Fantasy Football Injury Impact: David Montgomery’s Injury Opens the Door for Woody Marks and Texans' Passing Game

The Houston Texans are facing a pivotal stretch as they look to build momentum after their first win of the season, but they will have to do so without a key piece of their backfield. Head coach DeMeco Ryans announced that running back David Montgomery is considered week-to-week after suffering a groin injury. Montgomery exited early in the second quarter and did not return, leaving a significant void in Houston's offense and on fantasy football rosters.

For fantasy football managers, a week-to-week designation for a backfield option mandates immediate waiver attention and roster adjustments. Keep an eye on our waiver wire page for a more comprehensive look at Week 6, but here's how Montgomery's absence alters the fantasy landscape across the Texans' offense.

Woody Marks Ready to Seize the Backfield

With Montgomery sidelined, Woody Marks stands as the ultimate beneficiary and a priority waiver wire addition for Week 6 in fantasy football leagues where he's available. Marks has flashed efficiency when given opportunities, most notably coming off a strong Week 5 showing against the Tennessee Titans where he handled 19 touches, racking up 15 rushes for 62 yards alongside 4 receptions for 23 yards.

Prior to Montgomery's departure, Marks had already been carving out a steady passing-game role, sporting a high catch rate with zero dropped passes this year. Command of a larger snap share transforms him into an immediate every-week RB2/FLX option in PPR formats, and fantasy managers should aggressively spend FAAB or high waiver wire priority to secure him this week.

CJ Stroud and the Passing Game Get a Massive Volume Boost

The ripple effects of Montgomery’s injury extend well beyond the backfield, forcing Houston to lean even more heavily into their aerial attack. Quarterback C.J. Stroud gets a notable arrow up for his weekly fantasy ceiling. Without a consistent ground anchor to rely on in short-yardage or clock-killing situations, offensive play-calling should shift toward a pass-first philosophy, elevating Stroud's volume and multi-touchdown upside.

Nico Collins and Marvin Harrison Jr. Lead the Aerial Charge

As Stroud’s primary alpha option, Nico Collins is primed for an even more elite target share (if possible). Defenses will have to respect the depleted running game, paving the way for Collins to command heavy volume downfield and in intermediate routes, solidifying his status as a weekly WR1.

Newly acquired wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. becomes an even more fascinating fantasy piece with this news. With the offense forced to air it out to compensate for Montgomery's absence, Harrison should see his integration expedited, offering immense explosive upside as a focal point of the passing game. He's still a risky flex play, but we could see WR2 upside emerge.

Dalton Schultz: The Safety Blanket

Tight end Dalton Schultz also stands to benefit from a pass-heavy shift. In obvious passing situations and hurried script adjustments, Stroud frequently looks over the middle to his reliable tight end. Schultz gets a solid bump in floor and catch-rate projections, making him an appealing streaming option with low-end TE1/high-end TE2 upside.