The Houston Texans are 1-3 this season heading into a key matchup on Sunday on the road against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. The Texans have been doing their best to get their offense rolling behind quarterback C.J. Stroud.
That includes having an effective run game, but it’s been a bit of a struggle without Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon in the lineup. Mixon has been dealing with a foot injury since before the 2025 NFL regular season started.
With Mixon out, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans has had to look elsewhere for production at his RB1 position.
Who Is Texans’ RB1 Without Joe Mixon?
Ryans and Texans general manager Nick Caserio have been mum on when Mixon, who gained 1,016 yards and scored 11 touchdowns in the 2024 season, would return. It’s been a regular sight for Texans fans to see Mixon’s name on the injury report throughout the first four games of 2025.
So, where does Ryans turn at this point? He’s been getting solid production from former Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb. Chubb signed with the Texans in the offseason and has been listed as RB1 on the team’s depth chart.
Chubb has 47 carries for 188 yards and one touchdown this season. He’s had to deal with serious injuries in the past year of his NFL career, but he appears to be healthy for the Texans.
I know Woody Marks is getting all the buzz right now, but don’t forget about Nick Chubb this week. If he gets 12-14 touches against the Ravens this week, I think he can put up some solid numbers. One of my UV Players ✨ this week. 💪 https://t.co/C0EFE6Ktw9
— Joshua Cho (@jbchoknows) October 4, 2025
When Chubb isn’t too effective on some plays, Ryans simply turns to rookie Woody Marks, a fourth-round draft pick by the Texans out of USC in the 2025 NFL Draft. What has Marks done so far this season? He has 29 carries for 113 yards and one touchdown, and he had a breakout game last Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
At times, Marks has shown a deft ability to wiggle his way through the Texans’ offensive line for yardage and bust past defenders on the outside, too. Besides Chubb and Marks, others in the running back category for Houston include Dare Ogunbowale and Dameon Pearce.
Still, Chubb has earned his RB1 role with his veteran leadership. The Texans don’t know whether Mixon will be back this season. Ryans will have to lean on Chubb and Marks, to some extent, to have an effective run game behind Stroud.
He can’t throw the ball on every down, so the Texans will go into the Ravens game with Chubb at RB1 and hope for the best in the road contest.
