Week 1 of the NFL season is right around the corner, which means it’s fantasy football draft season. Some drafts are already underway, and others will occur soon. But there are still plenty of questions across the league. A handful of injuries this offseason could change where certain players are drafted.
One player at the center of that discussion is Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon. His mysterious foot injury, which surfaced early in the offseason, is still an issue.
The Texans recently announced that he’s being placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury List, meaning he must miss the first four games of the regular season. Which Texans running back should target in his absence?
Which Texans Running Back Should You Target?
The Texans are expected to be one of the better offenses in the NFL this season, led by quarterback C.J. Stroud. Fantasy managers want to know who will lead the backfield if Mixon is out. Here are the top options. They have two veterans, Nick Chubb and Dameon Pierce, and rookie Woody Marks. Let’s look at each player and see which one should be fantasy viable.
Dameon Pierce
Pierce is entering his fourth NFL season, all with the Texans. He had a strong rookie season in 2022, but has not been used much over the past few seasons. The team is most familiar with Pierce and his running style, but it is clear they did not want him as a starter by adding Chubb this offseason.
Pierce is going undrafted in most leagues and will likely not play much of a fantasy role. With Mixon missing a portion of the season, Pierce could be an interesting speculative addition.
Woody Marks
The Texans selected Marks with their fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He is going to make the roster and should play some role in his rookie season. Marks rushed 198 times for 1,133 yards and nine touchdowns last season with USC. He is an explosive player and, at times, showed that during the preseason.
Marks rushed 16 times for 63 yards during the preseason and will likely be the RB3 entering the season even with Mixon sidelined. Marks should not be drafted in redraft leagues, but could be an interesting dynasty stash until this situation plays out.
Nick Chubb
Chubb is the most experienced back on the roster and one of the league’s top rushers when healthy. He’s entering his age-30 season with a career average of 5.1 yards per carry. But injuries have piled up, playing only 10 games over the past two years.
Still, Chubb is expected to top the depth chart while Mixon is out, making him the Texans’ running back to draft in all formats.
Nick Chubb is the Texans’ starting RB. I expect them to keep 4 not counting the injured Joe Mixon. Rookie Woody Marks, fourth-round pick from USC, has been very impressive.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) August 23, 2025
Chubb won’t offer much as a pass catcher, but he should be steady as a runner in Houston’s offense. He’s not a lock to be a fantasy starter early, but he’s worth owning while we wait to see how the Texans split touches in Week 1.
