Arian Foster Injury: Why Texans RB Ben Tate Is Still Solid Fantasy Starter

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster will play in today's game against the Miami Dolphins, as will Ben Tate. This is a confusing situation for fantasy football GMs with either player in their stable of running backs.

On Friday, Texans coach Gary Kubiak said that Foster would not play his usual 60 snaps and instead would split time and carries with Tate. This likely means that Foster would get around 20 touches to Tate's 10.

If you have Tate, there are still reasons to play him this week. The Texans will look to run early and often, and if they get a solid enough lead, they won't take to the air to maintain it. That means for every two carries Foster gets, Tate gets one, in a situation where the team is focusing on the run.

Other No. 2 running backs are considered fantasy football starters (to a degree)—the Giants' Brandon Jacobs, the Panthers' Jonathan Stewart, the Broncos' Willis McGahee (even when Knownshon Moreno is healthy)—so Ben Tate isn't dead in the water with Foster's return.

In fact, Tate is in a better situation than those other No. 2 running backs simply because he's better and more useful; Kubiak knows it, and so should you.

Though Foster is the "starter" for all intents and purposes, Tate will have meaningful snaps and will make meaningful plays.

The only way that Tate will be held down today is if the Dolphins gain an early lead. The run is less useful in terms of producing quick points than the pass, and teams throw the ball when behind.

The lead equals the run, and the Texans will have to gain it and maintain it for Foster, and especially Tate, to put up major fantasy points for your team today.

This is important to keep in mind when you make your decision, considering how effective Miami was in their Week 1 performance against the New England Patriots, scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter.

If you're one of those Foster owners who picked up Tate as a handcuff, this might be a good week to test out starting both of them, especially if your other running back options are less appealing.

It's risky if Houston goes to the air, but could prove to be quite the strategy should they be able to keep it on the ground.