NFL POTD #2🏈 (Sept. 20th)
Collab w/
@PropKitchen,
@balls_out_bets 📲
1. David Montgomery O15.5 Rush Atts(-110)
#HtownMade
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@PropKitchen
-The Texans finished 28th in yards per carry at 3.9 last season and brought David Montgomery in to give the offense a proven, physical runner between the tackles. He immediately showed why, finishing his Texans debut with 20 carries for 60 yards and 2 rushing TDs while adding a third TD through the air. DeMeco Ryans praised his physicality and ability to create positive yards even when runs were blocked for little or nothing.
-Montgomery handled 20 carries on 37 offensive snaps while Woody Marks had only 9 carries on 36 snaps. Despite an almost identical snap split, Montgomery accounted for 20 of Houston’s 29 RB carries, a 69% share.
Houston also gave Montgomery complete control of the scoring-area rushing work:
📈 Inside the 20: 5 carries | Marks 0
📈 Inside the 10: 4 carries | Marks 0
📈 Inside the 5: 3 carries | Marks 0
-Montgomery also had 6 carries with 2 or fewer yards needed for a first down, including a 4th-down conversion and 3 separate 3rd-and-1 conversions. When Houston needed one tough yard, Montgomery was consistently the back they trusted.
-Montgomery had 13 carries before halftime, while 16 of his 20 attempts came with Houston trailing. His 16th carry came with 3:33 remaining in the 3rd quarter, so his volume wasn’t created by Houston sitting on a lead. The Texans continued feeding him while chasing Buffalo.
-Houston still attempted 38 passes with 32 team rushing attempts, showing Montgomery can reach this number without C.J. Stroud having a low-volume passing game.
-Buffalo loaded the box against Montgomery, with 8+ defenders on 35% of his carries and seven defenders on another 50%. He still forced 5 missed tackles and produced 37 of his 60 rushing yards after contact, while Houston continued feeding him despite averaging only 3.0 yards per carry.
-Nico Collins has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Houston was already using heavier personnel with multiple tight ends and six offensive linemen, and losing its WR1 gives the Texans another reason to stay balanced and create manageable down-and-distance situations through Montgomery.
-Cincinnati allowed the 6th-most RB rushing attempts in 2025 before rebuilding its defensive front with Dexter Lawrence. The Bengals may be improved against the run, but this is an attempts prop. Montgomery doesn’t need to be highly efficient if Houston continues treating him as its primary ballcarrier.
-Montgomery already handled 18 carries for 65 yards and a TD against Cincinnati last season as a member of the Lions.
Even some regression from his Week 1 workload still gets him over this line at his 69% share of Houston’s RB carries:
📈 24 RB carries = 16.6 Montgomery attempts
📈 26 RB carries = 17.9 attempts
-Houston brought Montgomery in to add physicality and reliability to its rushing attack, and Week 1 showed exactly how they intend to use him. He controlled the majority of the carries, red-zone work and short-yardage opportunities while continuing to get the ball when Houston trailed. With Collins out, we like Montgomery to record 16+ rushing attempts against Cincinnati.