Dare

Ogunbowale

Like we said yesterday, Montgomery is still seemingly in the week-to-week camp. Woody Marks and Dare Ogunbowale will likely split backfield touches this week. The Texans used both Marks and Jawhar Jordan last week, but Jordan suffered an injured reserve-worthy injury. Marks should be in starting lineups, but he may be more of a FLEX than a reliable RB2. Ogunbowale is a low-floor PPR dart throw.

We were told early last week that Montgomery is week-to-week. Today’s absence suggests he is still week-to-week and will likely be ruled out again on Friday, though we do not know that for sure. We will provide an update before then if his status changes. In the meantime, Woody Marks will get the start again this week, potentially with less touch competition. Jawhar Jordan totaled 50 yards and a touchdown on seven total touches last week, but was surprisingly placed on injured reserve today. Dare Ogunbowale remains a receiving factor, though.

We already knew that Montgomery was considered week-to-week, so this is unsurprising. Woody Marks will start for however long Montgomery is sidelined. The Jaguars field one of the NFL’s best run defenses, but Marks ceded just one snap to Dare Ogunbowale last week. Theoretically, he should remain in a near-full-time role, elevating him to the RB2/FLEX tier despite the tough matchup.

Should Woody Marks feel subtweeted here? The Texans have a long history with the veteran back, who has played 53 games over the last four seasons with Houston. It is possible he rejoins the third-down back mix in Houston, which could conceivably cost Marks and David Montgomery some snaps.

The veteran third-down back would still seem to be a fit for this roster and could be brought back after the 53-man cutdown or kept as a practice-squad elevation early in the season. If not, Mike Washington will probably get more time early.

He was joined by James Robinson (remember him?) and former Seahawk Kenny McIntosh. The Raiders previously brought in Najee Harris for a visit earlier in the offseason, so it’s clear they want an element in their room they don’t have yet behind Ashton Jeanty and third-round pick Mike Washington Jr. Ogunbowale would seem to be a good fit as a passing-down back.

Asked in a mailbag column if the Texans would pursue a veteran back in free agency, Alexander noted that he believes Dare Ogunbowale could return to the Texans, but flatly said Chubb won’t. The 30-year-old vet will try to catch on elsewhere in a short-yardage role in 2026. The Texans could make an offseason move to sign or draft a back to split time with Woody Marks. Or perhaps both.

He added three catches for 32 yards on four targets. Ogunbowale received 21 snaps and was involved on travesties such as “Dare Ogunbowale, wildcat goal-to-go running back” that limited his offensive ceiling. The 31-year-old backup had one red-zone first down on a catch. It’s hard to say how Houston’s running back room will shake out with two injuries in front of Ogunbowale, but any running back with touches against the Raiders in Week 16 has a chance at fantasy value.

Marks served as a workhorse following the second quarter departure from veteran Nick Chubb, the latter of whom would not finish the game after only one touch. The budding rookie’s fantasy day could have been even bigger had he not been subbed out inside the five following a hard hit half way through the fourth quarter, resulting in a Dare Ogunbowale touchdown on his only touch of the game. Fantasy managers had already enjoyed lead back status for Marks the previous month of the season, but he could be set up for true workhorse status ahead of a Week 15 meeting with the Cardinals should Chubb be unable to go.

Marks benefited from the Texans’ trailing game script, but RB Dare Ogunbowale is still rotating in, which hurts Marks’ upside. The rookie running back is far and away the most explosive player in the Texans’ backfield, and he was encouragingly on the field for third and fourth downs, the two-minute drill and in the red zone. Late in the game, Marks was involved on three straight plays in scoring position. On the first, Texans QB CJ Stroud targeted Marks just inside the end zone, but Seahawks LB Drake Thomas knocked the pass out of Marks’ hands. Marks was bottled up for a one-yard loss on the second play, but Stroud looked his way after escaping pressure and the two successfully connected in the end zone thanks to a diving catch by the rookie running back. Marks seemingly winced in pain after securing the diving catch, so his Wednesday practice participation is worth monitoring. He is a low-end RB2 against the 49ers in Week 8.