The Houston Texans, as they continue to fight for their season, had a massive game against the Kansas City Chiefs on the calendar in Week 14. With a ferocious defense, the team hoped to register its fifth consecutive victory en route to a playoff berth.
A strong first half had trailed away in a heartbeat as the Chiefs were able to tie it up heading into the fourth quarter. As the Texans built their lead again with another touchdown, it unfortunately came at the cost of an injury to running back Woody Marks, after already losing Nick Chubb earlier in the game.
What Happened to Woody Marks and Nick Chubb?
With Joe Mixon mysteriously out of the lineup for the entire season, Houston found a diamond in the rough in Woody Marks. Becoming the consistent lead back for the team, he has put together a solid 2025 campaign.
In a pivotal game against the Chiefs, too, he was vitally important for his team’s chances, getting 18 carries and adding 49 rushing yards, while also making two catches for eight yards and a touchdown.
With Nick Chubb suffering a rib injury earlier in the game, the Texans were forced to use him on every down. But in the fourth quarter, he was too banged up to continue, and they had to pivot to Dare Ogunbowale, who rushed in for a critical fourth-quarter touchdown.
Thankfully for fans in Houston, Marks was able to return to the game soon after, staying on the field for the final two drives of the game for the Texans, where a key third-down conversion by the talented rookie on the latter of the two drives effectively gave his team the victory.
Fantasy Impact After Marks and Chubb’s Injuries
Marks had played every single snap in this game since Nick Chubb left with a rib injury. The Texans had absolutely no intention of putting Dare Ogunbowale on the field. But when Marks got banged up, they had no choice.
Naturally, Ogunbowale punched in the short touchdown, which surely won’t swing playoff spots in many fantasy leagues. It didn’t seem like a significant injury for Marks. He looked more banged up than anything else. I expect him to return.
But in the event Marks has to miss time, with Chubb already hurt, it would be Ogunbowale in a lead-back role. Houston currently does not have another healthy running back on the roster. If it came to it, they’d probably use Jaylin Noel as a pseudo-running back, if absolutely necessary.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.Â
