Frustrated by a stagnant ground game, Houston may shift its backfield hierarchy to favor Woody Marks’ explosiveness over veteran David Montgomery as the winless Texans seek offensive answers.
The Houston Texans may be ready to make a change in their backfield as they continue searching for answers in the running game. ESPN's Dan Graziano believes Houston will start giving Woody Marks more opportunities moving forward, despite the team's offseason investment in veteran running back David Montgomery, "Houston continues to look for answers in the run game. My sense of it is still that they'll give more work to Woody Marks, as he has generally been running better and looking more explosive than offseason addition David Montgomery."
Through three games, Marks has 22 carries for 65 yards, while Montgomery has received 37 carries for 103 yards. Neither back has been particularly effective, but Graziano believes Marks has done enough to warrant a larger portion of the workload.
The Texans acquired Montgomery from the Detroit Lions during the offseason with the expectation that he could provide stability to a running game that struggled throughout the 2025 season. Houston viewed him as a potential three-down back, and his physical running style was supposed to give the offense a dependable option in a variety of situations.
So far, however, the results have not matched the expectations. Montgomery is averaging just 2.8 yards per carry, while Marks is averaging 3.0. Those numbers are not enough to suggest Houston has found the answer on the ground, but Marks has shown flashes of the explosiveness that made him an intriguing part of the offense.
The Texans also have some evidence from earlier in the season that Marks can make the most of limited opportunities. General manager Nick Caserio previously praised the young running back for maximizing his touches, while saying both Marks and Montgomery had run well.
Marks also provided one of Houston's biggest moments in Sunday's loss to the Indianapolis Colts, scoring a late touchdown to briefly give the Texans the lead. He finished that game with five carries for 15 yards and a touchdown.
At 0-3, Houston does not have much room for patience when it comes to fixing an offense that has struggled to consistently move the football. The running game has been one of the biggest problems, with both backs frequently facing contact behind the line of scrimmage.
Giving Marks more work would not guarantee that the Texans suddenly become a dominant rushing team. Still, if Houston believes he is providing more burst and efficiency than Montgomery, it makes sense for the coaching staff to find out what he can do with a larger role.
For a team desperately searching for offensive answers, Marks could be the next player given a chance to provide one.
