Arian Foster, Ben Tate not practicing

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) runs with the ball during the third quarter against the St. Louis Rams at Reliant Stadium. The Rams defeated the Texans 38-13. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Texans star running backs Arian Foster and Ben Tate both suffered injuries in the team’s Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but they are both optimistic that they will be able to play this week against the rival Indianapolis Colts following the bye. It’s a big game for the Texans, and it would be a surprise to see both guys out. However, it would’t be a surprise if one of either Tate or Foster missed this week’s matchup, as their statuses are still up in the air.

ESPN NFL Nation’s Tania Ganguli reports that neither Arian Foster nor Ben Tate was able to practice today, but there’s definitely no reason to panic right now. We will get a much better idea of their practice statuses on Wednesday, and then a much better idea of their playing statuses come Friday. I would honestly be surprised to see Foster miss this week’s game, because he is an incredibly tough player and expects to be able to play this week despite the hamstring injury.

Hamstrings are tricky, though, so be sure to keep a close eye on Foster’s status as the week goes on. Meanwhile, Ben Tate also expects to play this week with four broken ribs. He played through the injury against the Chiefs, but there were some major doubts as to whether or not he would be healthy for the Colts game. There are those who believe that Tate will be hobbled for the rest of the year with the rib injuries, so that’s also something to keep in mind.

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