Arian Foster Injury: Why Texans RB Injury Benefits Ben Tate, Derrick Ward

The Houston Texans were a team in need of a running game. In 2009, they were one of the worst teams against the run, having to use any running back they could find to try and kick-start a poor running game.

Then came Arian Foster.

In last season's opening game against the Colts, Arian Foster ran for over 200 yards and had three touchdowns to become the unquestioned starter in Houston. Though he showed flashes of potential at the end of the 2009 season, he really came out in 2010 as he finished the year as the league's leading rusher.

Now, he's suffering from a nagging hamstring injury and there's a very good chance he won't be starting today versus the Peyton Manning-less Indianapolis Colts. For fantasy owners of the stud running back, this is very bad news. However, there is still some damage control they can do to make sure they can help get some of Foster's production back into their lineup.

Gary Kubiak has said that if Foster can't go versus the Colts, Derrick Ward will be the starter. For Derrick Ward, the benefits are clear. As the starter, he's going to benefit from a top 10 offensive line with respect to rushing. He will also benefit from a top 10 QB and arguably the best wide receiver in the league, Andre Johnson, helping to keep the Colts honest, allowing Ward to just use his vision and make a quick cut towards the hole.

However, Derrick Ward is in his thirties. Very likely, he won't be able to make a lot of carries without his performance declining quickly. Enter Ben Tate. Tate was Houston's second-round selection in the 2010 NFL draft before suffering a season-ending injury last preseason.

Tate was able to make an appearance in this preseason and was able to greatly impress, specifically in the Texans-Saints game, where Tate rushed for almost 100 yards and had a 10.6 YPC average—which is phenomenal.

So as a fantasy owner, which should you start? I'd personally start Ben Tate. Though Derrick Ward is likely to get more carries early in the game, Ben Tate is likely to get the carries to finish off the game—when the Colts are going to be gassed. As well, Tate has a running style that mimics Foster's. He breaks tackles and hits the hole very quickly. He has great vision, and is likely to take the second RB position away from Ward as the season continues.

Though, if you can't get Tate, Ward is still likely to help out a fantasy owner. And it isn't like Ward is an old busted up back. He had a 6.3 YPC average on 50 rushes last year.

With Arian Foster out, both of these running backs will benefit with more touches and can hold up against the Colts' weak run defense. For fantasy owners, either one of them will be great starters with Foster on the bench.