Woody Marks Injury News & Updates

Marks rushed for 18 times for 44 yards and brought in his only target for seven yards in the Texans' 16-13 win over the Titans on Sunday.

Marks surprisingly found running room hard to come by against what had been a very generous Titans defense. However, the good news for Marks' fantasy managers was the fact he finally operated as the clear lead option over Nick Chubb, who garnered only three carries. Sunday's results not withstanding, Marks has an encouraging outlook for a Week 12 Thursday night home matchup against the Bills' porous front seven.

Houston offensive coordinator Nick Caley said Wednesday that giving Marks a greater workload in last week's win over Jacksonville was not part of the plan entering the game, Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Marks got into a rhythm early against the Jaguars, and Caley abandoned a plan for backfield balance with Nick Chubb. "You go into a game and you sit there and try to have balance in the variety of ways for all the right reasons," Caley said. "Sometimes, you get into a rhythm. And he played well and he was playing well down the stretch." Marks and Chubb have been co-lead backs since Week 3, but the rookie was given a resounding 80 percent of the offensive snaps last week compared to Chubb's 13 percent. While it looks to the naked eye that Marks has moved ahead of Chubb, Caley is leaving wiggle room by saying "it's hard to say how every game's going to go." It's likely that both backs will get their opportunities going forward, but the slight playing time edge that once favored the veteran Chubb may be leaning Marks' way for the rest of the season.

Marks carried the ball 14 times for 63 yards and a touchdown and caught two of three targets for 18 yards in Sunday's 36-29 win over Jacksonville.

The rookie RB led the Texans' backfield with 16 touches to Nick Chubb's six and 81 scrimmage yards to the veteran's 52, and Marks capped his strong performance with a one-yard TD plunge in the second quarter. He's seen double-digit carries in four straight games as he continues to push his way to the top of the depth chart, and Marks could deliver another big performance in Week 11 against the Titans -- a defense he erupted for 119 combined yards and two touchdowns against in Week 4.

Marks could be in position for more touches Week 10 pending the status of Nick Chubb (foot), who did not practice Wednesday.

Chubb's status is something to monitor in the days leading up to Sunday's contest against the Jaguars. With starting quarterback C.J. Stroud (concussion) ruled out, the Texans are expected to lean on its ground game Week 10, which means Marks could see an increased workload should Chubb join Stroud on the inactive list. It's unclear when Chubb sustained the injury; he played well into the fourth quarter last week before Marks handled the team's final possession in a loss to Denver. Marks has been allotted double-digit touches in four of the last five games and has been dual threat (21 targets, 13 catches) out of the backfield during his rookie season.

Marks carried the ball 10 times for 27 yards and failed to catch any of his three targets in Sunday's 18-15 loss to the Broncos.

The rookie split the workload with Nick Chubb almost equally, but neither RB was able to gain much yardage. Marks has seen double-digit carries in three straight games, compiling 104 rushing yards on just 3.4 yards per carry but adding a 7-69-1 line on 12 targets, and he's not making much of a case to pass Chubb on the depth chart completely. The Texans saw C.J. Stroud (concussion) leave Sunday's game early, and if he gets replaced under center by Davis Mills in Week 10, it could mean a bigger emphasis on the ground attack against the Jaguars.

Marks (calf) doesn't have a designation for Sunday's contest versus the Broncos.

Marks showed up as limited due to a calf injury on Thursday's practice report, but a full session Friday has cleared him for Week 9 action. Since the Texans' Week 6 bye, he's turned 28 touches into 146 yards from scrimmage and one TD over the last two games, while veteran RB Nick Chubb has combined for 25 touches for 80 total yards and no TDs during that stretch.

Marks was a limited participant in practice Thursday due to a calf injury.

Marks wasn't listed on Wednesday's injury report, so his limitations Thursday are noteworthy. Friday's report will reveal whether the running back approaches Sunday's game against the Broncos with an injury designation or is fully cleared to maintain his key role in Houston's backfield.

Marks rushed 11 times for 62 yards and secured all four targets for 49 yards in the Texans' 26-15 win over the 49ers on Sunday.

Marks led the Texans in rushing yards despite logging six fewer carries than backfield mate Nick Chubb, and he also made his mark as a pass catcher with a game-long 50-yard reception. Marks' 5.6 yards per carry served as a new career high, and he's now been afforded double-digit carries in three of the last four games while also generating an 11-119-1 receiving line in the same span. The ascending rookie next sets his sights on a Week 9 home matchup against a tough Broncos defense.

Marks rushed 10 times for 15 yards and caught three of five targets for 20 yards and a touchdown in Monday's 27-19 loss to Seattle.

Marks received double-digit carries for the second time this year, but he barely averaged more than one yard per tote. The fourth-round rookie did almost all of his damage exclusively as a receiver, catching his second touchdown of the season to cut Seattle's lead to one score in the fourth quarter. Marks did come up hobbling following his late touchdown grab, so make sure he doesn't pop up on the injury report leading up to Sunday's tilt against San Francisco.

Marks could see an uptick in playing time and touches Week 7 against Seattle on Monday, if the Texans can establish their ground game, as articulated by head coach DeMeco Ryans earlier in the week, Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Ryans talked about sustaining drives through the run, which would open up offensive coordinator Nick Caley's playbook. That suggests Marks and starter Nick Chubb could play major roles against the Seahawks, although Seattle's defense has been stingy against the run (79.0 ypg). Marks had a mini-breakout Week 4, when he had a combined 119 yards from scrimmage on 21 touches and a touchdown in a win over the Titans. His touches dropped Week 5, but Marks has emerged as a potential playmaker for an offense that showed little life over the first three weeks of the season.

