Football is funny. One day you’re signing a three-year, $25.5 million contract and being hailed as the savior of a franchise, and the next, you’re sitting on a non-football injury (NFI) list while a rookie from USC takes your carries. That is the current reality for running backs for the Houston Texans, a position group that has seen more drama in the last twelve months than a primetime soap opera.
Honestly, if you told a Texans fan back in August that Joe Mixon wouldn’t take a single snap in the 2025 season, they’d probably have checked you for a concussion. But here we are. It’s January 2026. The Texans are fresh off a 30-6 dismantling of the Steelers in the Wild Card round, and the names leading the charge aren't the ones we saw on the billboards.
The Joe Mixon Situation: A $27 Million Question Mark
The biggest story surrounding running backs for the Houston Texans is undoubtedly Joe Mixon. After a stellar 2024 campaign where he racked up over 1,300 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns, the wheels—or specifically, the feet—fell off. Mixon has been sidelined with a persistent foot and ankle injury since the summer.
He didn't play a single game in 2025.
It’s a brutal reality in the NFL. One minute you're the No. 58 player on the NFL Top 100 list, and the next, there are serious rumors about your release. Because of how the contract is structured, Houston could actually move on from Mixon this offseason with only a $2 million dead cap hit if they pull the trigger before June. General Manager Nick Caserio isn't exactly known for being sentimental. If Mixon can’t get back to his 2024 form, his time in H-Town might be over before the ink on his extension even fades.
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Woody Marks and the Rookie Revolution
While Mixon watched from the sidelines, a kid named Woody Marks basically took over the city. Marks, a fourth-round pick out of USC, wasn’t supposed to be the guy this early. But life happens fast.
In the playoff win against Pittsburgh, Marks was a straight-up hammer. He carried the rock 31 times for 112 yards and iced the game with a 13-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. It wasn't just the stats; it was the way he did it. He was hitting the gap, lowering his shoulder, and punishing a vaunted Steelers defense. For a rookie to step into the pressure of a road playoff game and average 5.3 yards per carry? That’s rare.
- Woody Marks (2025 Stats): Emerged as the primary workhorse, surpassing 100 yards in the franchise's first road playoff win.
- Nick Chubb: The veteran "insurance policy" who actually looked decent, chipping in 48 yards against the Steelers.
- Dare Ogunbowale: Still the reliable 3rd-down specialist who keeps the pass protection solid.
The Dameon Pierce Exit
We have to talk about Dameon Pierce. What a weird arc. He went from being the face of the franchise in 2022 to being waived in November 2025.
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It felt sudden, but the writing was on the wall. He only had 10 carries all season before the Texans cut him loose. He ended up signing with the Chiefs' practice squad shortly after, which is just how the league works sometimes. One team's "surplus" is a Super Bowl contender's depth piece. Pierce’s struggles with the zone-heavy scheme under OC Nick Caley (who took over the play-calling reins) just made him a square peg in a round hole.
Why the Run Game Finally Clicked
For most of the 2025 season, the Texans' offense was a bit of a slog. They started 0-3. People were panicked. The run blocking was, to put it politely, "inconsistent."
But something shifted in the final nine games of the regular season. The offensive line—led by guys like Tytus Howard and Juice Scruggs—started winning the leverage battle. By the time the playoffs rolled around, the Texans weren't just a "C.J. Stroud team." They were a team that could actually line up and run the ball down your throat.
It’s a gap-scheme heavy approach now. They want to pull guards and create chaos at the point of attack. Woody Marks fits this perfectly because he has the vision to see the crease and the burst to get through it before the linebackers can scrape over.
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Looking Ahead: The 2026 Backfield
What happens next? That’s the $10 million question. If you’re looking at the future of running backs for the Houston Texans, you have to assume Woody Marks has earned the starting role for 2026. He’s cheap, he’s productive, and he’s healthy.
Nick Chubb is on a one-year deal, and at 30 years old, he’s likely more of a mentor/rotational piece than a long-term fixture. The real drama will be the Mixon decision. Do you keep a veteran with a $10.5 million cap hit who hasn't played in a year? Or do you take the $8.5 million in savings and go find another young stud in the draft?
Actionable Insights for Texans Fans:
- Watch the Salary Cap: Keep an eye on the "Dead Cap" numbers for Joe Mixon in March. If he isn't restructured or cut by then, the team is likely keeping him for one last ride.
- Monitor Woody Marks' Workload: The Texans found success by leaning on a lead back rather than a true committee. Expect Marks to see 15-20 touches per game in the Divisional Round against the Patriots.
- Draft Focus: Even with Marks' success, don't be surprised if Houston grabs another RB in the middle rounds of the 2026 draft. DeMeco Ryans loves depth, and this year proved you can never have enough.
The 2025 season proved that the name on the back of the jersey matters a lot less than the scheme and the grit of the guy wearing it. Woody Marks is the present. Whether Mixon is the future remains the biggest mystery in Houston.