Texans Running Back Battle Headlines Training Camp

The Houston Texans are entering the upcoming season as legitimate Super Bowl hopefuls.

And coming off a year in which they featured one of the best defenses in all of football, taking their chances to the next level in 2026 is going to come down to the offense making another leap.

The first step in doing that, as part of what has been a solid offseason for Houston, was bringing in David Montgomery, the former Detroit Lions standout running back, to bolster the backfield.

And as NFL training camp unfolds, one of the biggest storylines will be how the Texans actually approach deploying both Montgomery and Woody Marks, who was their primary running back last season.

Both Marks and Montgomery have what it takes to be every-down backs. Either could reasonably be the RB1 for several teams around the league.

But as of right now, it’s expected that they’re going to split lead-back responsibilities throughout training camp.

Whether that ultimately becomes a true 50-50 split, a week-to-week situation or something that changes within individual games is still yet to be seen. The Texans could enter each game with a clear plan, feel out which player is performing better and finding the available running lanes, and then lean more heavily on that option as the game unfolds.

The reality is simply that Houston has two very good running backs.

And neither player is a stranger to splitting responsibilities.

Marks did so throughout his rookie season, sharing the backfield with multiple players, including veteran Nick Chubb. Even while playing within a committee, Marks led Houston with 703 rushing yards and also contributed as a receiver, catching 24 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns.

Montgomery, meanwhile, spent the past several seasons playing alongside Jahmyr Gibbs, who has emerged as one of the best running backs in the league.

But Montgomery was still good enough to carve out a major role in Detroit, especially as a physical runner between the tackles and near the goal line. His ability to remain productive alongside Gibbs is a major reason the Texans should feel comfortable pairing him with another versatile back.

Houston could look to replicate a similar approach.

Marks is more similar to Gibbs in terms of what he can offer as a pass catcher and dynamic option in space, while Montgomery can continue filling the physical, short-yardage and goal-line role he previously handled in Detroit.

And that’s what makes the expected split during training camp so interesting.

As the Texans get deeper into camp, practices and preseason games, everyone will begin to get a better idea of what the rotation could look like once the regular season begins.

Marks appears to be the better pass catcher and more dynamic option on third downs. Montgomery could receive more work in short-yardage situations and near the goal line.

But Houston can also mix things up because both players are capable of doing a little bit of everything. The offense doesn’t have to become predictable based on which running back is on the field.

That versatility should also make life much easier for C.J. Stroud.

The Texans don’t want Stroud to have to carry the entire offense every week. An effective running game would open up the play-action passing attack, slow down opposing pass rushes and create more opportunities for Stroud to get the ball to standout receiver Nico Collins.

And if the offense can click with Stroud, Collins and the combination of Montgomery and Marks, while Houston’s defense continues to perform at an elite level, this is undoubtedly a team capable of reaching the Super Bowl.

There are several important storylines to follow in Houston throughout training camp.

But how the Texans divide their backfield responsibilities between two starting-caliber running backs is one of the biggest.