Ben Tate is now "the guy" in Houston. The backup running back will be the starter for the remainder of the season following the injury of Arian Foster. The Houston Texans have pulled the plug on Foster's season as the back faces he need for back surgery. With Tate now given the opportunity to prove his worth for the team, the next few weeks could dictate his contract status with Houston.
NFL Insider Ian Rapoport is reporting that Tate is now auditioning for a future spot on the Houston Texans' roster. The running back is playing through the final year of his rookie contract . This issue is that Houston cannot afford to keep on both Tate and Foster next season considering the backup will be looking for a pay increase. Given Foster's injury history, Tate must now prove he is worthy of a starting job.
Tate made headlines during the offseason that he was not looking to be a backup for much longer. He has taken advantage of his time as Foster's replacement and is hoping teams are keeping an eye on him.
"I would be lying to you if I told you that I embraced the complement role to someone else," Tate told Ross Jones of FOXSports.com. "That's not why I wanted to be in the NFL. That's not my dream to complement someone else. That's not what my attitude or why I work out is to complement someone else."
At 25, the running back has a decent track record despite his lack of playing time. In 34 appearances, he has averaged 4.5 yards per carry. So far this season he has 455 total yards while adding another 62 yards receiving. His resume proves there is plenty of potential and raw talent that could shine in a larger role.
In wake of the news that Foster was finished for the year, Tate did not impress as a starter against the Arizona Cardinals. He put up just 56 yards off 15 carries as Houston lost. He is playing through four cracked ribs which makes productivity tough, but Houston cannot afford to not have him on the field at this point. Tate will get another shot against the Oakland Raiders who has one of the worst run defenses in the league and are giving up the 19th most fantasy points to running backs.
If Tate can rise to the occasion, he could see a nice pay raise in his future. There will be plenty of teams looking for run-game upgrades in the offseason and Tate could be high on the list.