Week 2 Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Why You Must Bench Arian Foster

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster finally practiced on Wednesday, and head coach Gary Kubiak said he handled a normal load for a starter on the day. While he's obviously still not 100 percent, this is a positive development for the NFL's leading rusher from 2010.

While fantasy owners who have Foster have to be giddy that he is back on the field, they probably shouldn't get too excited.

Earlier in the day, Kubiak intimated on a conference call that Ben Tate would likely see the most action on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins even if Foster plays.

Such a move would make sense for the Texans, since Miami's defense looked awful in Week 1 in a 38-24 loss to the New England Patriots. Houston might not need Foster to dominate the Dolphins. Miami surrendered 622 total yards on Monday night and looked lost in both coverage and run support.

Meanwhile, Tate filled in admirably for Foster, racking up 116 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in Houston's 34-7 Week 1 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Derrick Ward also added 39 yards on 11 carries as the Texans powered to 167 yards on the ground.

If you have another option on your roster, it is probably best to bench Foster this week. Even if he does play, Kubiak has suggested that it will be in limited duty.

Again, while that's no good for your fantasy team in Week 2, it may be best for Foster in the long run. Allowing his hamstring to heal completely will help him get back to his old self and hopefully stay at that level over the course of the season.

The Texans are rolling right now, and there is no reason to think Miami isn't ready to take another beating on Sunday. With the offense is firing on all cylinders without Foster in the lineup, Houston doesn't need to force him back too soon.

Keep an eye on his status throughout the week, but plan on sitting Foster on Sunday.