The Texans’ backfield is difficult to decipher. Joe Mixon would be the top running back if he was healthy, but he’s still without a timeline to return.
Nick Chubb entered the season as the team’s RB1, but Woody Marks has made his mark in his rookie season. Marks was a fourth round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, playing four seasons at Mississippi State and one at USC.
Through five weeks of the 2025 NFL season, Houston’s backfield is still confusing. It’s uncertain who will get the majority of touches on a week-to-week basis. It creates a challenge for fantasy football owners, who are unsure whether to start or sit either of the Texans’ running backs.
Here’s an evaluation of Houston’s backfield to determine which running back is more valuable in fantasy football.
Fantasy football breakdown: Woody Marks or Nick Chubb
After Week 4’s performance, it seemed certain that Marks would be the primary back in Houston. The rookie ran for 69 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, while also catching 4-of-5 passes for 50 yards and a score.
His opportunities increased dramatically in this matchup against Tennessee, having only recorded 12 carries across the first three weeks. His involvement in the passing game made it more likely that he’d receive additional work, too.
That wasn’t the case in Week 5. Marks rushed for 24 yards on seven carries and didn’t catch his only target. Meanwhile, Chubb had 61 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries. Still, Marks played in 38.6 percent of offensive snaps, while Chubb played in 34.3 percent.
Chubb has played less offensive snaps in every week since Week 2, while Marks increased from Weeks 1-4 before dropping in Week 5. Overall the trend is good for the rookie, and his lack of production and snaps in Week 5 could be attributed to the Texans blowing out the Ravens 44-10.
Another factor is Dameon Pierce receiving more snaps in Week 5. Pierce played 11.1 percent of offensive snaps in Week 1 and didn’t play again until Week 5 when he played 22.9 percent of offensive snaps. Although not a large share, it’s enough to eat into both Chubb’s and Marks’ totals.
Pierce shouldn’t play too much of a role moving forward, but he’s still someone that could limit opportunities for either of the other Houston running backs. On a week-to-week basis, it’s hard to exude confidence in either Chubb or Marks. There’s too much variance between the team’s gameplan, Pierce’s involvement and who the Texans are facing.
That being said, Marks is trending upward, while Chubb is trending downward. Between this and Marks’ ability to catch passes, it makes more sense to roster the rookie moving forward, especially since Mixon doesn’t have a return date.