Who Should I Start? Zach Charbonnet or Woody Marks

Wednesday, February 25, 1:47 PM

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said that running back Zach Charbonnet (knee) doesn't have a timetable for a return after undergoing surgery last weekend to fix the torn ACL in his knee that he suffered in the Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs, according to Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune. The typical recovery time for reconstructive knee surgery for ACL tears is eight to 12 months. Seattle doesn't know exactly when Charb might be back in 2026, but Macdonald said the team is "more optimistic than it was initially." The 25-year-old took on a bigger role next to Kenneth Walker III during the 2025 regular season and led the team with 12 rushing touchdowns, the fifth-most in the NFL. He was the first Seahawk with double-digit TDs since Marshawn Lynch in 2014. Walker will be a free agent next month, but even if he departs, Charbonnet's 2026 fantasy value will most likely be down since he probably won't be ready for Week 1.

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.