Ben…that doesn’t sound like a…oops, wrong conversation. After serving an apprenticeship under Arian Foster in Houston, Ben Tate has arrived in Cleveland to rescue the Browns backfield from the misery it endured in 2013. There’s no question Tate ought to be a significant upgrade over washed-up Willis McGahee and the other assorted ham and eggers the Browns trotted out on a weekly basis. Can he take advantage of his golden opportunity and become one of the best running backs in the fantasy football business?
Fantasy Upside
On paper, Tate is a good fit on the shores of Lake Erie. Ben’s head coach in Houston was Gary Kubiak, now the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Cleveland offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan uses a scheme mirroring Kubiak’s. Although Tate has not always been a consistent performer, he has generated some big moments when Foster was injured. Last year, when Houston lost 34-31 to New England, Tate ran for 102 yards and three touchdowns. The Browns are going to run like crazy with instability at quarterback and uncertainty at receiver. Tate caught a career-high 34 passes last year, showing growth as a receiver.
Fantasy Downside
Tate missed the entire 2010 season due to injury and has to get over the nagging aches and pains that have always seemed to bother him in subsequent years. He also needs to fumble less (he fumbled five times last year) and find more consistency. Otherwise, talented rookie Terrance West could gain a bigger role. At some point, Johnny Manziel is going to be Cleveland’s starting quarterback. Manziel was an excellent runner in college at Texas A&M and will steal some touchdowns from Tate.
Bottom Line
If you are the type of owner who passes up running backs in the early rounds to pick quarterbacks, wide receivers, or Jimmy Graham/Gronk/Julius Thomas, Tate is one of the guys you can take later and give you nice dividends on your investment. As long as Tate holds off West, cuts down on the fumbles, and stays healthy, he will be an RB2.