Raiders running back Darren McFadden won’t play in Thursday night’s preseason opener at Dallas because of a hamstring injury.
“It’s very frustrating,” McFadden said. “I feel like I’ve been having a good camp. It happened. It’s just something you have to deal with right now.”
McFadden suffered the injury during Saturday morning’s practice and has been sidelined since.
“It’s one of those things, you don’t want to be out there on it, make it any worse than what it is,” he said. “You want to make sure it’s all the way healthy before you do because it’s a hamstring, something that can nag you for a whole year.”
The Raiders selected McFadden with the fourth overall pick in the 2008 draft, envisioning him making big plays with his speed. But he was slowed down by toe and shoulder injuries during his rookie season and by a knee injury during his second season. He’s coming off a disappointing 2009 in which he carried 104 times for just 357 yards.
With McFadden out, Michael Bush will start for the Raiders against the Cowboys, and Michael Bennett and Rock Cartwright are both expected to see plenty of action.