Ben Tate's Fantasy Expectations Must Be Tempered in Week 5 vs. Titans

According to Pat McManamon of ESPN.com, Cleveland Browns running back Ben Tate is expected to return to action in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans. However, before the ball-carrier is rushed back into fantasy lineups, his owners should be aware to do so with caution.

Sure, a matchup against Tennessee appears rather juicy for the fifth-year veteran.

After all, the Titans own the league's 22nd-ranked run defense and are even worse from a fantasy perspective. ESPN.com indicates they're allowing an average of 20.0 points to opposing ball-carriers.

With that said, Tate isn't in a good backfield situation and isn't nearly 100 percent entering the contest. Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer tweeted an ominous comment from the running back on Friday:

While Tate is considered probable for the game, that doesn't mean he's completely healthy—especially when he appears in doubt over his own status.

Making matters worse for the running back, he's also returning to a crowded backfield. Tate has only carried six times this season, and while he's been absent, both Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West proved to be quite a duo in Cleveland's offense.

Here's a look at what they've done this season:

Player	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
Isaiah Crowell	27	141	5.2	3
Terrance West	47	204	4.3	2

Now, it all comes down to how carries will be distributed between these three running backs. While Tate should be expected to jump back to the top of the pecking order, his situation in a three-back rotation isn't favorable.

Adding to the misery of Tate's owners, The Plain Dealer's Tom Reed recently spoke to Bleacher Report's Stephen Nelson and alluded to the possibility of Crowell seeing more carries in the near future:

Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal tweeted a statement from Crowell that won't sit well with fantasy owners:

All of this isn't to say Tate has zero fantasy value. He's averaged 4.8 yards per carry over his five-year career, and while injuries have been problematic, he is very dangerous when healthy.

While Tate is still getting his form back following his injury, his fantasy value drops pretty significantly. After all, the Browns shouldn't be expected to rely too heavily on the ball-carrier until they are sure he is ready to handle the bulk of the workload once more.

Consider Tate a bye-week replacement or, at the most, a flex player for Week 5. He could surprise us all with a decent performance, but chances of limited fantasy production are far greater.

Fantasy owners with another option should leave Tate on the bench this week. Those who are forced to start him must keep expectations tempered.