When the Houston Texans signed Nick Chubb back in June, there was an understanding within the organization and amongst the Texans fanbase that expectations for the 29 year old running back should be tempered. Not only is Chubb fast-approaching 30, but he's also rarely been able to make it through an entire season unscathed.
In fact, since Chubb arrived in the NFL in 2018, he's only been able to play in every game of the season just three times, and the 2025 season won't be the year he extends that to four. Chubb will be sidelined for Houston's Week 15 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals with a rib injury, shelving the veteran for the first time this season.
Thus far this year, Chubb has carried 115 times for 472 yards and 3 touchdowns in a backfield time share with rookie Woody Marks, who could be in store for an abnormally heavy workload on Sunday afternoon, especially if the game script ends up in favor of the Texans. Neither Chubb nor Marks was expected to be this involved in Houston's offensive attack this season, but a mysterious, season-long Joe Mixon injury has thrust both the veteran and the rookie into an unexpected spotlight.
Woody Marks has slowly but surely wrestled away the distinction of 'lead back' from Nick Chubb throughout the year, and although he's shown more pop and versatility than this version of Chubb, it's not as if the former USC Trojan has been an overnight sensation. Marks has logged 160 carries for 554 yards and 2 touchdowns while adding 20 receptions for 196 yards and 3 touchdowns in the passing game.
On the surface, those numbers are just fine, but at just 3.5 yards per carry, Marks alone hasn't proven to be capable of providing the Texans with a sustainable ground attack. And the help he'll get against the Arizona Cardinals is even less proven than he is.
Rounding out Houston's backfield depth chart on Sunday will be Dare Ogunbowale, the 31-year-old journeyman/special teams ace who scored his first touchdown of the season last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, and Jawhar Jordan, a 6th-round selection of the Texans in the 2024 Draft who was elevated from the practice squad earlier this week. Jordan has yet to log a carry in either of his first two NFL seasons, and in his nine NFL seasons, Ogunbowale has only carried 170 times.