Houston Texans: Expectations for Arian Foster in 2015

By Luis Tirado Jr. | Jul 29, 2015

Running back Arian Foster is about to enter his seventh season with the Houston Texans and even though he’s been through a few obstacles along the way, is ready to push the envelope heading into the upcoming season. There is a ton of hope in the air that the Texans can keep up in the AFC South, mainly against the best of the division in the Indianapolis Colts. With a stout defense and possibility of Foster rekindling the magic he had a few years ago, the Texans could indeed surprise many in 2015.

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It’s no secret that the usual consensus on Foster is that he’s injury prone as fans are calling for running back Alfred Blue to take over as the Texans’ premiere running back. Foster hasn’t played a full season since 2012 but is hoping to bounce back nicely to put the Texans back in the spotlight in the AFC South.

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It won’t be easy but he’s well on his way to replicating his best contributions yet for the Texans thanks to a productive off season and the ability to fully participate in training camp. He’s coming off a solid season that saw him run for 1,246 yards and eight touchdowns on only 260 carries.

Considering that the Texans were 5th in the NFL with rushing yards per game last season at 135.1, expect to see a heavy dosage of Foster once again. Blue is a solid compliment kind of running back for him but make no mistake about it, Foster will be a workhorse in 2015.

Foster should be able to handle starting duties easily and continue to prove that he still has plenty of years ahead of him to be a key contributor on the Texans’ offense. Blue is more of a faster, finesse-style kind of rusher as he should see some decent playing time to give Foster some breathing time in between his attempts.

The Texans will no doubt want to keep Foster fresh all season long as a dual-headed rushing attack seems to be in order. With the power running of Foster and Blue’s ability to break tackles with his speed, it should bode well for the Texans when it comes to their running game.

Dec 21, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) runs as Baltimore Ravens free safety Darian Stewart (24) defends during the first half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Head coach Bill O’Brien should most likely consider limiting Foster’s snaps throughout the season so he can continue to be consistent and keep those chains moving. The Texans will more than likely stick to a ground-and-pound style on offense as it’s an offensive system that has proven to work efficiently.

There is no telling just how far Foster can go if he starts to play up to his potential. Keep in mind that even though he missed a few games last season due to injury, he still finished as the sixth best running back in the NFL.

Overall, fans should expect to see Foster deliver his usual magic and not be playing in a minimal role on the count of his past history with injuries.

With the plan the Texans have to utilize a run-first mentality without burning out Foster, it should keep him healthy all season long thanks to a quality backup in Blue and expectations of making a run at the NFL Playoffs.

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