Joseph's departure means the Raiders are depending on a three-man rotation inside featuring starters Tommy Kelly and Gerard Warren, with nose tackle Terdell Sands coming off the bench. Jay Richardson, Oakland's most stout defensive end, could move inside if conditioning is a problem with Kelly and Sands as it has been throughout camp.

Coach Lane Kiffin has purposely given mixed signals regarding the use of Darren McFadden, the No. 4 overall pick in the draft.

Some days, Kiffin talks about how valuable it is to have a player who can do so many different things, talking about McFadden's ability as a pass receiver, both split wide and out of the backfield. There is also the chance of McFadden lining up as a shotgun quarterback and running an option, as he did at Arkansas.

Then Kiffin will double back and say the most important thing is lining McFadden up as a running back and simply giving him the ball, and that using him in other ways could stifle his development.

PLAYER NOTES

--WR Javon Walker did not practice with a hamstring injury. Coach Lane Kiffin hopes Walker will practice Friday. Ashley Lelie, Todd Walker and Chaz Schilens took snaps at split end.

--FB Luke Lawton was a factor as a checkdown receiver in a preseason loss to Seattle, with four receptions, and will back up Justin Griffith against Denver.

--WR Ashley Lelie will be watched closely to see if the Raiders can get him up to speed fast enough to be of use in the opener. If WR Javon Walker can't play, Lelie could play a lot.

--DE Kalimba Edwards did not practice with a groin injury. If Edwards does not play, Jay Richardson could stay in the game at right end rather than come out for a nickel rusher, or rookie Trevor Scott could be activated to be the nickel rusher.

--SS Tyvon Branch will play with a cast protecting his broken thumb on his right hand.

--CB DeAngelo Hall returned to practice after missing Sunday to attend his father's funeral. He is unsure if he will wear a cast to protect torn ligaments in his right hand. He went without it at practice Wednesday.

--WR Chad Jackson, a former second-round pick cut by New England, worked out with the Raiders Tuesday. He was not signed and coach Lane Kiffin said they had him "on file."

GAME PLAN: The Raiders would love to duplicate their Dec. 2 win over the Broncos that included a 175-89 advantage in rushing yards and a 34:20 to 25:40 advantage in time of possession. The more success on the ground, the less pressure they put on QB JaMarcus Russell. One big difference -- in this game, the Raiders will have the services of RB Darren McFadden, who can create some mismatches and put more pressure on the Broncos' defense than the Raiders could last season. Defensively, the Raiders will look to close off the Denver running game and force Jay Cutler to attack with a receiving corps missing Brandon Marshall, taking his chances against an extremely talented Oakland secondary featuring corners Nnamdi Asomugha and DeAngelo Hall.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Broncos DLE Elvis Dumervil vs. Raiders RT Cornell Green. Dumervil already owns a pair of two-sack games against the Raiders, one of them coming in the first meeting between the two teams last year with Green as the tackle. Dumervil's speed poses a problem for Green, a journeyman with a propensity for false starts and struggling with smaller, faster linemen. Green's best chance lies with wearing out Dumervil if Oakland can run successfully. Having to pass protect 30 or more times could be a problem.

Raiders TE Zach Miller vs. Broncos SS Marquand Manuel. Miller has become Russell's most trusted receiver, catching eight passes in the season finale last season and catching four passes this preseason against Tennessee in Russell's best appearance. The two have already developed a chemistry and Russell looks to him in open areas for key first downs. Manuel joins the Broncos after starting two games for Carolina last season and 16 for Green Bay in 2006. Manuel was dumped one year into a five-year deal by Green Bay and is getting a second chance with the Broncos. He is regarded as a big hitter with below-average coverage skills, which could spell trouble against Miller, already a savvy receiver with regard to sitting on routes.

INJURY IMPACT: Wide receiver Javon Walker, coming off a promising third preseason game in which he caught four passes, had another setback with a hamstring pull that could affect his status against Denver. As shaky as Walker has been, his absence would leave Ronald Curry as the lone experienced receiver for quarterback JaMarcus Russell in his debut. It would also cause the Raiders to force recent acquisition Ashley Lelie into the game before he is ready. The other injury of concern is a groin strain by nickel rusher Kalimba Edwards, who is expected to fill the eight sacks lost when Chris Clemons departed in free agency. If Edwards can't play, then Trevor Scott, a sixth-round pick who has a quick first step but lacks power at just under 250 pounds, will have to play. Scott has struggled against first-team defenses in the preseason.