What To Do With Arian

I love Arian Foster. But he doesn’t love me. I’m one of those fantasy types who live vicariously through professional football players. Or rather through the stats of professional football players.

And I see why that’s annoying. I annoy myself with my mental stat tracker. Arian’s dismissal of my meaningless little hobby-turned-obsession is understanding. And the fact that Arian doesn’t share the same sense of enthusiasm for Team Lil Bow Wow is also noted.

For the record, I never root for an injury. Not even turf toe. I just root for slippery fingers and wildly errant throws into the arms of a defender for a touchdown. Come on, Arian, that’s 8 points.

Hamstrung With Questions?

If you have Arian, don’t panic. No need to trade him. But do make sure you have a deep bench at running back. This way, you take advantage of his enormous potential, but you have a safety net if his hammy gets a little strung out. Of course, Ben Tate is a perfect backup option.

Still nervous? Look, there is no perfect running back. Ray Rice can play every game, but Ricky Williams will steal some scores. Jamaal Charles has the same handcuff in Thomas Jones. And Cedric Benson has a completely different kind of handcuff.

My point is, it’s OK to take a little chance on someone with Foster’s talent. Just make sure you’re prepared. Same goes for other positions. If you draft Michael Vick, you better have a backup like Bradford or Flacco. Vick has such an aggressive style, that he poses more of an injury risk.

If you haven’t drafted yet, Foster remains a viable No. 2 draft pick. This doesn’t lower him on my list. I had him second, behind Peterson anyway. Again, just hedge your pick and get Tate or his likeness.

In the meantime, go tweet Arian some love.

Erin Skelley joins SportsRadio 610 every football season with riveting fantasy knowledge. Follow her on Twitter.