Need Fantasy Football lineup advice? Talk to CBS Sports on your Google Assistant to get insights on the best sleepers and to help decide between players. Just start with, "Hey Google, talk to CBS Sports." The running back landscape got shaken up across the country Friday – Dave Richard reacted to the Carlos Hyde trade here – and the Raiders received quite a shock during their off week. NFL Network reported Friday we've seen the last of Marshawn Lynch for at least the next month – and possibly quite a bit longer – after an MRI revealed a serious groin injury. The exact details of the injury aren't yet known to the public, but the report indicates Lynch will be out at least a month – however injured reserve is a "strong possibility," per Ian Rapoport. It isn't known whether Lynch will require surgery, but if he does go on IR, that would effectively end his season. Even if he is designated to return, that would keep him out until at least Week 15. Even the lower range of the timeline has Lynch missing several games. Even including the team's Week 7 bye, missing a month would likely keep Lynch out until Week 11 or 12. That's right at the edge of the Fantasy regular season, meaning you'll have a tough decision as to whether to hang on to him. The good news is, you won't need to make that decision for several days, so see if we find out something more concrete before waivers run Tuesday for Week 8. Even if he doesn't go on IR, you may not need to hang on to Lynch. As for how the Raiders' running game will look, there's the wishful thinking outcome and what's most likely to happen. Most Fantasy players would probably like to see Jalen Richard thrust into an every-down role, because he has shown big-play ability whenever given the opportunity over the last three seasons. Richard hasn't done much with his paltry 11 carries this season, but already has a career-high 31 receptions for 253 yards through six games. The more likely outcome, however, probably sees Richard stay in his current role, with Doug Martin stepping into Lynch's role. Martin was talked up by the coaching staff in the offseason and has 27 carries to Richard's 11, however he has produced an uninspiring 99 yards with them. That is in continuing with a theme for Martin, who hasn't averaged even 3.0 yards per carry since 2015. He was, of course, excellent in 2015, rushing for 1,402 yards and six touchdowns, but has been a total non-factor since. So far this season, Lynch had been playing 50.5 percent of the Raiders' offensive snaps, while Richard has played 35.7 percent and Martin has logged 13.6 percent. Richard could see a slightly larger role, but I would guess the half of the team's offensive snaps going to Lynch will be transferred to Martin. At least at first. If he can find a spark of his former Pro Bowl form, the Raiders may not miss a beat without Lynch; if not, there's an opportunity available for Richard to prove he's something more than just a passing down's specialist. The Raiders won't be caught by surprise with this news, with more than a full week to come up with a game plan before Week 8 against the Colts. It's not a bad landing spot for the running game, but expectations should be low until Martin especially proves otherwise. Martin will be one of the top targets on waivers in all Fantasy leagues in the wake of this news next week, and probably should be added in all formats based on the workload opportunity in front of him. Richard is also worth adding, especially in PPR formats. He may remain primarily a pass-catching specialist in the near term, but if Martin continues to struggle, there's an opportunity there for him to carve out a more significant role. Who should you sit and start? And what shocking QB could win you Week 7? Visit SportsLine now to get Fantasy football rankings for every single position, and see which shocking QB finishes in the top 5 this week, all from the model that out-performed experts big time last season.