Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
Ben Tate left the game early in the Cleveland Browns‘ opening matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tate hurt his MCL and the injury prognosis around Cleveland figures to be longer than expected. That being said, the Browns need a workhorse running back who could come in and produce right away. Terrance West, rookie out of Towson, came in and played extremely well in Tate’s absence.
With Tate being out awhile, one of the hottest pickups off the waiver wire by the end of the week will be West. In limited action yesterday, West carried the football 16 times for 100 yards. While Isaiah Crowell, who is a rookie out of Alabama State, got the touchdowns, it was West who the offense relied on. In Cleveland’s offense, Brian Hoyer needs a productive running back next to him and West has the makings of a three-down back. With good speed and excellent field vision, West has a nice skillset. Pair that with his violent running mindset and you have a really fun player to watch.
It’s always risky taking players off the waiver wire, but I urge fantasy owners, if they have a high waiver, to claim West. In 2012, rookie at the time Alfred Morris exploded onto the scene and no one had ever heard of him before that. By the end of the season, Morris was not only one of the best running backs in the league, but also one of the best fantasy players. West has a ton of potential and you will regret it if you don’t claim him. Even if Tate comes back healthy, West will still have opportunities as a spell back and a goalline back.
Ryan Ratty is a featured writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @RyanRattyNFL or add him to your network on Google.
