Arian Foster Injury: Ben Tate Becomes Top-10 Fantasy Back If Texans RB Is Out

Ben Tate is owned in less than two-thirds of ESPN fantasy football leagues and was started in just 9 percent of them for the Houston Texans' victory over Miami. With the uncertain future of Arian Foster due to his hamstring problem, Tate should be added immediately if he's a free agent in your league.

The Houston Chronicle's John McClain tweeted that Foster voluntarily removed himself from Sunday's game because he felt the troublesome hamstring tightening up during halftime. His absence allowed Tate to record his second consecutive 100-yard game.

If Foster were to miss more time with the injury, Tate immediately becomes an elite fantasy option.

Tate battled a quadriceps injury of his own last week but didn't show an ill-effects during the game. He knows any time Foster misses is his chance to prove he can be a starter and he's taken full advantage of it so far (via chron.com):

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"You know, I tell you guys every week that I prepare like I'm a starter," said Tate, who seemed almost bored by the fact that he became only the 11th player in NFL history to rush for 100-plus yards in each of his first two games. "You never know when someone is going to go down. Arian hurt something and he couldn't go, and I prepare like a starter so I'm always ready."

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That's the right attitude to have, and it's paid off for Tate. While Foster will assume full-time duty once he returns to full strength, hamstring injuries tend to hang around for awhile, especially for a running back that does a lot of cutting.

With the Texans sitting at 2-0 and looking like a big favorite in the AFC South, they would be smart to shut Foster down for a few weeks to let the injury heal completely. Last season's breakout star admitted after the game it's a long season.

Head coach Gary Kubiak didn't seem overly concerned about the most recent setback, but may have a change of heart during the week, especially after Tate's performance.

The best move for fantasy owners would be to acquire Tate if he's still available in their league and try to flip him for a more proven commodity when his value reaches its peak.

Meanwhile, enjoy the ride while it lasts because the job is still Foster's when he returns.