Devin Singletary prepared to potentially start vs Buccaneers
It's looking more and more like the Houston Texans will be forced to turn to a new starting running back against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9. Starting running back Dameon Pierce missed his second consecutive day of practice on Thursday as he continues to deal with an ankle injury. The Texans backup running […]
It's looking more and more like the Houston Texans will be forced to turn to a new starting running back against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9.
Starting running back Dameon Pierce missed his second consecutive day of practice on Thursday as he continues to deal with an ankle injury.
The Texans backup running back Devin Singletary had 10 carries for 30 yards and added 13 more through the air in Week 8's loss to the Carolina Panthers. Singletary signed with the Texans on a 1 year, $2.75 million contract during the offseason.
Pierce leads the Texans with 109 carries for 327 yards and one rushing touchdown in 2023. Singletary is second on the team with 49 carries for 183 yards. Quarterback C.J. Stroud is the only other player on the Texans roster with 20+ carries this season.
The Texans will also have Mike Boone and Dare Ogunbowale available on the roster at the running back position to backup Singletary if Pierce cannot play.
The Texans will get a nice opportunity to see Singletary as the lead back, which could prove to be beneficial for the team throughout the rest of the season.
Through the first seven games of the season, Pierce has rushed for 3.0 yards/carry. According to ESPN, Pierce has the fewest yards/carry among players with 100+ carries this season. By comparison, Singletary is currently averaging 3.7 yards/carry.
Pierce has also gone four straight games without a rushing touchdown despite having 69 combined carries in those four games. The Texans have just 3 rushing touchdowns in 2023, which is tied for the 6th-fewest in the NFL entering Week 9. Stroud and fullback Andrew Beck each have one rushing touchdown.
Singletary started every game for the Buffalo Bills during the 2022 season and averaged 4.6 yards/carry with 6 total touchdowns. It'll be interesting to see how the backfield, and the overall offense, look for the Texans if Singletary indeed will be the team's starting running back in Week 9.
