Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Willis McGahee Wants More Touches

Cut-N-Go is Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekday roundup of the NFL news with fantasy football impact.

At the end of Week 3 Willis McGahee had rushed for 190 yards and five touchdowns. Even now as Week 5 only has one Monday Night Football game left before it's closed out, McGahee leads the NFL with seven touchdowns. The problem for fantasy football owners is for the last two weeks, McGahee has played no part in the offense.

If you combine Week 4 and Week 5 McGahee has rushed the ball only six times for a total of nine yards. He's only made two receptions for 17 yards and a touchdown over that two-week span as well. After starting the season so well, Edward Lee of the Baltimore Sun says that McGahee is confused about his lack of playing time lately.

But when pressed on the issue, McGahee acknowledged being a little confused about his role with the offense.

"I don't know what's going on," he said. "I was only in there for a little bit. You would think it would have been better than that, but it is what it is."

While the playing time for McGahee has declined dramatically, Ray Rice's numbers have spiked. In the last two weeks Rice has one touchdown and 295 all-purpose yards. McGahee recognizes this.

McGahee was quick to point out that Ray Rice's performance might have factored in the coaches' decisions. Against Cincinnati, Rice rushed for 69 yards on 14 carries and caught seven passes for a career-high 74 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown.

"He had the hot hand, so there really was no need to take him out," McGahee said. "He was doing a good job."

What this means for fantasy owners is that you're never going to get true No. 1 running back statistics from either Rice or McGahee, not while they are entrenched in a running back by committee philosophy. Without an injury to one of these rushers it's going to be difficult to decide, on a week-by-week basis, who to start.

You're going to have trouble trading McGahee. True, he has seven touchdowns. But who's going to pay for those touchdowns after he's only rushed the ball six times over his last two games? You really don't want to trade Rice as he looks to be the back who will get the most touches. Or does he?

It's all confusion and frustration for fantasy owners when involved with a running back by committee approach and NFL coaches couldn't care less about your fantasy needs ... how rude.

Other Fantasy Football Notes
• According to Joe Henderson of The Tampa Tribune, Michael Clayton is killing himself and hindering Josh Johnson's development by dropping passes. Clayton dropped a ball on a crucial fourth-down play on Sunday and only had three receptions -- even though he was targeted 12 times. Not all of those nine incomplete pass attempts were drops, but Clayton is having some trouble holding on to the ball. The Bucs, on the other hand, have no choice but to keep throwing him the ball as his large contract will keep him in Tampa and the lack of a large talent pool of receivers will force the team to cement Clayton where he is on the depth chart.

• George Willis of the New York Post claims that Giants coach Tom Coughlin does not like to label his running backs when it comes to who's the main guy. He thinks, though, that Ahmad Bradshaw should be the No. 1 running back on the depth chart ahead of Brandon Jacobs.

• According to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean, Titans coach Jeff Fisher said that the move to replace Kerry Collins with Vince Young in Sunday's blowout loss was only a temporary move. Collins is still the starting quarterback.

• Head coach Andy Reid hasn't said as much, but Rich Hofmann of the Philadelphia Daily News says that Jeremy Maclin is the new No. 2 receiver in Philadelphia after Sunday's two touchdown catches.

• Ensuring a week of not knowing who will start at quarterback, Nicholas J. Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press says that head coach Jim Schwartz won't make a decision between Daunte Culpepper and Matthew Stafford until the Lions see how Stafford does this week in practice with his knee injury.

• The Tribune-Review says that Willie Parker has already mentioned that he might not be able to go in Week 6 against the Browns. With Rashard Mendenhall rushing for 242 yards and three touchdowns as the starting running back over the last two weeks, the question remains -- who cares, other than fantasy owners who have Parker?

• Sidney Rice got past an injury-plagued 2008 season and is now flourishing in the Vikings' receiver rotation. He's one of six receivers on the Vikings depth chart to have at least ten receptions and is tied for the team lead with 233 receiving yards. Sean Jensen of the Pioneer-Press says it all has to do with confidence. Rice is only owned in 37% of Fleaflicker fantasy football leagues and should be considered as a waiver wire pickup at this point. (Our own Ryan Dembinsky already suggested this last week)

• Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says that not only did Miles Austin set a team record with his 250 yards receiving on Sunday -- he may have moved himself up the depth chart to start opposite of Roy Williams as the new No. 2 receiver.