The Houston Texans could be without one of their top offensive playmakers Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.
Running back Woody Marks, who practiced on a limited basis Wednesday, was not seen during the portion of practice open to the media on Thursday.
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Marks was listed with a knee injury. Starting left guard Keylan Rutledge, who has a shoulder stinger, also was absent.
It’s unclear whether either will miss Sunday’s game, but neither practicing Thursday puts their availability in doubt. Players who miss the team’s most strenuous practice of the week typically don’t play Sunday.
Marks’ absence would be a major blow to a Texans running game that already is struggling and ranks 29th in the NFL in rushing yards.
Marks is coming off his best game of the season. He rushed for 70 yards last week in a 44-22 win over the Chargers.
The good news for Houston is that David Montgomery is nearing a return. He practiced Thursday for the first time since suffering a groin injury against the Titans several weeks ago.
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Ryans said Wednesday that the team was pleased with Montgomery’s progress but that he wasn’t sure whether Montgomery would play Sunday.
“David Montgomery is going through the process,” Ryans said. “Still, he’s getting better. We’re encouraged by his progress so far. We’ll see when he’s able to get back out on the field.”
If neither Marks nor Montgomery can play, new acquisition Emari Demercado likely will start against the Browns. The Texans claimed Demercado off waivers last month. He had 16 yards on six carries last week. The Browns rank 29th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed.
The Texans are expected to try to establish the run Sunday. Temperatures at kickoff are forecast to be around 46 degrees, with a 20% chance of rain and winds of 12 mph, according to weather reports.
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Those conditions could make it difficult to throw.
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This article originally published at The Texans could be without their top running backs against Browns as Woody Marks misses practice.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
