The Houston Texans had to wait for star running back Arian Foster to get healthy at the start of the season. And now they’ll have to wait until 2016 to have him again, as Foster tore his Achilles’ tendon late in Sunday’s game, ending his 2015. Foster was having a big game before the injury, as the Texans lost to the Miami Dolphins by a score of 44-26.
Arian Foster tears Achilles; Texans, fantasy owners must move on
The Houston star was having a huge game before his late injury ended his season. We break down the fantasy implications.
Andrew Innerarity-USA TODAY Sports
Foster had 18 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown in the game, adding another 66 yards and a receiving touchdown on five catches. That was good for 23 fantasy points, the best game of Foster’s season. He suffered the injury with only a few minutes left in the game and was carted off. With Foster done for the year, Alfred Blue and Chris Polk will get the majority of the carries for the Texans, with Jonathan Grimes involved as well.
Fantasy impact: This is a crushing blow for the Texans’ already-faint hopes for 2015, and will be similar for fantasy owners who were hoping for a strong run from Foster after being without him for much of the season’s first month. The good news is that, for the most part, fantasy owners who had Foster had already employed backup plans, and so have an idea of where to turn without him.
Still, this is a big blow. Blue and Polk haven’t shown the ability to be strong weekly fantasy performers. Whereas Foster was likely to be a top-five running back every week or close, his replacements will be ranked more like flex plays. And it wouldn’t be much of a surprise at all if Houston were to go out and sign a Pierre Thomas or Ben Tate type to help them run out the string.
