Who Should I Start? Tyjae Spears or Woody Marks

Tuesday, August 26, 11:25 AM

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (ankle) will start the season on injured reserve and miss a minimum of four games, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Spears suffered a high ankle sprain in preseason play that will end up sidelining him for close to two months. With Spears set to miss the start of the season, Tony Pollard should be in for a significant volume of snaps and touches in the Titans' backfield. Rookie sixth-rounder Kalel Mullings (ankle) now looks like the leader to be the RB2, but he's dealing with an ankle injury of his own. When Spears returns, he profiles as a low-end RB3/flex option, but fantasy managers need to downgrade him given the now-guaranteed missed time.

Saturday, August 30, 12:01 PM

Houston Texans rookie running back Woody Marks is poised to have a role in the team's offense early on in his career. Marks, a fourth-round pick of Houston back in April's draft, spent four campaigns at the collegiate level with Mississippi State, but didn't break out as a rusher until 2024 during his time with USC. However, the 24-year-old's skill as a receiver is what sets him apart from the Texans' other options. Marks caught fewer than 47 balls just once in college, recording seasons with 60 and 83 receptions, too. With teammate Joe Mixon's (ankle) ankle injury clouding his status for 2025, the 24-year-old will be required to outwork Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale for backfield touches. Opportunities in the run game could be sparse with veteran Nick Chubb ahead of him in the pecking order, but Marks figures to get a chance to stand out in the receiving game. He's an intriguing late-round selection for zero-RB drafters and is a nice stash in dynasty formats.