Fantasy Football Player Notes

David Montgomery now finds himself as the Texans' do it all workhorse for 2026. Last year, he was phased out of the Lions' offensive plans as the season moved along, which led to his RB32 finish in fantasy points per game. In Weeks 12-18, he was the RB43 in fantasy points per game with a 32.1% snap rate, 8.2 touches per game, and only 42.8 total yards per game. Montgomery still has the juice to produce as a workhorse this season. Last season, he ranked 30th in missed tackle rate, but he was 12th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). His receiving chops are also still alive and well, as he was also 22nd in yards per route run and 12th in first downs per route run. Many will worry that Montgomery will split Houston's backfield workload with Woody Marks this season, but I don't see that happening. Montgomery should absorb a workload close to what Joe Mixon saw in 2024. In 2024, Mixon ranked fifth in opportunity share, 14th in snap share, and 13th in carries among running backs, finishing with 281 touches. Last season, Montgomery bested Marks in explosive run rate, missed tackle rate, rushing success rate, yards after contact per attempt, and yards per route run. Legit, every per-touch metric that I care about. Montgomery is the superior back, even at this stage of his career, and he'll be a strong volume-driven RB2 that could flirt with RB1 production.

With David Montgomery in Houston now, Woody Marks becomes his immediate backup and handcuff. Marks is a solid option among handcuffs. Last year, during his run as Houston's starter (Weeks 10-18), he averaged 17.5 touches and 63.2 total yards per game as the RB32 in fantasy points per game. Last year, overall, he was solid but not spectacular on a per-touch basis, ranking 34th in explosive run rate, 48th in missed tackle rate, and 40th in rushing success rate (per Fantasy Points Data). Marks is a decent late-round handcuff option to draft, but you'll likely be able to get him off the waiver wire in season if Montgomery misses any time.