WoodyMarks

News: 16 hours agoMarks isn't in line to play in Thursday's preseason game against the Chargers, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

Spin: Marks is slated to be among key Texans skill-position players that won't suit up for the team's exhibition opener. Fellow RB and offseason addition David Montgomery also is on that list, and with Jawhar Jordan (hip) and British Brooks (hand) dealing with injuries, Houston's backfield may be populated by just Noah Whittington, Josh Pitsenberger and Owen Wright on Thursday. As a fourth-round rookie last season, Marks notched 196 carries for 703 yards and two touchdowns and hauled in 24 of 36 targets for 208 yards and three more TDs in 16 regular-season games, and while he'll still see his share of touches in 2026, his workload could take a hit with Montgomery on board.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Marks, a fourth-round NFL draft pick in 2025, played a substantial role as a rookie, soaking up 220 touches (22nd among RBs), but he struggled with efficiency (his 3.59 yards per carry and 1.61 yards after contact both ranked near the basement) and found the end zone only five times. The result was 9.4 fantasy points per game and one top-10 fantasy outing. Marks appears ticketed for a lesser role in 2026 now that David Montgomery was brought in to serve as the likely leader of a backfield committee. Especially in an offense that doesn't use backs in the passing game very much, Marks is no more than a bench/insurance stash.