Pierce is listed as the No. 1 running back on the Texans' unofficial Week 1 depth chart released Tuesday.
The rookie's appearance atop the depth chart comes as little surprise after the Texans chose to hold him out of their preseason finale along with most of the other team's projected Week 1 starters. Though Pierce should be on the field for the team's first offensive snap Sunday against the Colts, the extent of his role hasn't yet been fully fleshed out and could fluctuate from week to week depending on what game script the Houston offense is following. As the roster currently stands, Pierce profiles as the Texans' lead option on the ground, while Rex Burkhead is likely to spell the 2022 fourth-round pick on obvious passing downs and in the hurry-up offense.