The Minnesota Vikings have snagged Ben Tate off waivers and now he comes in after Adrian Peterson was suspended to join Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon as the top backs and fantasy football owners should look at adding Tate, as Asiata and McKinnon are a bit banged up and in Week 12 he could get some carries against the Green Bay Packers.
Peterson was just suspended for at least the rest of this season and Asiata is dealing with a concussion and may end up missing time this weekend. If Asiata can't go, McKinnon and Tate will be the top two backs and McKinnon is coming in with a back injury so he also could be limited. All that gives Tate the chance to bounce back from a rough stretch with the Browns, as he had not been effective for the team in over a month, gaining less than 100 yards in five games. That was part of the reason why the Browns released Tate and now the Vikings are hoping he can give them a boost.
The Vikings are averaging over 100 yards per game on the ground this season, but with Peterson out and the young backs ailing, they were in desperate need of some RB help. Tate could end up as a solid starter for fantasy owners and for the Vikings, as he handles the ball well and is not a fumbler. The Browns signed Tate to a two year deal in the offseason after he was the backup for Arian Foster, but clearly things did not work out as planned.
Tate opened the season with a solid game, but he missed the next month with a knee issue and after coming back and rushing for 202 yards over two weeks, he averaged only 1.7 yards per carry over his next five games. Now Tate could end up as the starter for the Vikings, as Peterson is suspended for the year and while he is appealing, he likely will not be reinstated in 2014.
Tate has the chance to step up here and while he was not happy in a crowded backfield in Cleveland and is coming to one in Minnesota, he is arriving at the right time. Chances are one of Asiata or McKinnon will be limited or out on Sunday and that could give Tate the chance to get some carries. Tate has shown he can handle a starting load, which he did three years ago in Houston and he has experience after backing up Arian Foster for three years, which is what sparked his Browns deal.
The Vikings have a tough stretch to end the season and they had hoped to have Peterson back for that. The team now has the future of Peterson in question and coming into this week they have lost four of the last six games. The Vikings have the Packers on Sunday before playing the Carolina Panthers and then they will host the Jets before the final three games of the year. The team plays two of three on the road against the Lions and Dolphins before ending the season against the Bears.