David Montgomery’s Stock Rises as Texans Draft Keylan Rutledge
The Houston Texans’ selection of Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge at No. 26 in the 2026 NFL Draft has fantasy implications that reach well beyond the offensive line. The biggest winner is David Montgomery. Houston traded for the veteran back in March and built an interior around him this offseason, and Rutledge is the final piece that tilts Montgomery’s outlook from a late-round flier into a meaningful fantasy asset. The Texans are committing to a downhill rushing identity, and Montgomery is positioned to be the primary beneficiary of it.
Rutledge makes the scheme work. At 6-foot-4 and 316 pounds, he is a gap-scheme guard who wins with power, displacement, and finish. His 2025 tape at Georgia Tech is full of combo blocks that drive defensive tackles off the ball and pulls that clear the edge on counter and power. He allowed zero sacks and just six quarterback hurries across 872 snaps, and he tested as a genuine athlete at the combine, leading all offensive linemen in the 20-yard shuttle at 4.54 seconds. That combination of size, strength, and foot quickness fits the profile of a guard who opens running lanes in exactly the areas where Montgomery does his best work. Houston also returns Wyatt Teller, signed this offseason, and re-signed Ed Ingram on a three-year extension. The interior on paper is now one of the more physical guard trios in the AFC.
For fantasy, the trajectory is clear. Montgomery was the No. 27 PPR running back in 2025 in a timeshare role. A move to a lead role in a run-first scheme with a rebuilt interior pushes his ceiling into top-20 positional territory and his floor into the RB3 range with standalone value. Goal-line work is where the upside compounds. Houston signaled its intent with the Montgomery trade and followed through by building a line that can convert short yardage, and Rutledge’s physicality adds to a goal-line package that projects to lean heavily on the run. Expect double-digit rushing touchdowns to be in play if Montgomery stays healthy and holds off Marks for the bulk of early-down carries. The downside risk is age. Montgomery turns 29 in June, and the Texans will almost certainly manage his workload to preserve him through the season. Marks will carve out a real role regardless.
The pick does not just address Houston’s pass protection. It stamps the identity of the offense. Montgomery fits that identity better than any back on the roster. Stroud benefits from a cleaner pocket, Nico Collins benefits from better play-action looks, and Montgomery benefits from the carries a run-heavy game script produces. In drafts this summer, Montgomery should move up boards. He is no longer a depth option behind a younger back. He is the lead back on a team committed to running between the tackles, now with a first-round guard in front of him built to do exactly that work.
