Same Pig, Different Trough: Is David Montgomery a Fantasy Value in Houston?
Sometimes a change of scenery is about escaping a bad situation.
Sometimes it’s about finding a better quarterback.
And sometimes, as is the case with David Montgomery, it’s about finally getting the opportunity fantasy managers have been waiting for.
Montgomery spent the last three seasons in Detroit sharing a backfield with Jahmyr Gibbs. While that combination was extremely successful for the Lions, it wasn’t exactly ideal for Montgomery’s fantasy ceiling.
Gibbs increasingly became the explosive, big-play component of the offense, while Montgomery served as the physical, between-the-tackles complement and goal-line hammer.
Now Montgomery is in Houston.
And for the first time in his career, he has a legitimate opportunity to operate as the unquestioned lead running back.
That sounds like a fantasy gold mine. But we’ve seen this movie before.
A player leaves a productive committee, gets handed a bigger workload and suddenly becomes a popular fantasy pick. Sometimes the increased volume produces a career year.
Sometimes we discover that the player was more valuable because of the situation he left than because of the situation he entered (we’re looking at you LeVeon Bell).
So which David Montgomery are we getting in Houston? Let’s take a look.
The Biggest Upgrade: Opportunity
The most obvious benefit of Montgomery’s move is also the easiest to understand.
He gets the football.
In Detroit, Montgomery had to share touches with Gibbs. In Houston, he walks into a backfield that desperately needs a lead back.
The Texans’ running game struggled throughout 2025, averaging just 3.9 yards per carry, tied for 29th in the NFL.
Montgomery, meanwhile, averaged 4.5 yards per carry last season. Houston didn’t acquire him because they thought he was a nice complementary piece.
They acquired him because they believe he can fix their running game. And that means volume.
Montgomery should be the primary early-down runner, the short-yardage back and the preferred goal-line option. For a fantasy running back, that’s a pretty good place to start.
No More Jahmyr Gibbs
For the past three seasons, the biggest obstacle standing between Montgomery and a massive workload has been wearing No. 26 in Detroit.
Jahmyr Gibbs is one of the most dynamic running backs in the NFL. There was nothing wrong with Montgomery’s performance in Detroit. The problem was that Gibbs was simply too good to keep off the field.
Montgomery’s carry totals tell the story:
| Season | Carries |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 219 |
| 2024 | 185 |
| 2025 | 158 |
His workload steadily declined as Gibbs became a larger part of the Lions’ offense.
Montgomery still remained extremely effective, particularly around the goal line, but he was never going to receive 250-plus carries with Gibbs in the same backfield.
That limitation is gone. If Montgomery can stay healthy, 250 touches are a realistic possibility in Houston.
And that’s a very different fantasy player from the one we’ve been drafting in Detroit.
The Touchdown Question
One of Montgomery’s biggest fantasy strengths in Detroit was his ability to find the end zone. He scored:
- 13 touchdowns in 2023
- 12 touchdowns in 2024
- 8 touchdowns in 2025
That’s 33 touchdowns in three seasons.
And that wasn’t an accident. Detroit consistently trusted Montgomery near the goal line.
Houston should do the same. The Texans scored only nine rushing touchdowns as a team last season, so Montgomery doesn’t inherit an elite scoring environment.
But that could actually make his role more predictable.
If Houston improves offensively—and the entire reason they brought Montgomery in is to improve the running game—he should be the first running back they turn to when they get close to the goal line.
A healthy Montgomery getting 12-15 rushing touchdowns wouldn’t be particularly surprising.
The Texans’ Offensive Line Is the Wild Card
This may ultimately determine how much Montgomery’s fantasy value changes. Detroit gave Montgomery the benefit of an excellent offensive line and one of the league’s best rushing offenses.
Houston does not. The Texans averaged just 3.9 yards per carry last season. That is a significant difference.
Montgomery doesn’t need Detroit’s offensive line to be productive. He’s a talented runner who has consistently demonstrated the ability to create yards after contact.
But there is a ceiling to how much one running back can accomplish behind a struggling offensive line.
The good news is that Houston knows this. Montgomery wasn’t brought in simply to replace another running back. He’s part of an effort to fundamentally improve the Texans’ rushing attack.
The Texans signed Cleveland’s All-Pro guard Wyatt Teller and drafted guard/center Keylan Rutledge in the first round. If the offensive line improves even modestly, Montgomery could benefit enormously.
What About Woody Marks?
The biggest threat to Montgomery’s fantasy ceiling may not be the offensive line.
It may be Woody Marks.
Marks showed enough during his rookie season to establish himself as a legitimate NFL running back. He finished 2025 with 703 rushing yards and added 24 receptions for 208 yards in only 8 starts.
He’s also a very different runner from Montgomery. Montgomery is the physical early-down and short-yardage back. Marks is more likely to handle receiving and passing-down responsibilities.
That doesn’t necessarily make Marks a problem. In fact, it could make Montgomery more valuable.
If Marks handles the obvious passing situations while Montgomery gets the majority of the early-down and goal-line work, Montgomery could have a highly predictable fantasy role.
The question is how much of the passing game Montgomery ultimately gets. That’s where his fantasy ceiling could be determined.
Montgomery’s Receiving Role Matters
This is one area where fantasy managers need to keep expectations in check. Montgomery has never been a high-volume receiving back.
His career high is 42 receptions, and his Detroit tenure produced relatively modest receiving totals. That matters because a 250-carry running back who catches 40 passes is a very different fantasy asset from a 220-carry running back who catches 60.
If Marks becomes Houston’s primary passing-down back, Montgomery will need his rushing volume and touchdowns to carry his fantasy value.
Fortunately, that’s exactly the type of role Montgomery has historically thrived in. He’s a touchdown-dependent runner—but he’s an extremely good touchdown-dependent runner.
Final Verdict
David Montgomery’s move to Houston is a significant fantasy upgrade.
He’s leaving a backfield where he was forced to share touches with one of the NFL’s most explosive young running backs and joining a team that desperately needs a lead runner.
The opportunity is dramatically better. He should receive more carries. He should receive the majority of the goal-line work.
And if Houston’s offense improves, Montgomery could have a legitimate shot at returning to the low-end RB1/high-end RB2 range.
There are concerns. The Houston offensive line needs to improve. Woody Marks will probably siphon away some receiving work. And Montgomery’s fantasy production has historically been heavily dependent on touchdowns.
But those concerns are already reflected to some degree in his draft price. Montgomery is currently being drafted around RB23-RB25, generally in the fifth round.
That’s a reasonable price for a player who could suddenly see 250-plus touches. The biggest difference between Detroit and Houston is simple:
In Detroit, Montgomery was a very good running back sharing a great backfield.
In Houston, he has the opportunity to become the great backfield himself.
The question isn’t whether David Montgomery has suddenly become a better running back.
He hasn’t. He’s simply moved into a trough where there is a lot more food.