With Joe Mixon seemingly an afterthought, the Houston Texans’ running back room has been a fascinating question all year. Nick Chubb was signed to be the veteran stopgap, but clearly, more was needed. They got more in the form of Woody Marks, a rookie who has shot up the depth chart. Now the two find themselves in a committee, which is likely to last the rest of the season. So, which Texans running back is the fantasy football play here?
Analysis
It’s essential to note that, at least for the upcoming game against the Jaguars, the Texans will be operating without CJ Stroud. After taking a brutal hit while trying to slide, Stroud suffered a concussion that head coach DeMeco Ryans does not sound optimistic about. Let’s put it this way: if the Texans put Stroud under center, they’d be receiving a few angry calls from the league and their concussion monitors.
Texans backup Davis Mills played most of their Week 9 loss to the Broncos, and is a more than capable No. 2 signal caller. His snaps give us an idea of what the Texans’ backfield will look like without Stroud.
Marks and Chubb more or less split the touches after Stroud’s exit. Neither player was particularly effective on the ground; Chubb took 11 carries for 34 yards, while Marks took 10 for 27. Neither scored. Chubb was the only one to get a first down on the ground — not exactly a banner day for the Texans’ ground game.
But it’s the passing game I want to focus on. Mills targeted Marks three times, and Chubb received no targets. The passing down work led to Marks leading the two tailbacks in snaps. And this is where the value kicks in.
Barring a masterclass defensive performance by Houston, the Texans will face a good amount of pass-first game script. This favors Marks heavily, and therein lies the decision.
The verdict
I don’t think either player is worth playing in the first place due to Stroud’s absence. An already struggling offense will only find it harder to move the ball without its franchise quarterback.
But if you have to play one, it’s Marks — especially in PPR formats. His floor as a pass catcher out of the backfield provides a decent base that could make for a good week, even without a ton of yards or a score. Trust Woody if you have to.
