With the news that Houston Texans running back David Montgomery is considered "week-to-week" with his groin injury sustained in Sunday's contest vs. the Tennessee Titans, the team now has to switch its collective focus to healthy alternatives in the interim.
Of course, fellow rusher Woody Marks is already available as a potential RB1 candidate with Montgomery out, but a lack of depth could be disastrous if things continue to trend in a negative direction. With that said, here are three in-house options for Houston to consider as Montgomery is on the mend.
3 backfield options for the Houston Texans as David Montgomery is out with injury
Dare Ogunbowale
Well, well, well. It seems like Houston reacquiring running back/special teams ace Dare Ogunbowale from the Las Vegas Raiders' practice squad could come in handy after all. Even though his return hasn't been the most popular update for certain sections of the fan base, the reality is that having experienced depth options is a crucial part of staying prepared for the proverbial "rainy days" in the NFL.
Now that Montgomery is out for the foreseeable future, Ogubowale could slot right in and give Marks a breather throughout contests.
Jawhar Jordan
In what's still considered one of the weirdest developments in the Texans' plans at running back in 2026, Jawhar Jordan is available off the practice squad if Houston wants to give him another call. After his 100-plus-yard performance against the Arizona Cardinals last season, many thought the outing made Jordan virtually a guarantee to find his way back into the lineup as a contributor in 2026.
Alas, his eventual cutting and return to the practice squad during the league's roster cutdown period told the full story of the team's then-view on the former Louisville rusher. WIth an urgent need for help at running back, Jordan should ideally be on the shortlist of those Houston is looking to utilize.
Deuce Vaughn
Former Dallas Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn is also a practice squad player that Houston could look to call up. Though he's the least likely of the three in-house options that the offense could turn to at a time like this, a fresh face in the backfield could perhaps spark some offensive creativity for offensive coordinator Nick Caley and co. (again, not the likeliest of happenings)?
As a whole, it's not the most encouraging development when assessing Houston's running back room. However, legitimiate, game-changing names are pretty tricky to come by at this point in the season when most of the league is still very much in the running for considerable playoff runs.
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