Houston Texans Running Back Depth Chart — 2026
The Houston Texans running back depth chart for the 2026 season: David Montgomery at RB1, Woody Marks at RB2, British Brooks at RB3. Depth order follows the current published depth chart and refreshes daily.
Texans running back depth chart
| Role | Player | Status | 2025 RYOE | RYOE/Att | Follow | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RB1 | David Montgomery | 124.4 | 0.79 | |||
| RB2 | Woody Marks | 22.8 | 0.12 | |||
| RB3 | British Brooks | Questionable | — | — | ||
| — | Deuce Vaughn | — | — | |||
| — | Jawhar Jordan | — | — | |||
| — | Joshua Pitsenberger | Questionable | — | — | ||
| — | Noah Whittington | — | — | |||
| — | Owen Wright | — | — |
Who is the Texans RB2?
Woody Marks is the Texans RB2 behind David Montgomery, which makes him the back in line for the workload if David Montgomery misses time — the handcuff.
Who backs up the Texans at running back?
A handcuff is the backup who inherits the starter's workload if the starter gets hurt — so the Texans handcuff is whoever sits directly behind David Montgomery on the depth chart above. Rostering him is how you protect a starting back you have already spent a pick on. More on what a handcuff is.
Woody Marks was Houston's most-used back last season — 196 carries and 49.7% of the snaps — and Houston then signed David Montgomery out of Detroit to lead the backfield. Montgomery took 158 carries and 37.4% of Detroit's snaps. Marks drew 36 targets, 2.25 a game.
If David Montgomery misses time
The replacement already has the workload on his record, which is unusual.
David Montgomery, in Detroit, has played 74 of 85 team games across 5 seasons, 11 missed. He was the more effective runner by a clear margin, +0.80 yards over expected per carry, 11th of 49 qualifying backs — earned for Detroit. Woody Marks ran +0.16, 34th, in Houston.
But Marks handled 196 carries and 49.7% of the offence's snaps, 21st among running backs. He has done the job before, less efficiently. That is a much stronger contingency case than most backups can make.
Touches with everyone healthy
Substantial, and the reporting below says the passing game is where.
Woody Marks was already on the field for half of Houston's snaps and nearly half its pass snaps, 49.5%. David Montgomery's 37.4% came in Detroit. The stated plan is to concentrate that into pass-catching rather than reduce it — the running backs coach is quoted below saying Marks will get lots of opportunities, more importantly in the passing game.
Montgomery's efficiency argues he should take the early-down carries. Neither back is waiting on the other.
Is there a passing-down back?
Being built, deliberately, and it is the back who was already here.
Marks played 321 pass snaps, 49.5% of Houston's, 20th among running backs, drawing 36 targets in 16 games and catching 24 for 208 yards. David Montgomery played 225 pass snaps for Detroit at 36.1%, with 29 targets.
Per pass snap David Montgomery was actually the more productive receiver at 0.85 yards; Woody Marks managed 0.65. So the role described below is a plan rather than a continuation, and the thing to watch is whether the targets follow the intention.
What the beat is reporting
What the beat is reporting, last refreshed 2026-09-08. Nothing here is measured — it is reporting, attributed and dated.
Running backs coach Danny Barrett said Woody Marks will get lots of opportunities, and more importantly probably in the passing game as well (NFL.com, 2026-07-08).
Marks said the team has him running all types of routes and learning the route tree (NFL.com, 2026-07-08).
Houston acquired David Montgomery to lead the backfield, with Marks in a complementary role (NFL.com, 2026-07-08).
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