When it comes to making an impact in the NFL as a rookie, McFadden has been the one who has had to wait, while Slaton has become one of the surprises from the latest draft class.
“Everybody wants to be in the first round,” said Slaton, who was picked by Houston in the third round. “So, I was a little disappointed. But I just strived to make up ground and to show the reason why I should have been in the first round.”
Slaton has done just that, leading the Texans (7-7) with 1,124 yards rushing heading into today’s game against McFadden and the Oakland Raiders (3-11).
Slaton needs just 64 yards in his final two games to break Domanick Williams’ single-season franchise record for rushing in a season.
“The whole time during the draft they were saying that you would get a running back late that would be a real good player,” receiver Andre Johnson said. “Sometimes things just turn out that way. We were very fortunate that he came to our team. I watched Steve play a lot when he was in college. I’ve always been a fan of his and he’s helped us out a whole lot.”
McFadden hasn’t had nearly the success as a rookie despite being the first running back taken in the draft when Oakland selected him fourth overall. He is seventh among all rookie backs in yards rushing this season, having been slowed by a pair of turf toe injuries that forced him to miss three games.
But even when McFadden has been healthy in recent weeks, the Raiders have struggled to find ways to get their most explosive offensive player the ball. McFadden has taken the lack of work in stride, always smiling when asked about it and never complaining about his use.
“You really want the ball, but at the same time you know the coach is going to make his decisions and you’ve got to go with it,” McFadden said. “With me, it’s just like I go out there, work hard and run the ball when I’m called on. I’ve just got to do what I can.”
McFadden has 100 carries for 451 yards and four touchdowns this season. He has also caught 22 passes for 234 yards, leaving him second on the team in yards from scrimmage.
But he has also gone long stretches without getting the ball. In one seven-quarter span beginning with the second half against Kansas City on Nov. 30, McFadden had just four touches.
While McFadden has been unable to displace Justin Fargas as Oakland’s primary back, Slaton has benefited from injuries to take the job in Houston. He was originally penciled in to be a third-down back, but veterans Chris Brown and Ahman Green are both out for the season with injuries.
Slaton has made the most of his opportunity, shifting easily from the spread offense at West Virginia to a more conventional one in the NFL.
“It’s been a dream of a first season,” Slaton said. “You set your goals as high as you can, but the way everything panned out this year for me is truly a blessing.”
