Dameon Pierce will compete for a role in Houston's backfield this season behind Joe Mixon, but Pierce has minimal Fantasy value coming into the year. He's not worth drafting in the majority of leagues. The Texans added rookie Woody Marks and signed Nick Chubb this offseason, and Dare Ogunbowale is also on the roster. There's a chance Pierce could have a prominent role if Mixon were to get hurt, but we have minimal expectations for Pierce in 2025 now that Marks and Chubb are on the roster.
Texans' Dameon Pierce: Early work in preseason finale
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Pierce had seven carries for 17 yards in Saturday's 26-7 preseason win over the Lions.
While Pierce getting work in the final preseason game might suggest the veteran is on the wrong side of a roster bubble, it's understandable given the quadriceps injury that impacted his first two weeks of camp. This was his lone preseason appearance, as Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans may have wanted to see him in game action, given the nebulous state of No. 1 back Joe Mixon, who is on the active/non-football injury list with an ankle injury and not a lock to be ready for Week 1. Mixon's health leaves Pierce and Nick Chubb as co-leaders in the backfield. Chubb made one preseason appearance last week against the Panthers, when Pierce was held out as a precaution.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Not expected to play Saturday
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Pierce, who got a rest day during Thursday's joint practice with the Panthers, is expected to be held out of Saturday's preseason game against Carolina, Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Pierce has recently split first-team reps with Nick Chubb when not receiving a rest day, but the Texans appear to be taking a cautious approach to his workload, given that a quad injury kept him on the active/PUP list until Aug. 4. With Joe Mixon (foot) still on the active/non-football injury list and not set to be re-evaluated until closer to the start of the regular season, Pierce is competing with Chubb and rookie fourth-rounder Woody Marks for a potentially significant Week 1 opportunity.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Splits first-team reps
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Pierce (quadriceps) was a full practice participant Tuesday for the first time at training camp, splitting first-team reps with Nick Chubb, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Pierce was on the PUP list until Aug. 4, but he has still time to make his case for the Week 1 starting job in the event Joe Mixon (foot/ankle) isn't ready. Chubb and passing-down back Dare Ogunbowale have taken most of the first-team reps during training camp, with rookie fourth-round pick Woody Marks lingering as another candidate for playing time in the regular season. Pierce is thus left in an odd position, with no guarantee of a roster spot even though he has some chance to open the season as a starter. A lot will depend on Mixon's health and the team's opinion on whether Chubb has regained some of his pre-surgery explosiveness.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Passes physical, off PUP list
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Pierce (quadriceps) passed a physical Monday and was activated from the active/PUP list, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Pierce opened training camp on the PUP list due to an undisclosed injury, which Wilson revealed to be a strained quad. The running back was described as going high speed on the side during Monday's practice, per DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN.com, and that activity was enough for him to pass a physical. Houston's No. 1 RB Joe Mixon currently is on the active/non-football injury list due to the combination of ankle and foot issues, and he's slated to be evaluated again closer to the regular season. If his recovery extends into September, Pierce could be in the mix for touches in Week 1 alongside Nick Chubb and rookie fourth-round pick Woody Marks.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Starts camp on PUP list
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The Texans are placing Pierce (undisclosed) on the active/PUP list for the start of training camp, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
There was no hint of injury trouble during the offseason and no report yet about what might be bothering Pierce. He's in the final year of his rookie contract and is set to compete with Nick Chubb and Woody Marks for backup roles behind Joe Mixon (ankle), who is opening camp on the NFI list.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Four touches in playoff loss
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Pierce had four carries for 10 yards and failed to hold onto his lone target in Saturday's 23-14 divisional-round loss to Kansas City.
Pierce played 14 snaps in a minimal role behind starter Joe Mixon, as was the case all season when both backs were healthy. It'll be status quo in 2025, as both he and Mixon are under contract for next season. It will be Pierce's final season under his rookie contract, and he'll become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. He ended the regular season with 40 carries for 293 yards and two touchdowns over 11 games played. As a receiver, Pierce caught two of four targets for two yards.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Limited duty in wild-card round
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Pierce had two carries for 15 yards in Saturday's 32-12 victory over the Chargers in the wild-card playoff round.
Pierce had a monster day in Week 18 of the regular season, when Joe Mixon was limited to one series, but he reverted back to his usual minimal role in the opening round of the playoffs, logging just six snaps. The addition of Mixon was expected to limit Pierce's usage, and it played out way, as the latter was on the field for just 16.1 percent of the offensive snaps this season and carried the ball 40 times over 11 games played. He's under contract for another season but so is Mixon, so Pierce is likely headed for another season with a marginal role.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Massive game against Titans
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Pierce rushed the ball 19 times for 176 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 23-14 win over the Titans. He didn't catch either of his two targets.
Pierce played nearly the entire game with Joe Mixon pulled early in the contest for rest. Pierce made the most of his opportunity, highlighted by a 92-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. He had totaled only 21 carries entering Sunday's regular-season finale, and he isn't projected to play much of a role in Houston's wild-card round matchup against the Chargers.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Five touches in loss
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Pierce had five carries for 13 yards in Wednesday's 31-2 loss to Baltimore in Week 17. He also returned one kickoff for 45 yards.