Marks rushed the ball seven times for 24 yards in Sunday's 44-10 win over the Ravens. He did not catch his only target.

Marks rotated within drives with Nick Chubb for most of the game, but he still ended up with four fewer carries. Neither back was able to get much going, and three of Marks' seven carries went for one yard or less. While it was a disappointing follow-up to what appeared to be a breakout performance in Week 5, game script didn't help as Houston pulled most of its offensive starters early in the fourth quarter.

Coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday that he's excited to see how much more work Marks can handle going forward following his breakout performance in the Texans' win over the Titans on Sunday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

After touching the ball a combined 14 times across the Texans' first three games of the season, Marks set season-highs in offensive snap share (56 percent), touches (21) and total yards (119) against Tennessee. He also scored a pair of touchdowns in the second half to help salt the game away. Additionally, Marks held up well in pass protection. Marks is shaping up as the leader of the Houston backfield moving forward and should be a priority pickup in fantasy leagues where he's available. Nick Chubb is averaging 4.0 yards per carry on his 47 rushing attempts this season and has done nothing to lose his job, but Marks is noticeably more explosive with the ball in his hands at this stage of his career.

Marks rushed the ball 17 times for 69 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 26-0 win over the Titans. He added four receptions for 50 yards and an additional score.

Nick Chubb earned the first carries of the game and the second half, but Marks alternated drives with him in the first half and then the duo split work in the final two quarters. The end result was that Marks earned 21 total touches to Chubb's 15, and he out-gained the veteran 119-62. Marks particularly made his mark in the fourth quarter, first recording a 12-yard touchdown catch and then rushing in a second score from 18 yards away. Chubb isn't likely to be phased completely out of the offense, but Marks made his case to become the team's lead back officially.

Marks rushed six times for 27 yards and brought in one of two targets for nine yards in the Texans' 17-10 loss to the Jaguars on Sunday.

Marks logged just three fewer carries than backfield mate Nick Chubb, recording new career highs in rush attempts and rushing yards in the process. The rookie fourth-round pick also recorded a reception for the second consecutive game, and Marks could see his role continue to expand in a Week 4 home matchup against a Titans defense that allowed 102 rushing yards and three touchdowns to Jonathan Taylor on Sunday.

Marks rushed three times for 14 yards and caught his only target for 37 yards in Monday's 20-19 loss to the Buccaneers.

Marks was bumped up the depth chart after veteran backup Dameon Pierce was made a healthy scratch ahead of Monday's kickoff. The 24-year-old Marks responded well by converting his four touches into 51 yards backing up Nick Chubb (12-43-1). Marks is unlikely to see his workload increase against the Jaguars on Sunday, but he is a name to keep an eye on if the 0-2 Texans continue to slide and decide to give the rookie an extended look later in the season.

Marks had three carries for three yards in Sunday's 14-9 loss to the Rams in Week 1.

Marks, a 2025 fourth-round draft pick, entered regular season as the fourth back on the depth chart and nothing about Sunday's usage changed that. He's solidly behind Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale and will have to be patient and wait for his opportunities.

Marks carried the ball six times for 19 yards and a touchdown and caught all three of his targets for 20 yards in Saturday's 26-7 preseason win over the Lions.

The 2025 fourth-round pick made a strong final impression for the coaching staff, scoring the Texans' first TD of the afternoon on a nine-yard run early in the second quarter. With Joe Mixon (foot/ankle) uncertain for Week 1 and potentially headed for a stay on the PUP list, Marks could have a role in the offense right out of the gate behind Nick Chubb and Dameon Pierce.

Marks rushed seven times for 40 yards and brought in his only target for no gain in the Texans' 20-3 preseason win over the Panthers on Saturday afternoon.

Marks entered the game after starter Nick Chubb and finished as the team leader in rushing yards on the afternoon. The rookie fourth-round pick started off hot by gaining 19 rushing yards on his first two carries, and he enjoyed a strong afternoon overall in his quest to solidify a meaningful spot in the backfield pecking order come the regular season. Joe Mixon (ankle/foot) remains on the NFI list with no definitive return timeline, so Marks could certainly be looking at a No. 3 spot at minimum to open the 2025 campaign.

Marks carried the ball three times for four yards and added 26 yards on one kickoff return in Saturday's 20-10 preseason loss to the Vikings.

Even with Joe Mixon (foot/ankle) out of commission and both Nick Chubb (head) and Dameon Pierce sitting out the Texans' exhibition opener, it was veteran special teams ace Dare Ogunbowale who got the start in the backfield. Marks, a 2025 fourth-round pick out of USC, was the second back into the game for Houston, but he didn't see many touches before giving way to Jawhar Jordan. Given the draft capital used to acquire Marks -- the Texans burned a 2026 third-round pick to move up and get him -- his spot on the roster should be secure, but it's not clear if he'll have much of a role in the offense to begin his rookie campaign.

The Texans selected Marks in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 116th overall.

The Texans traded a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick in exchange for this pick and a 2025 seventh-round pick. Marks led Mississippi State in rushing yards during the 2022 and 2023 seasons before heading to USC for his fifth year. The Georgia native earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors at USC by recording 1,133 yards (5.7 YPC) and nine touchdowns in addition to 47 receptions for 321 yards. Marks measured in at 5-foot-10, 207 pounds at the NFL Combine while adding a 4.54 40-yard dash to his resume. While he'll turn 25 years old during his rookie season, Marks is a sturdy runner and will look to earn a role as a pass catcher, although he'll face stiff competition from Dameon Pierce, Dare Ogunbowale and J.J. Taylor for those duties behind lead back Joe Mixon.