With the 2025 NFL season underway, the Houston Texans are facing an issue that will impact their start. The running back they were hoping would ignite their attack, Joe Mixon, will not be playing in the first four games.
Sidelined with an ankle injury that’s been nagging him since the offseason, Mixon’s absence leaves a huge question mark: who will carry the load until he’s back?
That question has quickly turned into one of the Texans’ biggest storylines. Three names are now front and center: Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, and rookie Woody Marks. Each brings something different to the table and has a chance to grab the spotlight in Mixon’s absence.
Who Will Step Up For The Houston Texans?
Nick Chubb
For Chubb, this feels like another chance at redemption. Once considered one of the league’s premier backs, injuries have kept him from showing his full potential the past two seasons.
A devastating knee injury in 2023, followed by a broken foot in 2024, nearly derailed his career.
I asked Texans HC DeMeco Ryans about his faith in RB Nick Chubb as an every down back:
“He looks better and better each week. Especially when we got the pads on, he has the explosion and speed to make plays in this league. I am very impressed with Chubb.” pic.twitter.com/rJ3mNlXPks
— Will Kunkel (@WillKunkelV) August 25, 2025
But now, healthier and hungrier, Chubb is ready to step in. The Texans know he isn’t quite the same back who once carried Cleveland’s offense, but they also know what he’s capable of when he’s rolling.
Dameon Pierce
Then there is Pierce, the former sensational rookie who has been trying to find a way to return to his 2022 level of play. His hard-nosed, downhill running style won him over fans right away, but since then, injuries and less playing time have slowed him down.
Pierce is aware that his time with the Texans and his NFL future are running out as he enters a contract year. Due to Mixon’s injury, he has an opportunity to make the most of his carries, which could compel Houston to rely on him more than they had previously thought.
Woody Marks
And finally, there’s Marks, the rookie who’s already starting to turn heads. Drafted in the fourth round, Marks made his name in college as a versatile back who could catch passes out of the backfield. He amassed 261 receptions for 1,546 yards and five touchdowns in college.
Houston Texans Round 4 rookie RB Woody Marks – every rush/target – preseason game two pic.twitter.com/BfFVB1Ziz4
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) August 17, 2025
During preseason, he showed flashes of that playmaking ability, even finding the end zone in the finale. While no one expects him to take over as the team’s workhorse, Marks’ skill set could make him an intriguing weapon in the Texans’ offense, especially while defenses focus on Chubb and Pierce.
A Look at Texans RB’s Performance in Week 1
In the season opener against the Rams, Chubb led the Texans’ backfield with 13 carries for 60 yards. Ogunbowale added two carries for nine yards, while Pierce managed just three carries for five yards.
Marks also saw limited action, recording three carries for three yards. While Chubb is firmly established as Houston’s lead back, the competition for the RB2 role remains wide open.
Buccaneers vs. Texans Week 2 Preview
The Buccaneers enter their Week 2 matchup against the Texans fresh off a 23-20 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1. Quarterback Baker Mayfield opened the season on a high note, while rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka delivered a sensational debut.
Egbuka hauled in four receptions for 67 yards and two touchdowns, while Mayfield threw for 167 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. The Texans’ defense will be a big challenge for the Buccaneers’ offense, and how they perform remains to be seen.
Houston, meanwhile, comes into Week 2 after a disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Rams. C.J. Stroud’s struggles continued, as the Texans scored just nine points.
The third-year quarterback needs a big performance against the Buccaneers, or his standing among the league’s elite will come under greater scrutiny. Stroud is missing several key playmakers, but with his experience, he now has to find a way to make it work.