Pierce, whose five carries were his most since Week 6, has been marginalized since starting running back Joe Mixon returned from an injury. With just one game left in the regular season and Houston having clinched a spot in the playoffs, Pierce could see more usage in Week 18 if head coach DeMeco Ryans opts to limit starters.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: No impact in win
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Pierce did not have a carry or a kick return in Sunday's 20-12 win over the Dolphins in Week 15.
Pierce, who was on the field for seven offensive snaps, hasn't had a carry since Week 11. Since returning from a groin injury that cost him two games, Pierce has played just 18 offensive snaps with one carry and one target. Any meaningful impact he makes will have to come as a returner, barring an injury to Joe Mixon.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: One touch in win
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Pierce caught his lone target for one yard in Sunday's 23-20 win over the Jaguars in Week 13. He did not get a carry or return a kickoff.
Joe Mixon (47 snaps, 20 carries, six targets Sunday) owns the Texans' backfield, leaving nothing but crumbs for Pierce (seven snaps) and Dare Ogunbowale (nine). Pierce has just four carries and one target in his last five appearances.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Makes impact on special teams
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Pierce returned three kickoffs for 135 yards in Sunday's 32-27 loss to the Titans in Week 12. He did not play a snap on offense.
Pierce returned the game's opening kickoff 80 yards to the Titans' 19-yard line, setting up Houston's first score just 18 seconds into the game. He also had a 48-yard return that was negated due to a holding penalty. It was interesting that Pierce did not get on the field with the offense, a unit that produced just 40 rushing yards and a 2.4 YPC. Dare Ogunbowale got the 13 snaps when Joe Mixon was not on the field; however, fantasy managers should not infer that Ogunbowale would be the starter if Mixon were injured.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Minimal usage in return
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Pierce has one carry for two yards in Monday's 34-10 win over Dallas. He also returned one kickoff for five yards.
Pierce was given just four snaps on offense, as the Texans made it the Joe Mixon show in primetime. Mixon typically dominates the backfield, but his 81 percent share of the snaps was a season high. This was Pierce's first game back after missing the previous two due to a groin injury, so his workload could tick up as he puts the issue further behind him.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Upgrades to full participation
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Pierce (groin) was a full participant in practice Friday.
Pierce's activity level Friday suggests he's finally over the groin injury that sidelined him for Houston's past two games. Barring a setback, he's likely to avoid an injury designation on Saturday's injury report, which would put him in line to reclaim the backup role behind Joe Mixon against the Cowboys on Monday Night Football.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Misses Wednesday's practice
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Pierce (groin) didn't practice Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Pierce was also listed as a non-participant last week before being ruled out ahead of this past Thursday's loss to the Jets. With another absence from practice Wednesday, the running back's status for Sunday's game against the Lions remains cloudy. If Pierce remains sidelined this weekend, Dare Ogunbowale and J.J. Taylor would continue to see complementary snaps behind top back Joe Mixon.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Four snaps in win
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Pierce had one carry for four yards in Sunday's 23-20 win over the Colts in Week 8. He also returned two kickoffs for 78 yards.
Pierce saw his playing time erode even further in the third game since both he and Joe Mixon returned from injuries. Pierce had just three carries for six yards and 11 combined snaps on offense the last two weeks. He can, however, make an impact in the return game. His 45-yard return of the opening kickoff set up the Texans near midfield for a drive that culminated in a field goal.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Decreased snap count in loss
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Pierce rushed twice for two yards and returned one kickoff for 42 yards in Sunday's 24-22 loss to Green Bay.
Pierce dropped from 18 snaps last week to just seven Sunday. His higher usage in Week 6's win over New England was attributable to the blowout nature of the game, and that it was starter Joe Mixon's first game back after missing four games due to an ankle injury. Mixon was on the field for 42 snaps Sunday, limiting Pierce to a marginal role in the backfield along with Dare Ogunbowale (15 snaps, one carry, one target).
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: No Week 6 injury designation
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Pierce (hamstring) doesn't carry an injury designation ahead of Sunday's game against the Patriots.
Pierce, who hasn't played since Week 1, is poised to return to action Sunday after logging full practices Thursday and Friday. In his looming return, Pierce's Week 6 fantasy upside hinges largely on the availability of Joe Mixon (ankle), who is listed as questionable but trending toward being available versus New England, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Full practice participant
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Pierce (hamstring) was a full practice participant Thursday, DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN.com reports.
Pierce is ready to play for the first time since Week 1, while Joe Mixon (ankle) remains uncertain for Sunday's game against the Patriots after returning to practice as a limited participant Thursday. If Pierce plays and Mixon doesn't, it could mean Pierce stepping in ahead of Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale as the temporary leader of Houston's backfield.
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Texans' Dameon Pierce: Trending toward return
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Pierce (hamstring) was spotted at practice Wednesday, DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN.com reports.
Pierce, who hasn't played since Week 1, returned to practice last Friday, and his presence at Wednesday's session is a positive indicator with regard to his Week 6 status. While Joe Mixon (ankle) remained sidelined for the Texans' opening practice this week, head coach DeMeco Ryans told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston that he expects Pierce to be back in the fold for Sunday's game against the Patriots. Pierce thus could move into a key role in Houston's backfield this weekend if Mixon is unavailable.
