Fantasy Managers Should Trust Woody Marks’ Uptick In Production Heading Into Week 9

Woody Marks is emerging as the Texans’ most explosive running back, and fantasy managers should buy into his rising workload and production heading into Week 9.

Houston Texans running back Woody Marks (27) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

We don't know if we'd go as far as to call Woody Marks a league winner in Week 8, but any fantasy owner who started Marks is thrilled with the production they got. He carried the ball 11 times for 62 yards on 5.6 yards per carry and caught all four of his targets for 49 yards. Four receptions and 111 yards from scrimmage is not only a strong fantasy outing, but a sign of things to come. 

Woody Marks Ready to Surpass Nick Chubb on Texans Depth Chart

Nick Chubb still led the team with 17 carries, but was clearly the inferior running back. He rushed for just 56 yards on 3.3 yards per carry and caught his two targets for 13 yards. Not only does Chubb look worse statistically, but on film, you can see that his best days are clearly long behind him. He looks like a shell of the great running back that he once was.

Marks is going to take hold of the Texans' starting running back job over the coming weeks. There is no way they just keep giving Chubb more carries when it's so evident that Marks is the better back. He's a far more explosive option, while Chubb is running on fumes coming off another serious knee injury and approaching 30 years old. 

Woody Marks' Favorable Upcoming Schedule

The schedule for the next few weeks isn't great, but it's also not awful. The Texans will be taking on the Denver Broncos and the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Broncos are allowing the 10th-fewest fantasy points to running backs, and the Jags, the ninth-fewest. However, then things get great for Marks, who by this time will have established himself as the clear RB1 in Houston.

In Weeks 11 and 12, the Texans will face off against the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills. The Titans are allowing the third-most fantasy points to running backs this season, and the Bills are allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to the position this season. Those are two outstanding matchups that Marks will be able to establish himself as a true league-winner in. 

Woody Marks Poised For League-Winning Production in Week 9 & Beyond

We expect to see Marks in a lot of RB2 and Flex spots when we get to the fantasy playoffs this year, and he could be a key reason why those teams make deep runs in December or even win their fantasy football championships. If you still have an opportunity to by him cheap, you should send out that trade offer today because his price is only going to go up from here.