Texans Vs. 49ers: Will Rookie Dameon Pierce Start At RB?

Lovie Smith might elect to hold out Dameon Pierce again in the Texans' preseason finale.

HOUSTON - - Will wunderkind rookie running back Dameon Pierce play for the Houston Texans on Thursday night against the San Francisco 49ers? He could, but he also doesn’t have to based on the recent comments from Lovie Smith.

Pierce, the Texans’ fourth-round pick out of Florida, remains the team’s biggest surprise of training camp. Each practice feels as if he’s pulling away with the title of RB1 thanks to his smooth cuts, strong footwork and ability to run block.

“We’ve seen everything you need to see from a good running back,” Smith said of Pierce Tuesday. “He can catch the ball. He can run in between tackles. He’ll make you miss in the open field. Pads down low, there’s a lot of things to like about Dameon.”

Smith elected to keep Pierce out of Friday’s 24-20 preseason win over the Los Angeles Rams. The reason? He showed enough to prove his status as the running back to beat the week prior against the New Orleans Saints.

In the team’s 17-13 win, Pierce totaled five carries for 49 yards, including a 20-yard run in the second quarter to start off his professional career. The 5-10, 220-pound running back tacked on two first-down runs and picked up a third thanks to a 15-yard penalty against Saints safety T.J. Gray.

“Dameon is going to do a lot of special things for this team,” Texans offensive tackle Tytus Howard said. “I remember being on the sideline, I wasn't here when he made those runs in the first week, but I was excited.”

Smith is looking for more from his other four running backs trying to make the final 53-man roster. Veteran Marlon Mack has averaged 3.4 yards per attempt in two preseason games. Rex Burkhead, Houston’s leading rusher in 2021, has recorded two rush attempts for five yards and fumbled a catch during Friday’s win.

The Texans could be looking at other options outside the organization for help, but Smith isn’t pulling the plug on anyone just yet. Houston’s first-team offense has struggled with consistency on the ground, however. Through their first seven drives, the Texans averaged 1.96 yards per play.

Last season, Houston finished dead-last among teams in rushing offense, averaging 3.4 yards per attempt.

“We’re going to just see exactly where we are, all those practices we’ve put in,” Smith said. “This will be the last dress rehearsal before they count, so that’s what we’re going to see. [The] running back position of course is a big part of that.”

Houston hasn’t featured a 1,000-yard runner since Carlos Hyde in 2019. The Texans haven't had a consistent franchise-caliber running back since Arian Foster’s final season with the organization in 2015.

New coordinator Pep Hamilton has emphasized the importance of running back in his scheme. Pierce seems to be the top option in the backfield entering Week 1 due to his consistency.

Houston might be cautious with Pierce moving forward to make sure he’s healthy for a 17-game stretch. He could play Thursday in the preseason finale, but it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Smith already has elected to shut him down until the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts. 

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