Houston’s backfield signs a high-variance path for 2025 fantasy drafts. Nick Chubb leads the Texans’ ground game while Joe Mixon heals, with Dameon Pierce stepping in as the likely early-down engine behind the uncertain offensive line. Dare Ogunbowale provides passing-game familiarity, but the rookie Woody Marks is the sleeper the lineup hints at, thanks to USC-era receiving chops and multi-down potential. Jawhar Jordan also looms as a development piece, while Marks’ upside in PPR formats keeps him squarely in the conversation for late-round targets.

Chubb’s pedigree and lead-back role offer week-to-week floor early on, but recent injury history and the ambiguity of Houston’s run-blocking raise the ceiling and floor in tandem. Marks, meanwhile, is flagged as a viable three-down option who might emerge as Mixon’s absence prolongs, giving him massive upside in PPR formats at a modest cost. Pierce remains the one to watch for an immediate Week 1 role if the injury timetable pushes Mixon deeper into the season. The draft strategy boils down to patience for Marks and opportunistic pull for Chubb if you need immediate help behind Mixon’s absence.

In this dynamic, managers should weigh Chubb for immediate value against Marks for late-season upside. If Mixon’s return is delayed, Marks and Pierce could anchor a better-than-expected Texans’ committee, especially in a pass-friendly scheme. If you’re drafting with a patient build, Marks’ upside makes him an enticing late-round gamble; if you need Week 1 reliability, Chubb remains the safer anchor, with Pierce offering a floor-raising option in the early part of the season.