David Montgomery ruled out with groin injury

Ryans said Woody Marks “will carry the load” for the team while Montgomery is sidelined. It’s been a tough start to the season for Montgomery, who scored three times in Week 1 but has been locked out of the end zone ever since while averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per touch. Marks has been slightly more efficient than Montgomery this season, but the Texans’ running game as a whole has left much to be desired. Marks’ expected workload makes him worth a waiver wire claim where available, but fantasy managers shouldn’t expect anything more than RB3 levels of production at this time. The Texans will take on the Jaguars in London in Week 6.

It sounds like Montgomery is in danger of missing both the Jaguars and Giants games before Houston’s Week 8 bye, assuming this is just a mild injury. Woody Marks will take over as Houston’s lead back for the time being and could be in for sizable role given how no other back received a snap or touch once Montgomery went down in Week 5.

He had five carries for 11 yards before leaving in the middle of the second quarter. Woody Marks will handle lead back duties for the moment.

The hook-and-ladder claims another box score. The Texans simply can’t run the ball. Woody Marks is a little faster at making something out of nothing, but it’s the same nothing for him. Montgomery should at least have game pace in his favor against the Titans in Week 5, but boy is it hard to trust him as more than a FLEX play right now.

The only official goal-line carry of the game went to Woody Marks in the two-minute drill. Montgomery added one of the dumbest-looking running back passes on first-and-goal in recent memory, though that play was bailed out as something like five different Colts committed DPI on Jaylin Noel in the end zone. Montgomery’s best play of the game was a minus-1 yard carry in his own end zone where he pulled out the entire stop/start arsenal to prevent a safety. It’s beginning to give RB3 vibes as we look ahead to Week 4’s game against the Cowboys.

Not exactly a triumphant follow-up to Week 1’s three touchdown performance. Some of this is about Dexter Lawrence bullying the Texans offensive line. Some of it is about Montgomery not having enough secured touches in passing situations — he and Woody Marks each played 38 snaps — and some of it is that the Bengals were able to focus on the run without Nico Collins. Montgomery should bounce back against the Colts in Week 3 and be on the RB2 line, but this was a reminder of what the floor can be.

That’ll work. Montgomery winds up getting narrowly out-snapped by Woody Marks but was clearly the Texans lead back as Marks handled two-minute drill work and the Texans had to do a lot of chasing after allowing 36 points. Montgomery’s touchdown catch came on a simple misdirection in the red zone that left him wide open. He did not find much running space between the tackles today and had to grind hard for his yards, notching 39 of his 60 yards after contact. He’ll be in the RB2 ranks next week against the Bengals.

According to Alexander, the Texans have utilized both running backs nearly evenly throughout camp. Texans OC Nick Caley “doesn’t typically go away from what’s working,” which could result in a hot-hand approach on game day. For now, Montgomery should be treated as the starter, but Marks looked good in last week’s preseason game and should be stashed on benches in 12-team leagues at the very least.

The Texans gave RB David Montgomery the night off, so Marks got the start alongside QB C.J. Stroud. The second-year running back played 10-of-10 first-team snaps before retiring for the evening. Marks looked good tonight, particularly on his 20-yard touchdown run, which required him to weave through traffic and bounce off would-be tacklers twice. The fact that Marks played while Montgomery rested could suggest Montgomery is the clear-cut starter rather than a 1A to Marks’ 1B. The young running back is still worth drafting as a bench stash, with potential standalone FLEX viability

Ryans said the same of Jayden Higgins. He talked about Marks looking faster and making better decisions. In other words, the game is slowing down for Marks as he enters his second NFL season. Houston had no choice but to load Marks up with touches as a rookie. He struggled to make much of the workload, turning 196 carries into 706 yards and just two touchdowns. The team then traded for David Montgomery in the offseason. Montgomery is locked in as the starter, but the comments about Marks could point toward more of a committee than fantasy managers have been expecting.