Roster cutdown day and Week 1 of the regular season approaching typically means that Houston Texans fans would be getting increasing clarity around the state of the team by the day. Position battles are wrapping up, and most of the 53-man roster can be projected. But the running back depth chart is receiving no such clarity.
Joe Mixon's injury, of course, looms as a massive question mark. And now reports around Nick Chubb are casting serious doubt on whether he can be effective enough to lead the backfield in Mixon's absence.
The Texans' unofficial depth chart lists six players at the position heading into Saturday's preseason finale against the Detroit Lions, with Mixon absent. Even without their hopeful bell-cow, Houston won't carry nearly that many on the final 53-man roster. So let's dig into the depth chart, with a focus on how this room will look by the time Week 1 kicks off.
Texans Running Back Depth Chart Before Roster Cuts
- RB1: Joe Mixon
- RB2: Nick Chubb
- RB3: Dameon Pierce
- RB4: Dare Ogunbowale
- RB5: Woody Marks
- RB6: Jawhar Jordan
- RB7: British Brooks
This depth chart, of course, accounts for Mixon being healthy. And not all of these backs play the same role in the offense, but it does establish a pecking order.
A couple of questions should jump off the page. First of all, can Mixon or Chubb really be relied on to lead the group in 2025? If they can't, who steps up? And with so much uncertainty, how many of these backs can the Texans afford to cut?
Can Joe Mixon or Nick Chubb Be an RB1 This Year?
Joe Mixon hasn't set foot on the practice field during training camp. Texans general manager Nick Caserio most recently reported that there is "No change" in Mixon's injury status, adding that "Once we get a little bit closer, we'll probably have a little better idea of where he's going to be." Those comments are wildly vague, and that is never good news with an injury here.
Nick Caserio on @SportsRadio610 w/@SethCPayne & @SeanTPendergast on Joe Mixon: pic.twitter.com/97sZp4dkfx
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) August 19, 2025
While there has been no concrete news that suggests this, it's becoming really hard to imagine Mixon will be playing in Week 1. And how surprised would anyone really be if this turns into a multi-week absence?
The idea of having Chubb trying to replace Mixon in this offense isn't too appealing either. It was clear last season that Chubb is no longer the monster he once was before his latest injury. Last year, Pro Football Focus had him graded a brutal 46th among 47 qualifying running backs, at 57.5.
His five preseason carries haven't given us much to go off, but reports out of training camp haven't created much optimism that he's going to suddenly turn things around. So do the Texans have anyone else to rely on?
What Does a Stable of Dameon Pierce, Woody Marks and Dare Ogunbowale Offer?
Pierce has been banged up this preseason, too, but he seems fully healthy at this point, and it wouldn't be a huge shock if he started stealing some work from Chubb. He graded out significantly better than Chubb last year (72.0 overall), and even his worst-ever PFF grade (65.9) was much better than Chubb's 2024 mark. Those grades don't tell the whole story, but the eye test certainly favors Pierce as well.
At the same time, Pierce's roster spot isn't even guaranteed. Entering the final year of his rookie contract in a crowded backfield, he could be cut if the team isn't as concerned about Mixon's health as it might seem.
Dare Ogunbowale and Woody Marks, on the other hand, should be locked into their roster spots.
Ogunbowale won't ever take over workhorse duties, but he can soak up the available passing-down work as needed. That could make him and Chubb a one-two punch, although some obvious downside comes with the offense having to completely tip their hand to the defense based on who lines up in the backfield.
Marks is the wild card. His range of outcomes as a fourth-round rookie could be anything from not looking NFL-ready yet to winning the lead back spot in an injury-riddled backfield.
He projects to be more of an Ogunbowale than a Chubb, but he has certainly run the ball well this preseason, including averaging nearly five yards after contact per carry against the Panthers.
Jawhar Jordan and British Brooks: The Cuts
We can keep this one short, as no matter how the mess above shakes out, neither Jordan nor Brooks seems to have a real shot at a 53-man roster spot. Instead, their best-case is landing on the practice squad.
Jordan, a 2024 sixth-round pick, spent his rookie year on the practice squad and only landed a reserve/future contract this offseason. There's been no movement in camp to suggest anything is changing.
Brooks, a 2024 undrafted free agent, did play some as a rookie before landing on injured reserve to end the season. He's also not really competing for the same role as everyone else.
A fullback, Brooks' top competition for a job is Jakob Johnson, a versatile player (listed as a tight end on the team's depth chart) who has a clear lead for the top fullback job.
A lot can still change in just two weeks as the regular season approaches, but Texans fans may not have any actual clarity on the team's Week 1 depth chart until we see some live game action.