This time last year, Ben Tate was a pretty decent fantasy sleeper despite being a rookie. The second-round pick was going to vie for the Texans' somewhat unclaimed starting job at running back. So much for that. Tate suffered a broken ankle during Houston's first preseason game, and Arian Foster finished last season as the NFL's leading rusher. Now for 2011, Tate has been medically cleared for contact and has said he is hungry to prove he belongs. But Foster's breakout campaign has relegated Tate to second fiddle. "We're going to give [Tate] the ball a few times and see how he does," Texans offensive coordinator Rick Dennison said Monday to the Texans' official website. "We're looking at it as he ended up with a redshirt year. He still has the ability that we liked to get him in the second round. We'll take some turns. Obviously, Arian is our number one guy, and then we'll go from there."

Fantasy Analysis:

I know this doesn't seem like news, but there had been some thought that the Texans might employ a two-back offense at times to help save some tread on Foster's tires. He touched the ball 393 times last season. Instead, Foster remains the workhorse, and Tate will be left to battle Derrick Ward for the No. 2 spot in Houston's backfield. The winner should be a popular handcuff pick in drafts.