Arian Foster to return between Week 2 and 4

The Houston Texans‘ star running back may be returning faster than initially expected.

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Houston Texans running back Arian Foster has resumed working out for the first time since suffering a groin injury in early August an is expected to return to the field sometime between Week 2 and 4, according to Jayson Braddock of ESPN 97.5 radio in Houston.

Foster returned to the Texans’ training facility early this week, but the team gave no timetable for his potential return. After Foster began his rehab on Thursday, it was determined he could be back by the end of September if he suffered no setbacks in his recovery.

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All things considered, this has to be considered great news for the Texans. Foster’s injury was initially regarded to be “significant,” and the initial timetable for him to return following surgery on Aug. 7 was Week 9 or 10. There’s still a long ways to go before Foster is ready for game action, but today’s news is a positive development.

Fantasy owners who took a gamble on Foster in the later rounds have to be thrilled with the new timetable as well, although he still remains a major risk.

Few running backs in the game are better than Foster when he’s at full capacity. Foster has rushed for at least 1200 yards in four out of the five past seasons, topping out at 1,616 in 2010, and has led the league in rushing touchdowns twice over that timeframe.

However, this injury still comes as a major concern for the Texans given Foster’s history. Foster missed eight games with a back injury in 2013 and a hamstring problem sidelined him for three games last season.

Texans owner Bob McNair voiced his displeasure with Foster’s propensity for injury earlier in the offseason. While none of Foster’s injuries have been necessarily major, they could add up and take a toll on the 29-year-old.

Until Foster is able to return, the Texans will likely count on a couple of different running backs depending on the game situation. Alfred Blue will likely get the majority of snaps and has enough talent to at least hold his own for a couple of weeks.

Houston may not be able to challenge the Indianapolis Colts for the AFC South crown until the quarterback situation is figured out, but it is improving quickly and may be able to challenge for a playoff spot. For that to happen, Foster needs to be back at 100 percent as soon as possible.

The Texans open with games against the Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers. If they can get foster back before a Week 3 contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Texans have a good shot at a successful season.

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