… and by HUGE I mean the total opposite. Not long after he was drafted by the Texans in April, the text messages began:

“Slaton starts in week 3? Or sooner?”

It wasn’t a tout of his talent, but a doubt of Ahman Green’s durability. And wouldn’t you know it, Green is hurt.

With Ahman Green sidelined, Steve Slaton is preparing to make the first start of his career. The rookie running back finished the opener against Pittsburgh with 13 carries for 43 yards.

Chris Taylor also will shoulder some of the load. Coach Gary Kubiak plans to play both of them. Taylor hasn’t seen action in a regular-season NFL game since the 2006 finale.

“They are both young players; they are both going to play,” Kubiak said. “It’s not like one of them is going to take all of the load, so I’m counting on both of them.”

Meanwhile, Darius Reynaud, who proabably did make a mistake, was last seen impersonating Dwight Freeney, which is exactly what he planned. And by exactly, I mean the total opposite.