Arian Foster: Return to Practice

[letangerang58]

Shortly after being activated from the physically unable to perform list Wednesday, Houston Texans running back Arian Foster insisted he didn't need to see preseason action to be ready for the season opener.

All signs continue to be positive for the three-time Pro Bowl back, who turned in a full practice Friday.

"He took all the scout team," coach Gary Kubiak said, via the Texans' official website. "He took the whole practice. He took every rep."

Although Foster has dealt with a calf strain and taken injections for back pain, he's turned a corner this week. According to Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports, the Texans privately are "pleased with where he is now after some concern in the past."

The coaching staff has promised to utilize backup Ben Tate more this season to keep Foster fresh. It's a wise plan. Foster is coming off three seasons of heavy workloads and alarming 2012 declines in yards per carry and yards per reception.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100...ractice-return

So Foster appears to be healthy again. What would you guys expect from him this season?

[DynastyMN]

Well Foster is 27 years old now and that's usually the last year a RB is at his peak, he will start to decline this season. The injuries are piling up and his number of carries over his short career have been astronomical. That really takes a toll on a RB, especially being the feature back for so long. It would be in the Texans best benefit to use a RBBC and use Ben Tate almost as equally as Foster in order to keep Foster fresh and healthy all season and for the playoffs should they make it that far. The offensive stars on this team are aging fast and they need to replenish them through the draft and have not done a good job so far of that. There is no heir to Schaub. Andre Johnson does not have a no. 2 in waiting to take over (DeAndre Hopkins already had a concussion, he will be prone to them the rest of his career now) and Ben Tate is the freshest proven RB they have (I view him as a younger Fred Jackson). If they grind Foster into the ground once again, he will get injured sooner rather than later and it may be more devastating than just over-worked injuries. I avoided Foster in all my drafts just due to the age/injury factor and not knowing how the Texans will use him.

[hockeyrobot]

I think Foster will still be a top 5-7 back, but too much risk involved for me to take him as high as #2. To be honest I would hate to be anywhere from 2-9 because Id have no idea who to pick.

[TheWhale]

Arian Foster's injury concerns have been over blown. He's a vet saving his energy for the games that matter. Tate is very talented and will probaby see an increase in production. Tate's increase will not have a negative effect on Foster. If you look at the past 3 years, Foster has been either 1st or 2nd in RB scoring. Not even AP has been as automatic as Foster. Expect him to finish in the top 5 with 1700 yards and double digit TD's.