Cam Akers vs. Dameon Pierce: Who's Houston Texans Backup RB?

The Houston Texans have two reserve running backs to choose from.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 25, 2024

Jul 27, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce (31) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

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The Houston Texans came into training camp with Joe Mixon as the starting running back and Dameon Pierce as the likely backup.

However, Cam Akers has been a standout during training camp and he's challenged Pierce for the backup role.

In fact, Bleacher Report believes Akers has done enough to supplant Pierce as the primary backup.

"Akers certainly looks to be all the way back after his 2021 Achilles tear, a couple of down seasons and another Achilles injury in 2023. He played like a surefire starter against his former team, and he has likely left Pierce battling with J.J. Taylor, Dare Ogunbowale and rookie Jawhar Jordan just to make the team," Bleacher Report writes.

Akers led the Texans with seven carries for 53 yards in Saturday's preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams, while Pierce didn't record a snap.

However, in a game where the Texans opted to protect majority of their starters, it appears that Pierce may be part of that group. If Pierce was truly fighting for a roster spot, he would have played Saturday.

Akers has been impressive, but he has only been with the team for a few weeks. He might be able to do enough to make the team, but he may still have some more work to do to see legitimate playing time.

Akers is certainly capable of leapfrogging Pierce on the depth chart, but it hasn't happened quite yet.

Stick with TexansGameday for more FREE coverage of the Houston Texans throughout the offseason.

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Published Aug 25, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.