David Montgomery didn’t just show up in Week 1, he absolutely exploded, putting up a wild three touchdowns and an insane 27.4 fantasy points. Seriously, if you drafted him as an RB2 or even an RB3, you just pulled off one of the steals of the year.
Monty Takes Control in Houston’s Backfield
The Houston Texans brought Montgomery in via trade to lead their backfield, and man, did he deliver right from the jump. Everyone figured he’d handle the early-down stuff, with Woody Marks taking some pass-catching snaps. But Montgomery proved he’s more than that, reeling in three passes for 19 yards, including one of those three scores. He dominated the touches with 20 carries to Marks’ 8, and his 79 total yards to Marks’ 34 tells you everything you need to know about who’s running the show. Even though Marks got on the field for 17 first-half snaps to Montgomery’s 22, the veteran clearly owned the production. This guy is locked in as an RB2, no doubt, and honestly, he’s got RB1 upside, kinda like what we saw from Javonte Williams last season. Plus, Houston’s got a sweet schedule coming up: Cincinnati, at Indianapolis, Dallas, and at Tennessee. Talk about a cake walk! If you bought in on Monty, his rest-of-season outlook is super bright. He might just be a league-winner in 2026.
Hubbard Silences Doubts in Carolina’s Committee
Over in Carolina, the running back situation was a total question mark heading into Week 1. Chuba Hubbard was battling injuries last season, and Jonathon Brooks was recovering from major knee surgery. Both guys came into 2026 with injury concerns, but thankfully, they were cleared for action. Head coach Dave Canales even talked about splitting carries in a committee. Well, if Week 1 against the Bears was any indication, there’s a clear leader in that backfield, and it’s Hubbard. He punched in two touchdowns and finished with 22.2 fantasy points, getting most of the work. Hubbard grabbed 10 carries and 3 receptions for 87 total yards, while Brooks had 4 carries, 1 reception, and 62 yards. The snap count in the first half wasn’t even close, with Hubbard out there for 25 snaps to Brooks’ 6. Another guy looking like an absolute ADP steal, right?
So, what does this all mean? We just saw two “disrespected” running backs absolutely light it up, forcing fantasy managers everywhere to rethink their entire strategy. We’ll need to keep an eye on these backfields, but Montgomery and Hubbard have sent a loud message: they’re here to dominate. Get ready for some wild rides!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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