As injuries begin to pile up for the Houston Texans, the team is hoping the return of one player will help stabilize the offense moving forward. As Nate Washington and Cecil Shorts deal with issues that could leave them off the field in Week 5, Ryan Mallett is preparing to lean heavily on Arian Foster who is set to get more work in his second game back from a groin injury.
Foster's season debut did not go as plan as it started with a fumble returned for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons, but the running back is set to increase his workload in the coming weeks. According to the Houston Chronicle, Foster's workload will "dramatically increase" against the Indianapolis Colts. The Texans need Foster with the injuries around the roster and with the running back finally healthy, Houston needs him to pick back up where he left off last year. Head coach Bill O'Brien knows that Foster's presence on the field changes the offense.
It changes it," O'Brien said , via the Houston Chronicle. "He's a very talented guy. He can do a lot of different things obviously as a runner. It's hard for anyone to expect him to come into that first game and just be totally back to normal. He hasn't played in a long time, it's a significant injury that he had. He's a great player. He knows that he has to play well, just like I know that I have to coach well. He's going to have a good week here, he's had two good days here, and I think as we work him back into the offense, he'll really help us."
According to the Chronicle, Cecil Shorts has already been ruled out for Thursday's matchup. The wide receiver suffered a shoulder injury against the Atlanta Falcons. Nate Washington is day-to-day with a hamstring issue as the Texans will likely make him a game-time decision. That leaves DeAndre Hopkins and a bunch of question marks. The absence of one or both players means that rookies Keith Mumphery and Jaelen Strong will see playing time in Week 5.
Strong has been a question mark all season as he remains inactive despite being healthy. The rookie was expected to make a quick impact on the team, but criticism over his practice habits have kept him off the field. Mumphery appears to be the favored player to step in for Shorts. He had four catches for 56 yards against the Falcons.
