DavidMontgomery

News: 4 days agoMontgomery rushed six times for 10 yards and brought in both his targets for 14 yards in the Texans' 20-6 loss to the Bengals on Sunday.

Spin: Neither Montgomery nor backfield mate Woody Marks was able to make any inroads against what looks to be a vastly improved Bengals run defense, although after also being held to 3.0 yards per carry in Week 1, it's clear Montgomery's early issues with efficiency can at least partly be blamed on the Texans' offensive line. Montgomery also saw Marks outpace him by two carries and four targets, yet that may have been largely a function of a game script that saw Houston in catch-up mode. Montgomery should revert back to a lead role in a Week 3 road divisional clash against the Colts next Sunday.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Montgomery was traded to Houston after spending his first seven NFL seasons with Chicago and Detroit. The veteran back is coming off a down year in 2025, when he posted career lows in touches (182), yardage (908, his first season under 1,000) and fantasy points per game (9.8). Montgomery was still effective as a rusher (4.53 yards per carry, 2.28 yards after contact) but lost work to Jahmyr Gibbs and wasn't involved much as receiver. The latter doesn't figure to change much in Houston, and while Montgomery is a decent bet to pace the team in carries, second-year back Woody Marks figures to sustain a substantial offensive role. Montgomery enters his age-29 season as a touchdown-dependent flex with limited upside.