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RB Willis McGahee, Baltimore Ravens

HT: 6-0, WT: 228, Born: 10-20-1981, College: Miami, Drafted: Round 1, Pick 23

2009 Projections

Average draft position

Current as of June 29th. [Full ADP list]

Overall: D Driver (94), S Breaston (95), Willis McGahee (96), D Hester (97), J Jones (98)
Position: J Lewis (83-RB34), D Sproles (88-RB35), Willis McGahee (96 - RB36), J Jones (98-RB37), R Rice (99-RB38)
Click here for a comparison of these players.

Best Case

Willis McGahee is arguably the most talented runner on the Ravens but has slipped a bit in the minds of fantasy owners recently. He had a decent season a year ago when given the opportunity, but didn't even lead the team in carries. McGahee was the go-to guy at crunch time in the postseason. If that suggests the Ravens trust him above everyone else, then there is no reason to think he can't return close to 2007 level type of production this season.

Worst Case

McGahee was passed up on the depth chart by unheralded fullback Le'Ron McClain a year ago. If he can get beaten out for carries by an almost unknown, then certainly second-year man Ray Rice is a threat to his job. The two players together could relegate McGahee to an afterthought in most fantasy circles.

Outlook

McGahee enters the season as the "starter", but what that means is really anybody's guess. As evidenced by our staff rankings, just about everyone is split on how the team plans to use their running backs this year.

Relevant Articles

Why he is undervalued

Marc Levin - Is a guy who had 7 TDs in an injury plagued 14 games and is the focal point of his team's offense really being drafted behind second backs like Felix Jones, LenDale White, Cedrick Benson and his own team's fullback (Le'Ron McLain)? Are we to honestly believe McGahee will be unseated in the fantasy world by these guys? As the RB37, owners should gladly add McGahee and hope for RB2 numbers for most of the year.

2009 Schedule

2008 Game Summaries

Week 1 - There was question to how healthy McGahee was for this game. The Ravens felt good enough about him to list him on the active roster and he was in uniform. However, he did not get into the game.

Week 3 - McGahee was a workhorse while he was in Sunday. He took a severe poke to the eye and was bleeding from it, causing him to come out of the game. He tried to return with a sunglass mask but came out after his first play back. He did a solid job moving the chains and falling forward when he was in.

Week 4 - RB Willis McGahee left the game twice due to injury. After his second departure, he was in the locker room receiving x-rays on his chest and returned for only one more carry. He was on the sideline for the rest of the game. His left eye is still completely red because of the eye injury he sustained in week three.

Week 5 - For the first time this season, McGahee entered the contest as the unquestioned starter and he ended up with, by far, the most carries (22) of any Ravens RB. While McGahee seemed to be able to hit the designated hole quickly and gain a few yards, he didn't seem able to power through the initial hit and broke few tackles. As a result, his performance on the day would best be described as workmanlike with two notable exceptions. First, late in the first quarter McGahee took the ball at his own ten yard line and punched through the right side of the line. While Titans LB David Thornton got to McGahee quickly, the Raven carried him for the last half of the 16 yard run. Then, late in the second quarter, McGahee gained 14 yards as he fought through multiple tackles. While such instances were few and far between, they were glimpses of what McGahee is still capable of, and may return to, if he can get his knee back to 100%.

Week 6 - While he started the game as the #1 RB, and did finish with the most carries, McGahee saw very little action in the second half. This was largely a function of the fact that the Colts were up big and early and the Ravens' coaching staff was likely reluctant to risk any injury. When he was on the field, however, McGahee was not particularly effective. While he showed some speed in hitting the hole and making cuts to bounce outside, McGahee was unable to get to the second level and create any big plays.

Week 7 - If this week was any indication, McGahee may finally be back to the form that many who made him an early round draft pick expected. From the opening gun McGahee ran hard, hit the holes fast and broke tackles to generate a consistent ground attack. It's probably no coincidence that rookie QB Joe Flacco had perhaps his best game of the year with McGahee keeping the Dolphins' defense honest. A pair of 14 yard runs on consecutive plays in the third quarter were emblematic of McGahee's day. In each case he rushed up the middle through open holes for the first seven or so yards and then used shifty moves and a dose of power to get the next seven. On his sole TD, McGahee, starting at the Miami five yard line, ran into a log-jam in the middle of the line, spun outside and stretched out his arm to get the ball into the end-zone as he was falling down. The sole low-light of the game for McGahee came in the fourth quarter when he took a screen pass to right side of the field, rumbled 35 yards to the Miami 12 yard line and then lost control of the ball as he was being tackled from behind. Miami recovered it at their five.

