The Houston Texans signed running back Marlon Mack in hopes he could regain his past explosiveness. Will Mack produce enough to be on your fantasy football roster, and what is his current ADP in fantasy drafts?
Update: Marlon Mack was cut from the Texans practice squad on Monday, Sept. 5.
Marlon Mack ADP | Is he worth his current price in fantasy drafts?
Mack’s current ADP is 166th overall and the 58th running back selected in fantasy drafts. This means he’s being taken in the 13th round of standard leagues. Other players drafted in his range include Jeff Wilson Jr., Raheem Mostert, and Mark Ingram.
The Texans clearly signed Mack in hopes of having more upside on a unit that oddly featured multiple 30-year-old backs in 2021. Just 26, Mack hasn’t played much the last two years after he tore his Achilles in 2020. He had just 32 carries with the Indianapolis Colts over that span.
He was once a lightning-quick slasher who could quickly get chunks of yards. His breakout 2018 and 2019 seasons totaled 1,999 yards and 17 touchdowns. Mack was coming into his own before suffering his devastating injury in Week 1 of the 2020 campaign.
Being drafted alongside some key backups who have higher upside in healthier offenses, it’s hard to see Mack being worth his ADP. A plethora of experienced and rookie backs alike are going in his range. Mack should fall behind Zamir White and Gus Edwards until we see some of his explosiveness return.
Mack’s projected fantasy value in 2022
Houston appeared to be a good reclamation spot for Mack, but they also drafted Dameon Pierce in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After three preseason games, it appears as though Pierce has pulled ahead in the race to be the lead back for a team likely to split carries. Mack was then cut at final roster cutdowns but returned to the Texans on the practice squad. Therefore, he remains on the radar as a player who could see snaps in the season.
Mack has totaled 21 carries for 90 yards with a long of 24 in the preseason. Because he hasn’t looked like his old self, or he’s not quite in a good position to become that player due to the Texans’ limited offense, it’s hard to justify rostering Mack as anything more than the last back on your fantasy team.
He’s a flier, just as he was for the Texans when they signed him. The best case for him at this point is to split carries with Pierce and hope that Rex Burkhead is phased out. Mack is worth rostering, but don’t be shy in cutting bait if you need a hotter waiver wire addition.
