Yet McFadden, an Oakland Raiders tailback, can close his eyes and from afar imagine Hillis as he was as a college senior.

"I haven't seen him go to a game this year," McFadden said Wednesday, punctuating his words with a chuckle. "But I can imagine he's going to have a button-up shirt on with the top three buttons not buttoned, chest hanging out and his neck showing - and wearing cowboy boots."

Yes, Hillis still is country through and through.

He was as much cowboy as McFadden's homeboy during their three seasons together in Fayetteville, Ark.

But Hillis also is sporting a new look these days - as a starting running back.

Neither McFadden nor Felix Jones of the Dallas Cowboys , both No. 1 draft picks and once the flash in the Razorbacks' rushing attack, can say that. Both have battled injuries.

So it's Hillis, the unheralded lead blocker and receiver in college, whose fortunes have turned as a pro, thanks to a convergence of ailments in his own backfield.

"We'll crack jokes about it," said McFadden, who stays in regular contact with Jones and ventures he has talked with Hillis three or four times this season. " 'Hey, Peyton is starting - us two guys aren't. . . . ' "

A left hamstring problem felled Jones for several weeks, and he won't play Sunday against San Francisco.

Jammed big toes on both feet have nagged McFadden nearly all year, but he's expected to spell Justin Fargas on Sunday at Invesco Field at Mile High when the Raiders (2-8) visit the Broncos (6-4) in a rematch of the season opener (2:05 p.m., CBS 4).

Meanwhile, Hillis is coming off his first two-touchdown game, in which he added a key catch on the final scoring drive in Denver's victory at Atlanta.

He has fewer rushing yards than Jones and McFadden, in large part because he has played tailback for all of six quarters.

But he has scored more touchdowns than McFadden and has more receiving yards than his two former teammates combined.

"It's neat for both of them to be rookies and both of them playing such vital roles on their teams," said Tim Horton, Arkansas' running-backs coach. "But I'm just so proud of Peyton because he didn't come in there as the first-round guy. He came in there as the late-round guy who's had to earn it. And it sounds like he's done that and performed very well."

As much as McFadden expressed frustration at his own inability to stay on the field, he, too, is "proud" of what Hillis has accomplished. But he's not surprised, though he was shocked Hillis was drafted 227th overall in the seventh round, 223 spots after McFadden was taken.

"Coming out of high school, me and Peyton were 1-2 in the state of Arkansas in rushing. . . . At Arkansas, he ran the ball several times," McFadden said. "So I knew he's very capable of running the ball."

McFadden has flashed his own abilities only once this season.

After he was limited to nine carries by the Broncos on Sept. 8, he rumbled for 164 yards at Kansas City but hurt his right big toe on a 50-yard run. He injured his left foot against the New York Jets on Oct. 19 and missed three games.

"It's been frustrating, obviously, for the player, as well as the team and the coaches," Raiders coach Tom Cable said.

McFadden returned Sunday but logged only three carries for 13 yards in a 17-15 loss at Miami. He ended the game "a little sore, but not bad at all."

"He feels as good as he's felt all year today," Cable said. "We're looking forward to getting him into the mix and getting him back into the flow."

Hillis is dinged up as well. He has been wearing ice bags on his bruised right shoulder this week after smashing into a Falcons linebacker. But he was a full participant in practice Wednesday.

Sunday's game against the Raiders is special to Hillis because it might be his first home start at tailback. It would be even more special if he could outrush McFadden.

"I can't lie about that," Hillis said. "But you also want him to do good. And you want to win, no matter what the obstacles are."

Hillis has had his share of barriers along the way. He was hurt early in training camp and stuck behind the since departed Cecil Sapp and Michael Pittman, who was moved to tailback.

He started at fullback, then lost the job to Spencer Larsen before winning it back. And on Nov. 6, after the Broncos lost their fifth tailback of the season, Hillis found himself graduating to a role as single-set back for the second half of a win at Cleveland.

His first start at running back came the next week against the Falcons and included career highs in carries (10) and yards (44).

"He knows how to work. He's a worker," said Horton, Hillis' college position coach. "And he loves the weight room."

Hillis also likes to have fun at his former teammate's expense.

Apprised of McFadden's description of him, Hillis was given equal time to paint a picture of the present day McFadden. And as he has done this season for the Broncos, Hillis didn't disappoint.

"How would he be dressed?" Hillis asked. "Some Fubu jeans, an Oshkosh B'Gosh shirt and some braids. That's how he'd be dressed."

Then, after a slight pause, he continued: "Nah, I'm just trying to get back at him about what he said about me. That's just not right."

INFOBOX

On the Razorbacks' edge

How University of Arkansas backfield members in 2007 have fared as NFL rookies.

RUSHING RECEIVING Player Team Att. Yds. Avg. TD Rec. Yds. Avg. TD

Darren McFadden Oakland 70 354 5.1 1 12 94 7.8 0

Peyton Hillis Denver 21 82 3.9 2 11 146 13.3 1

Felix Jones Dallas 30 266 8.9 3 2 10 5.0 0