Planning ahead, that's how NFL teams survive. They anticipate and address needs before they arise so they are never playing catch up. So even though running back Arian Foster rushed for 1,246 yards with eight touchdowns on a 4.8 YPC average, and even though he caught 38 passes for 327 yards and five more scores last season, the Houston Texans should already be searching for his replacement.
Foster will turn 29 this week and has missed 11 games over the last two seasons. He's still incredibly effective but it's clear that his 1,618 career touches are starting to catch up with him. The Texans rely on their running game, especially without a viable long-term quarterback in place, and would be wise to grab another able body in next year's draft. Although it doesn't have to be in the first-round, ESPN NFL Draft Insider Todd McShay projects Houston to select Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliot with the No. 15 pick next year.
"Elliot was one of the Buckeyes' star performers during their championship run, scoring four touchdowns in their title game win over Oregon," McShay wrote. "The Texans could make him their running back of the future, with Arian Foster an unrestricted free agent in 2017."
This year's draft saw two running backs taken in the first-round (Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon). A ball carrier had not been selected that early since 2012. Although projections this far out rarely tend to be accurate, there's no doubt that Elliot would improve any team's backfield. Perhaps that is why the Minnesota Vikings have also been linked to him.
Replacing either Foster or Adrian Peterson is no small task, but Elliot could be up for it. He rushed for 1,878 yards on a 6.9 YPC average last season while scoring 18 touchdowns. He also caught 28 passes for 220 yards. Draft stocks have a tendency to rise and fall over the course of the season so we'll have to see where Elliot stands next year. But right now, he looks like a very talented prospect that could be Foster's heir apparent.
