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Owners hope Murray keeps humming

Fantasy owners are praying that an injury doesn't derail the Cowboys running back's monster season.

Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray (29) runs with the ball in the fourth quarter against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Giants 31-21.Murray broke the NFL record with 7+ consecutive games with 100+ yards. (Matthew Emmons/USA Today)
Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray (29) runs with the ball in the fourth quarter against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Giants 31-21.Murray broke the NFL record with 7+ consecutive games with 100+ yards. (Matthew Emmons/USA Today)Read more

EVER BEEN MIDWAY through a long drive down to the Shore or up to the mountains when the check-engine light comes on?

The car sounds OK, has plenty of gas and there isn't a deer stuck in the grill, but that darn light continues to haunt. Now, coming up on the opposite lane, is a state trooper.

C'mon car, just get us there, you think. We'll worry about getting home later.

That's a little bit what it's like to be a DeMarco Murray owner these days. The Cowboys running back is on pace for more than 2,000 yards. His 130 yards per game and seven rushing touchdowns leads the league. His offensive line has helped him become the first back ever to run for at least 100 yards in the first seven games of a season. He gave them each $1,300 IMacs.

But just as significant a number is 427, the number of carries Murray is on pace for. It would be an NFL record. Only five players in history have carried the ball 400 times in a season, None had as many as the 187 Murray has through seven games. His career high is the 217 he had last year when he missed only two games. Additionally this season, Murray has 22 receptions.

Given Murray's extensive injury history, many fantasy owners are just waiting for the other shoe to drop - or, more appropriately, the other ankle to turn.

C'mon DeMarco, please stay healthy.

"People always want to mention the injuries," Murray said, "but I missed four games in 4 years."

Know when he said that? The day the Cowboys drafted Murray in 2011 out of Oklahoma, where he fractured his kneecap as a freshman, missed the BCS title game with a hamstring injury as a sophomore and was on the injury report often enough that he could have legally changed his last name to "questionable." It's why Murray slipped to the third round despite an otherwise terrific career at OU.

He missed 11 games in his first three NFL seasons, including six with a foot injury in 2012 and two last year because of a knee.

Most of us are halfway through the fantasy regular season just praying that Murray's check-engine light doesn't come on.

"I hedged my bets with a Murray handcuff," explained Joe Dolan, managing editor for FantasyGuru.com who has Murray in two leagues. "In one, I just dropped a backup quarterback for Lance Dunbar, who is more of a rotational type of back, but has more explosive ability than Joseph Randle . In another, I was comfortable with my starting running backs, so I dropped a flier in Devonta Freeman for Randle."

Sorry about that

In the three games since the Daily News spotlighted Larry Donnell, the Giants tight end has a just eight catches for a measly 96 yards and zero frustrating touchdowns.

He lost two fumbles in the fourth quarter of last week's loss to the Cowboys.

In Week 4, against the Redskins, he became an instant hit by scoring three first-half touchdowns.

Position watch

Quarterback: om Brady has nine TD passes and no picks in the three games since the Patriots were blasted by the Chiefs in Week 4. Next week, New England hosts Peyton Manning and the Broncos ... Those in larger leagues should have Texans backup Ryan Mallett on speed-dial. Houston has enough weapons that a flier can be taken on Mallett if coach Bill O'Brien decides to yank Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Running back: While former Eagle Bryce Brown ought to be added, expectations should be tempered. Buffalo's line isn't very good and this week's matchup at the visiting Jets isn't great. The fightin' Rex Ryans are eighth in run defense and have allowed just one rushing touchdown to an opposing running back (San Diego's Branden Oliver, Week 5). Plus, teammate Anthony Dixon is sure to get some carries. Brown was terrific in two games he started for the Birds in 2012 (178 and 169 yards with two TDs in each), but he'd occasionally have fumbling problems. Though just 23, Brown became expendable when the Eagles added Darren Sproles ... Detroit's Joique Bell should be bumped up to RB2 this weekend. The Lions play a Falcons defense that has given up 12 rushing TDs to opposing RBs, easily a league high. Please note the game is in London and starts at 9:30 a.m. Eastern ... Travaris Cadet, of the Saints, has had 20 total targets the last 3 weeks. With Pierre Thomas out the next 2-3 weeks, Cadet becomes a flex option in PPR leagues.

Wide receiver: After missing most of training camp, all five of the Giants preseason games and the first four regular-season games with a hamstring injury, it appeared Odell Beckham's rookie season was going to be a washout. But Beckham figures to benefit most from Victor Cruz's season-ending injury. He had two touchdowns last week and the Giants are pledging to get him downfield more in the coming weeks. With the G-Men on bye, it's worth stashing him now as a WR4 and seeing if they make good ... Without A.J. Green (toe) the Bengals went three-and-out on their first eight possessions and 10 of their first 12 last week at Indianapolis. Green did not practice again yesterday.

