Houston Texans running back Arian Foster will not play against the New York Giants in Week 3. He was listed as questionable, tried to work out his hamstring in pregame warmups and was ruled out as a game-time decision.
Arian Foster ruled out creates a fantasy mess in Texans backfield
Arian Foster’s hamstring won’t allow him to play against the Giants. We break down the fantasy implications.
Brian Bahr
This is going to be a tough loss for the Texans, but they just had to make the decision because they can’t afford Foster to miss extended time if he suffers an aggravation. His hamstring strain has been a major problem for the past couple seasons and he’s dealt with it since training camp. He leads the NFL in touches and ranks second in rushing yards.
As for his replacement, it's likely going to be a committee approach. Alfred Blue has seen the second-most work at tailback while Foster is on the bench. He's built like a tank and has been fantastic on special teams, so he's earned the opportunity. Jonathan Grimes was by far used the most in the preseason and may be more familiar with the first-team offense. Ronnie Brown is also going to get some carries, according to team reports.
Fantasy impact: These are not the droids you’re looking for. While the Texans have a very good offensive line, things are just too murky in their backfield right now. If you have any sort of reliable option, Blue should be a stash-and-see guy. If you are looking for a high-upside play and are in a deep league, it’s not crazy to start Blue in a plus matchup. Grimes is still worth a stash just in case he has a big game and the pre-season snaps were a big indicator.