Week 8 - McGahee was given the bulk of the overall carries (about 60%) and although he only had 58 yards rushing, he did score one touchdown. He looks healthy and like his former shifty self, and it also appears that the Ravens organization still has full confidence in him as their number one RB.

Week 9 - Early reports were that McGahee would start and then share time with McClain and Rice but McGahee did not see any playing time against the Browns

Week 10 - Back in the mix after spending last week's game on the sidelines, McGahee punished the Texans' rush defense all day long. McGahee looked impressive as he smashed through tacklers, hit the holes with speed and converted on key downs and in short yardage situations. His success in these situations clearly encouraged the Ravens' coaching staff to continue giving McGahee the goal-line carries that earlier in the season had gone to fellow RB Le'Ron McClain, and he rewarded their faith in him with his two TDs from the one and four yard lines respectively. If there was any shortcoming in McGahee's performance, it would be in the passing game as rookie teammate Ray Rice was used in more passing situations. Given McGahee's final numbers, however, that really wasn't a big deal.

Week 11 - McGahee was bottled up like all Baltimore rushers, carrying only 9 times for 18 yards. He added two catches for minimal gains before getting his ankle rolled up on, forcing him out of the game. McGahee was replaced in the lineup by rookie running back Ray Rice.

Week 12 - McGahee frustrated his owners again this week as the Baltimore wheel o' running backs came to rest on someone else. While McGahee did officially get the start, he was wholly ineffective against the Eagle defense. Almost half of his carries went for negative yards, and his longest run was for only four. As the game wore on, the lion's share of the carries went to fellow RB LeRon McLain and McGahee saw no carries in the second half. McGahee was not used in the passing game.

Week 14 - RB Willis McGahee suffered a shoulder stinger and did not return to the game after his fumble in the second half.

Week 15 - Willis McGahee seemed to be a change of pace back. He was in mostly in third down or other obvious passing situations. He did come in a few times to give LeRon McClain some rest but did not stay in the game. McGahee also dropped easy passes that hit him in the hands.

Week 16 - Willis McGahee only saw action in the first half when LeRon McClain was being given a rest. His first action was when the Ravens decided to put Troy Smith in at quarterback to run an option. He would see his first extensive action toward the end of the first half when the Ravens got the ball in excellent field position following an Ed Reed interception. He took a screen pass for 21 yards on the first play to put the team in field goal position. In the second half he began to see more work as the team tried to keep McClain fresh. The plan worked well as they were able to keep the ball on the ground and away from the Dallas offense. McGahee made one of the game's biggest plays when he took a handoff up the middle for a 77 yard score, the longest of his career, after Dallas had just scored to pull within two points.

Week 17 - McGahee was used sparingly in this game but had some success against a tired Jaguar defense. He ended the game with 49 all-purpose yards (24 rushing, 25 receiving) and scored once on a 13 yard run up the middle to extend the Raven's first half lead to 17-7.

Week 18 - McGahee was utilized up the middle, and had limited success until he broke free after a very effective stiff arm, and ran for 48 yards until he was tackled at Miami's three yard line.

Week 19 - When McClain went out with the injured ankle, McGahee stepped into the role of primary back and filled in well. He carried the ball ten times during the second half and was a good change of pace from the pounding running style of McClain. McGahee was able to use his speed and cutback ability to have more success running against the strong defense, especially outside of the tackles. His longest run came when the Ravens needed it the most, they had a first and ten on the Titan 45 and he took the ball around the left end for an 11 yard gain that set the Ravens up in position for a field goal attempt.

Week 20 - McGahee ran very hard and at times appeared on the verge of breaking free for a big gain, but the Steelers' defense prevented him from breaking loose. He did manage to score two short yardage touchdowns. With less than five minutes remaining in the game, he took a vicious hit to the head and after being treated on the field was carted off on a stretcher in a cart. It was reported that McGahee was alert and able to speak and move his limbs, but had considerable pain in his neck.