STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF A PACK STIFF BACKFIELD COMPETITION FOR RAIDERS' FARGAS.

Byline: Cecil Conley Staff Writer

NAPA - Justin Fargas had to wait in line for playing time in 2003 with the Oakland Raiders. This season, the line appears to be longer for the second-year running back out of USC.

Fargas was third on the depth chart last season behind starter Charlie Garner and Tyrone Wheatley.

Now that Garner is gone, having opted out of his contract with the Raiders to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the battle for the starting job would seem to be between Wheatley and Fargas.

However, nothing is ever as it seems with the Raiders.

If they can afford to have two proven players at quarterback in 2002 NFL MVP Rich Gannon and Kerry Collins, at least for the time being, why not have four at running back?

The Raiders added two running backs in the offseason by signing free agents Amos Zereoue from Pittsburgh and Troy Hambrick from Dallas.

The race for the starting job now is a four-man heat.

The backfield competition will not become a relay race because new Raiders coach Norv Turner said he wants one of the four backs to take the baton and run with it.

``We're looking for an every-down back. We want one guy who can carry the ball most of the time,'' said Turner, who had that kind of back during his days as Washington's coach (Terry Allen) and as an offensive coordinator with Dallas (Emmitt Smith), San Diego (LaDainian Tomlinson) and Miami (Ricky Williams).

If Fargas hopes to play more this season than he did last season, when he had 40 carries for 203 yards, the former Norte Dame High of Sherman Oaks star will have to stand out in a crowd - literally.

Fargas said he was ``all for'' the additions of Zereoue and Hambrick, adding he did not view the moves as a sign that the Raiders had no confidence in him and/or Wheatley.

``They're going to bring guys in that they feel can help this team and help us win. I'm all for it,'' Fargas said. ``It creates more competition at the position, but it makes the running backs as a group better. There's only one ball, and we all want to carry it. I don't look at it as I'm competing against one guy or another. I think we're all competing to get better.''

To have any shot at starting, Fargas will have to prove he can stay healthy and hang on to the football.

His health became a concern again last year, when he tore the medial collateral ligament in his right knee and missed the final six games of the season. The injury came a week after Fargas made his first start in place of Garner, who sat out with a back injury, and rushed for 62 yards on 16 carries against the New York Jets.

His right leg has caused him problems since 1998, when Fargas broke the tibia and fibula as a freshman at Michigan.

He had four subsequent surgeries.

The first three forced him to miss the 1999 season. He had the fourth in 2001, when he had to sit out another season after transferring to USC.

The timing of last year's injury was unfortunate because Fargas probably had put himself in position for more playing time after his performance against the Jets on Nov. 9.

``Any time you're injured, you're disappointed. I just had to be optimistic that I'm going to get back and will have to fight for that opportunity again,'' he said. ``I know anything that comes my way, I can overcome it - whether it's an injury or competition at my position. I just have to stay mentally and physically strong.''

There is nothing physically wrong with his hands, but Fargas has been tagged as fumble-prone because of his habit of dropping the ball in training camp and practice.

``I'm not a fumbler. I know that's not me,'' Fargas said. ``I don't read much into what people are saying. I'm not worried about it.''

He prefers to focus on trying to impress the coaches and again putting himself in position to play.

``The evaluation process never stops,'' he said. ``On the professional level, you have to bring your best game every day.''

Fargas hopes his best is good enough.

Cecil Conley, [phone]

cecil.conley(at)dailynews.com

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JUSTIN FARGAS

Former Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks star had 40 rushes for 203 yards for the Raiders last year.