Adds/drops

The most popular (and unpopular) players on the waiver wire this week according to CBSSports.com:

Most Added

1. Denard Robinson, RB/WR, Jaguars

2. Doug Baldwin, WR, Seahawks

3. Tre Mason, RB, Rams

4. Dolphins defense/special teams

5. Anthony Dixon, RB, Bills

Most dropped

2. Brandon Bolden, RB, Patriots

3. Storm Johnson, RB, Jaguars

4. Phil Dawson, K, 49ers

5. Matt Asiata, RB, Vikings

Week 8 rankings (Posted Oct. 23)

QUARTERBACKS

1. Aaron Rodgers, Packers: @NO

2. Peyton Manning, Broncos: vs. SD

3. Andrew Luck, Colts: @Pit.

4. Drew Brees, Saints: vs. GB

5. Tom Brady, Patriots: vs. Chic.

6. Matthew Stafford, Lions: vs. Atl.

7. Philip Rivers, Chargers: @Den.

8. Tony Romo, Cowboys: vs. Wash.

9. Jay Cutler, Bears: @NE

10. Russell Wilson, Seahawks: @Caro.

11. Carson Palmer, Cardinals: vs. Eagles

12. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers: vs. Ind.

13. Joe Flacco, Ravens: @Cin.

14. Nick Foles, Eagles: @Ariz.

RUNNING BACKS (Based on point-per-reception scoring)

1. DeMarco Murray, Cowboys: vs. Wash.

2. Jamaal Charles, Chiefs: vs. StL

3. Matt Forte, Bears: @NE

4. Arian Foster, Texans: @Tenn.

5. LeSean McCoy, Eagles: @Ariz.

6. Lamar Miller, Dolphins: @Jax

7. Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks: @Caro.

8. Le'Veon Bell, Steelers: vs. Ind.

9. Ronnie Hillman, Broncos: vs. SD

10. Eddie Lacy, Packers: @NO

11. i-Andre Ellington, Cardinals: vs. Eagles

12. Branden Oliver, Chargers: @Den.

13. Ahmad Bradshaw, Colts: @Pitt.

14. Joique Bell, Lions: vs. Atl.

15. Giovani Bernard, Bengals: vs. Balt.

16. Chris Ivory, Jets: vs. Buff.

17. Jerick McKinnon, Vikings: @TB

18. Bishop Sankey, Titans: vs. Hou.

19. Denard Robinson, Jaguars: vs. Mia.

20. Alfred Morris, Redskins: @Dal.

20. Ben Tate, Browns: vs. Oak.

21. Tre Mason, Rams: @KC

22. Justin Forsett, Ravens: @Cin.

WIDE RECEIVERS (Based on point-per-reception scoring)

1. Demaryius Thomas, Broncos: vs. SD

2. Jordy Nelson, Packers: @NO

3. Dez Bryant, Cowboys: vs. Wash.

4. Antonio Brown, Steelers: vs. Ind.

5. Julio Jones, Falcons: vs. Det.

6. Randall Cobb, Packers: @NO

7. Alshon Jeffery, Bears: @NE

8. Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos: vs. SD

9. Brandon Marshall, Bears: @NE

10. Jeremy Maclin, Eagles: @Ariz.

11. T.Y. Hilton, Colts: @Pitt.

12. Andre Johnson, Texans: @Tenn.

13. Golden Tate, Lions: vs. Atl.

14. Torrey Smith, Ravens: @Cin.

15. Julian Edelman, Patriots: vs. Chic.

16. Pierre Garcon, Redskins: @Dall.

17. Roddy White, Falcons: vs. Det.

18. Michael Floyd, Cardinals: vs. Eagles

19. i-Calvin Johnson, Lions: vs. Atl.

20. Vincent Jackson, Buccaneers: vs. Minn.

21. Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers: vs. Sea.

22. Wes Welker, Broncos: vs. SD

23. Keenan Allen, Chargers: @Den.

TIGHT ENDS

1. Julius Thomas, Broncos: vs. SD

2. Antonio Gates, Chargers: @Den.

3. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots: vs. Chic.

4. i-Jimmy Graham, Saints: vs. GB

5. Greg Olsen, Panthers: vs. Sea.

6. Martellus Bennett, Bears: @NE

7. Zach Ertz, Eagles: @Ariz.

8. Jordan Cameron, Browns:  vs. Oak.

9. Jordan Reed, Redskins: @Dall.

10. Owen Daniels, Ravens: @Cin.

11. Jason Witten, Cowboys: vs. Wash.

12. Delanie Walker, Titans: vs. Hou.

i: Dealing with injury.

And finally

This is what drives us nuts about fantasy football. Or makes us geniuses. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has nine touchdown passes and six picks. Rams quarterback Austin Davis has nine TD passes and four interceptions.

Stafford was the fourth- or fifth-rated quarterback in most leagues. Davis was so far off the radar, he was only relevant in leagues with 85 rounds of draft. Sigh.

On Twitter: @EdBarkowitz