Ben Tate's Updated 2014 Fantasy Outlook Heading into Week 6

A knee injury suffered in the season opener put Cleveland Browns running back Ben Tate in jeopardy of losing his starting job, based on the stellar performances from rookies Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell in his place.

However, Tate returned to flourish in Week 5 with 22 carries and 123 yards in the Browns' amazing 29-28 comeback victory over the Tennessee Titans.

ESPN fantasy guru Matthew Berry was impressed:

That he was still able to rack up yardage despite Cleveland trailing by as much as 28-3 is a testament to Tate's effectiveness in the revamped offense coordinated by Kyle Shanahan. With a great offensive line and a zone-blocking scheme in place, Tate is a legitimate RB2 with RB1 upside.

Week 6 pits Tate against the only opponent he's played this year other than Tennessee: the AFC North rival Pittsburgh Steelers.

The opposition's coach, Mike Tomlin, is certainly taking notice of Tate's prowess, via NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala:

Shanahan's system is ideal for a one-cut, decisive runner like Tate to keep piling up yardage. Fantasy owners shouldn't fret about his role, because he made it through training camp as the clear starter in Cleveland's backfield. Nothing should change that based on his Week 5 performance.

Pittsburgh is a decent defense on paper, but it is important to bear in mind that the Steelers' last two opponents, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars, have a combined one win between them.

This suddenly formidable and balanced Browns attack isn't the joke of years past. The offensive line is partially to thank for that, in light of the Pro Football Focus stats cited by Scout.com's Mike Krupka:

In the Week 1 matchup at Heinz Field, Tate had six carries for 41 yards before leaving the game hurt. The Browns ran for 191 yards and two touchdowns against their bitter nemesis on the road.

Now Tate will have the home FirstEnergy Stadium crowd behind him—hopefully with a full game to chip away at a Steelers front seven that is without linebacker Jarvis Jones and cornerback Ike Taylor. Speedy rookie linebacker Ryan Shazier is working back from a sprained MCL, and his status is still up in the air.

Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review isn't optimistic based on what he witnessed:

Even if he does return, Shazier could be rusty or a bit timid on a perhaps less-than-stable knee. Tate appeared to have knocked off any lingering rust against the Titans, indicating he should play at a high level moving forward.

With the limited amount of receivers the Browns have, quarterback Brian Hoyer is bound to look for Tate more as a pass-catcher. Tate had a career-high 34 receptions last season, so he has good enough hands to be a factor in future weeks.

A thin Pittsburgh linebacker corps would create favorable one-on-one matchups for Tate in pass patterns. Look for Shanahan to emphasize that a bit more in the game plan as a means of giving Hoyer easier throws and adding a new dimension to the offense.

The AFC North division is wide open, so the Browns will be putting their best foot forward in an attempt to pull this one out. As well as Hoyer has played, the basis for Cleveland's early success has been the rushing attack, which ranks fourth in the NFL.

Tate gets Jacksonville, Oakland and Tampa Bay in the next three games, too. The Raiders are 31st in rush defense, the Jags are dead last in total defense and the Bucs are 31st in scoring defense. Talk about a favorable month for Tate fantasy owners.

Don't be surprised if Tate produces among the league's best backs over the next four games, starting with a sustenance of Week 5's exceptional effort on Sunday in Cleveland.

Ben Tate's Projected Week 6 Stats: 20 carries, 135 yards, 2 TDs; 4 receptions, 30 yards