Arian Foster:  Worthy of putting a ring on it, or just a fantasy fling?

Dorian Colbert, Roster Watch

There’s been much discourse over the preseason about how high Arian Foster, Houston RB and last year’s fantasy darling, should be valued in this season’s draft.  Those high on him say he should go as early as the first pick, while other more skeptical critics have him just outside the top five or lower. So, is Foster the real deal, or was he just a single season savior to be discarded once defenses realize what hit them? I would argue the former. Here’s why:

1. AFC south defenses: Aside from Houston’s sneakily improving defense, there really isn’t a team I would be scared to run the ball against in the division. And, seeing as Foster plays for the Texans, I see him going Tecmo Bowl Walter Payton (for those unfamiliar, that means Willy Nilly (for those unfamiliar, that means wild)) all over the place. In fact, no slight to Arian, my little sister might be able to post decent numbers against most AFC south teams, if you told her tickets to a new Twilight movie were waiting for her on the opposite end of the field.
2. Straight Cash Homey: Foster has to prove that last year was not a fluke. I guess Bob McNair has gotten enough sense in his head to stop throwing money at lost causes (looking right at you Mr. Carr), so Arian has to show him and anxiously confident FFL owners out there that he is worth buying into. Now I can’t promise that he’ll keep it up after he gets paid in the off season like I imagine he will, but for this year he’s going to make it worth your while.
3. Nobody does it better: So you have your reservations about Foster, but is there really anyone available that is a more solid first pick? Don’t blink or Adrian Peterson might lose another blocker, Maurice Jones-Drew has knee issues, and who knows when Chris Johnson will even play? The only other player who might have better footing to start the season IMHO is Ray Rice, and he’s my number one ranking. My number two? Arian Foster, and that’s where he’s staying.