One Texans Stat Must Improve Dramatically in 2026

That's not a great company for the Texans to be a part of, but the reasons for why they are are pretty clear: their offensive line was poor, their lead running back from last season was injured for the entire year, and their options behind him weren't truly equipped to run a highly effective rushing offense.

Marks did solid given the circumstances as a fourth-round rookie, but Chubb was largely uninspiring, and could have just played his final season in the NFL.

It wasn't for a lack of trying to run the ball, as the Texans ranked 14th in the NFL for total rushing attempts. They just weren't very good at it. And now, they'll be looking to flip the script when it comes to their effectiveness on the ground, that could inevitably raise the floor of this offense altogether.

Why There's Optimism to Be Had Around Texans' Rushing Offense

The Texans spent a great deal of resources this offseason trying to not only reshape several pieces around their offense, but also provide themselves with the right personnel to create a strong run game.

The biggest of those decisions to do so was by trading for David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions, who, if able to bounce back from a low-usage, low-production year in the Motor City, will be an awesome asset for the Texans to have.

But the Texans' improvements on the ground go beyond Montgomery's presence, considering they also made several additions to the offensive line who are known to be maulers in the run game, and should provide a positive influence in that regard.

Braden Smith is known to be a great run blocker, as is Wyatt Teller, and Keylan Rutledge, the Texans' first-round pick, has all of the tools to develop into one as he continues to adjust in his role at the NFL level.

Someone like Ed Ingram can't be forgotten as well, who ranked within the top 10 of eligible guards for a run-blocking grade via PFF in 2025.

So there are reasons to hold belief in the Texans' run game much more than there was when entering the 2025 season. They have more talent (and are healthy) in the running back room, and the offensive linemen in front of them appear wired to be better in that area than last year's group was.

If Montgomery can hold up as the lead back for an NFL offense at age 29, while Marks can deliver as a complementary back who can still be an explosive playmaker in certain situations, Houston's efficiency on the ground should go up as a result.

And if so, that'll benefit everyone involved on that side of the ball, including C.J. Stroud, who will be able to open up his game more with play action and on early downs. And if Houston's quarterback can be firing on all cylinders, the ceiling for how high this Texans offense might be is dangerous.