Texans News
[the_ad id=”105842″]Houston Texans rookie running back Woody Marks recorded 119 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 21 touches in Sunday’s 26-0 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Marks carried the ball 17 times for 69 yards and one touchdown while adding four receptions for 50 yards and another score. The fourth-round pick out of USC has totaled 209 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on 35 touches through four games.
The 24-year-old received more carries and targets than veteran Nick Chubb for the first time this season. Chubb rushed 13 times for 47 yards and caught both his targets for 15 receiving yards. Marks also out-snapped Chubb 40 to 30 in the victory.
Houston drafted Marks 116th overall in April after he transferred from Mississippi State to Southern California for his final collegiate season. He rushed for over 1100 yards at USC while catching 47 passes for 321 yards. The Texans traded up in the fourth round to select him.
Chubb signed a one-year deal with Houston in June after spending his first seven NFL seasons with Cleveland. The 29-year-old earned four consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2019 through 2022 but has appeared in just 10 games over the past two seasons due to injuries. He suffered a severe knee injury in 2023 and broke his foot late in 2024.
Joe Mixon remains on the Non-Football Injury list with a foot and ankle injury suffered during offseason workouts. The Pro Bowl running back has been sidelined since the start of training camp and must miss at least the first four games of the season. Texans general manager Nick Caserio declined to commit to a return timeline when asked whether Mixon would play in 2025.
Mixon rushed for 1016 yards and 11 touchdowns in 14 games during his first season with Houston in 2024. He led the team in total touchdowns during both the regular season and playoffs. The Texans acquired him from Cincinnati in March 2024.
Marks has seen his playing time increase each week. He played 11 percent of snaps in Week 1 before climbing to 27 percent in Week 2 and 48 percent in Week 3. His workload expanded further against Tennessee as he alternated drives with Chubb before the duo split time evenly in the second half.
The Texans improved to 1-3 with the shutout victory. Houston managed just 116 rushing yards combined from Marks and Chubb on 30 carries. The offensive line ranks 11th in yards before contact per attempt but has struggled to generate consistent production on the ground.
Marks scored on a 12-yard reception from quarterback C.J. Stroud in the first half and added an 18-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. He has averaged 4.5 yards per carry this season compared to 4.0 for Chubb. Marks also leads Houston running backs with 2.8 yards after contact per attempt.
Houston hosts the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5 on Sunday, October 6, before entering its bye week. The Texans play four of their next six games at home as they attempt to climb back into the AFC South race.
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