Player
Woody Marks
RB · Texans
Marks was not on anyone's radar entering 2025 — a 4th-round pick who outgrew a timeshare into a 17-carry-per-game starter, finishing with the third-most carries among all rookie RBs. His scrimmage total (911) matched the hype-pick ceiling of the class.
703 rushing yards as a rookie — and 911 scrimmage yards in 16 games.
TrendMarks weekly rushing (2025 reg season)
| Wk | Opp | Car | RuYds | Rec | RecYds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LA | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | TB | 3 | 14 | 1 | 37 |
| 3 | JAX | 6 | 27 | 1 | 9 |
| 4 | TEN | 17 | 69 | 4 | 50 |
| 5 | BAL | 7 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | SEA | 10 | 15 | 3 | 20 |
| 8 | SF | 11 | 62 | 4 | 49 |
| 9 | DEN | 10 | 27 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | JAX | 14 | 63 | 2 | 18 |
| 11 | TEN | 18 | 44 | 1 | 7 |
| 12 | BUF | 16 | 74 | 1 | -5 |
| 13 | IND | 19 | 64 | 1 | 3 |
| 14 | KC | 26 | 68 | 2 | 8 |
| 15 | ARI | 7 | 30 | 1 | 8 |
| 17 | LAC | 19 | 71 | 1 | 4 |
| 18 | IND | 10 | 48 | 2 | 0 |
Marks finished the 2025 regular season with 196 carries for 703 yards (3.6 YPC), 2 rushing TDs, plus 24 catches for 208 yards and 3 receiving TDs — a true dual-threat RB line of 911 scrimmage yards and 5 total TDs in 16 games.
The role grew across the year. Through Week 3 he was a part-time back (3–6 carries). From Week 10 on he averaged 16.1 carries/game — full-time workload for the Texans' lead back role.
Rushing yards by week
| Week | Rush yds |
|---|---|
| W1 | 3 |
| W2 | 14 |
| W3 | 27 |
| W4 | 69 |
| W5 | 24 |
| W7 | 15 |
| W8 | 62 |
| W9 | 27 |
| W10 | 63 |
| W11 | 44 |
| W12 | 74 |
| W13 | 64 |
| W14 | 68 |
| W15 | 30 |
| W17 | 71 |
| W18 | 48 |
Why it matters. Marks was not on anyone's radar entering 2025 — a 4th-round pick who outgrew a timeshare into a 17-carry-per-game starter, finishing with the third-most carries among all rookie RBs. His scrimmage total (911) matched the hype-pick ceiling of the class.
Only rookie RB with 5+ TDs whose receiving TDs outnumbered rushing TDs in 2025.
Split2025 rookie RBs with 5+ TDs — TD split
| Player | Rush TD | Rec TD | Total TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| RJ Harvey | 7 | 5 | 12 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | 9 | 1 | 10 |
| Ashton Jeanty | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| Jacory Croskey-Merritt | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Quinshon Judkins | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Bhayshul Tuten | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| Cam Skattebo | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| Omarion Hampton | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Woody Marks | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Kyle Monangai | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Among all 2025 rookie RBs who scored at least 5 touchdowns, Marks was the only one whose receiving TDs (3) outnumbered his rushing TDs (2). Every other multi-TD rookie in the class leaned heavily on the ground game.
Houston's scheme gave Marks a genuine pass-catching role — 24 catches for 208 yards (8.7 YPR) — not just check-downs. The receiving TD rate signals a versatility that holds value even in games where the ground game stalls.
Why it matters. An RB whose receiving TDs outnumber rushing TDs is rare and signals true receiving-back usage — predictably more valuable in two-minute drill and red-zone passing situations than a straight power back.
112 rushing yards on 19 carries in the Wild Card vs Pittsburgh — his career high came in the playoffs.
MilestoneIn the Texans' Wild Card win vs Pittsburgh, Marks produced his career-best rushing total: 112 yards on 19 carries (5.9 YPC) with a TD — a 17.2 PPR line. The career-high game wasn't in the regular season — it came on Wild Card weekend in his first NFL playoff start.
For a rookie back, peaking in the postseason is the right kind of arc — and it built directly on a regular-season trajectory where his carries grew from single-digits early to 26 in Week 14.
Why it matters. Career highs in the playoffs rather than garbage-time regular season games are the mark of a player who rises under pressure; this is a data point worth watching as his sophomore contract approaches.
196 carries — 3rd among all 2025 rookie RBs, but more than any 2nd-round pick except Judkins and Henderson.
Comparison2025 rookie RB carry volume by draft round
| Player | Rd | Pick | Car | RuYds | YPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashton Jeanty | 1 | 6 | 266 | 975 | 3.7 |
| Quinshon Judkins | 2 | 36 | 230 | 827 | 3.6 |
| Woody Marks | 4 | 116 | 196 | 703 | 3.6 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | 2 | 38 | 180 | 911 | 5.1 |
| Kyle Monangai | 7 | 233 | 169 | 783 | 4.6 |
| RJ Harvey | 2 | 60 | 146 | 540 | 3.7 |
| Omarion Hampton | 1 | 22 | 124 | 545 | 4.4 |
Marks ranked 3rd in carry volume among 2025 rookie RBs (196), but what makes the number striking is his draft position: Round 4, pick 116. He outcarried every other 4th-round RB by 95+ attempts and outcarried 2nd-round pick RJ Harvey (146) by 50 carries.
His efficiency (3.6 YPC) matched Judkins exactly. Volume at this level, from this draft slot, makes Marks a legitimate long-term starter — not a committee back who got lucky snaps.
Why it matters. Draft position creates salary-cap expectations; a 4th-round pick who out-touches multiple 2nd-rounders is a rare value find and points to Houston's commitment to Marks as a long-term starter.
Most playoff carries among all 2025 rookie RBs — 33 on two games, including the only 100-yard rookie playoff game.
Rare2025 rookie RB playoff carries
| Player | GP | Car | RuYds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woody Marks | 2 | 33 | 129 | 1 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | 4 | 30 | 76 | 0 |
| Kyle Monangai | 2 | 21 | 63 | 0 |
| RJ Harvey | 2 | 19 | 57 | 0 |
| Bhayshul Tuten | 1 | 4 | 51 | 0 |
Marks led all 2025 rookie RBs in playoff carries (33), outpacing even TreVeyon Henderson who appeared in 4 playoff games to Marks's 2. His 112-yard Wild Card game vs Pittsburgh was the only 100-yard rushing performance by a rookie RB in the entire 2025 postseason.
A career-high game on Wild Card weekend, the most rookie playoff carries in the class, and a TD — Marks outperformed every peer who made the playoffs at the position that matters most: when the season was on the line.
Why it matters. Playoff production against defenses preparing week-over-week is the hardest to manufacture; Marks leading all rookie RBs in playoff carries while also posting the only 100-yard playoff game in the class is a genuine differentiator.
FanIQ answers any NFL stats question with receipts, on your phone.
Get FanIQ freeGet it on Google Play