This Week’s Poll: Who Do You Want to be the Primary Houston Texans Running Back?

What’s in your heart?

Last year, your Houston Texans trotted out the Johnson Brothers as their starting backfield. David Johnson and Duke Johnson Jr (no relation) were the last incarnation of former head coach Bill O’Brien’s a-gap attack run game. Unfortunately, neither Johnson was built to hammer the center of the o-line.

Now, with Nick Caserio’s reimagining of the Texans roster, Duke Johnson is gone, David Johnson is still here, and the running back room looks totally different.

Now, with new head coach David Culley hammering the ‘Competition Competition Competition’ theme down everyone’s throat, it’s anyone’s guess which running back will get the most carries.

Phillip Lindsay named week one starting running back for the Houston Texans

The 5’8” 190 lbs, 26 year old Lindsay enters his 5th year in the league. Lindsay has 534 career rushes for 2,550 yards, a 4.8 yard per carry average and 17 touchdowns. Coming over from the Denver Broncos, where he had major flashes of greatness, Lindsay is on the front end of his career, unlike some of the others on the roster.

Mark Ingram named week one starting running back for the Houston Texans

When Ingram was Lindsay’s age, he was a force to be reckoned with, striking fear in opposing defenses. The 5’9” 215 lbs bruiser is entering his 11th season. A decade of productivity is eternally long for an NFL running back. Last season, under David Culley’s watch, Ingram had his worst statistical outing with only 72 carries in 9 starts for 299 yards, which averages out to 27.2 yards per game.

David Johnson named week one starting running back for the Houston Texans

Johnson is another tailback whose best days occurred long ago. In 2016, Johnson racked up 1,239 yards on 293 carries for a 77.4 yards per game average. Last season saw Johnson gain 691 yards and 57.6 yards per game. The former Arizona Cardinal is entering his 7th season and will forever carry the stigma of the other shoe in the disastrous DeAndre Hopkins trade.

A player not on the roster named week one starting running back for the Houston Texans

Just as with the quarterbacks, if another team should cut a running back Caserio likes, it would shock no one to have a new face on the team. Running backs aren’t as valuable as they once were, which often means quality ball carriers are plentiful in free agent surges, such as what happens after roster cuts at the end of preseason.

Who do you think will get the nod as your 2021 Houston Texans starting tailback?