Who Should I Start? Woody Marks or Tahj Brooks

Thursday, February 12, 7:19 AM

Houston Texans running back Woody Marks exceeded expectations as a rookie in 2026. He quickly took over the backfield from Nick Chubb and finished the year with 703 rushing yards, 208 receiving yards, and five touchdowns across 16 games (eight starts). Perhaps most eye-opening was a four-week stretch in the back half of the season, during which he averaged 21 touches per game with a modest 65.8 scrimmage yards. By year's end, he was averaging a suboptimal 3.6 yards per carry. Given that the Texans are a contender for years to come, they'll likely look to upgrade the running back position during the offseason. Adding a 1A running back so that Marks can be a change-of-pace or 1B option makes plenty of sense. That's not necessarily bad news for Marks or his fantasy managers; that shared backfield dynamic could allow him to be more consistent and less boom-or-bust, especially while giving him plenty of targets in the passing game. Managers in dynasty leagues should hold Marks right now, because he still has top-36 running back appeal for the 2026 fantasy football season.

Friday, February 20, 7:31 AM

A sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Cincinnati Bengals running back Tahj Brooks played a minimal role on offense in his first professional season. Across 16 games, the 23-year-old recorded just 54 yards from scrimmage on 17 total touches. Bengals running back Chase Brown has logged nearly 600 touches over the past two seasons combined and is locked in as the RB1 in Cincinnati for at least 2026, blocking Brooks off from significant playing time. The Bengals also have steady veteran back Samaje Perine under contract for the 2026 season. Perine recorded 469 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns across 15 games with Cincinnati in 2025, and his reputation as a solid pass blocker and receiver should keep him secure in the team's third-down role. Post 2026, Brooks could have a pathway to more playing time in Cincinnati. However, it appears unlikely that he will have a chance to prove himself in the short term, barring an injury to Brown or Perine. Brooks' value in dynasty formats should be trending downward after his quiet rookie campaign.