Running back Arian Foster suffered a groin injury Tuesday, and the Houston Texans -- who ran the ball more often than any other team in the NFL last season -- fear he might need surgery that will cause him to miss the start of the regular season.
Foster has been among the NFL’s most productive running backs in recent seasons, and there is little proven production behind him.
Foster’s credentials
Foster averaged 95.8 rushing yards per game last season, second-most in the NFL behind DeMarco Murray (115.3 yards per game).
Beginning with the 2010 season, Foster has more 100-yard rushing games (31) than anyone else. Second is Marshawn Lynch with 24.
Foster also leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage per game the last five seasons with 121.2. Le’Veon Bell is second with 119.8 yards from scrimmage per game in that span.
Foster, who missed three games last season, finished sixth in the NFL in rushing yards with 1,246. Even with his limited playing time, Foster was fifth in yards after contact last season with 560, and he tied for fifth with 34 rushes of 10 yards or more.
One of Foster’s strengths is gaining yards after initial contact. Only Lynch and Adrian Peterson have more yards after contact in the last five seasons.
If not Foster, who?
Alfred Blue is second on the Texans’ depth chart at running back and rushed for 528 yards as a rookie last season.
Blue tied a Texans rookie record with 156 rush yards in Week 11 against the Browns when Foster was out of the lineup.
Behind Blue is Chris Polk, who rushed for 172 yards with the Eagles last season.
Foster averaged 4.8 yards per carry last season. All other Texans players combined averaged 3.1 yards per carry.
