Dare Ogunbowale: Everything you need to know

Ogunbowale played 18 snaps on special teams in Sunday's 28-16 playoff loss to New England. Ogunbowale never stepped on the field with offense and finished out his fourth season in Houston with 11 carries for 25 yards and one touchdown. He added 10 catches on 13 targets for 76 yards over 17 regular-season games. The 31-year-old back, who served as a captain in 2025, did a little bit of everything during his Texans tenure, which included serving as an emergency placekicker. He enters the offseason as an unrestricted free agent but is popular within the organization. Ogunbowale's vast experience as a special teams player should find him a home in Houston or elsewhere.

Ogunbowale carried the ball five times for two yards and caught three of four targets for 32 yards in Sunday's 40-20 win over the Cardinals. The veteran RB was expected to be used mostly on special teams as usual, but Woody Marks picked up an ankle injury in the first quarter and didn't see the field in the second half with the game well in hand. Jawhar Jordan, in his first career NFL action, wound up seeing the bulk of the backfield work in the second half, but Ogunbowale also nearly doubled his season touch total as he got significant work on offense as well. Either or both of Marks and Nick Chubb (ribs) could be back in Week 16 against the Raiders, but even if both remain sidelined, Ogunbowale would likely work behind Jordan once again.

Ogunbowale is expected to be a depth option Sunday, as Woody Marks, who opened the week with a knee injury, carries no injury designation ahead of the Week 15 matchup against the Cardinals. The week started with both Marks and Nick Chubb (ribs) as non-participants in Wednesday's practice, opening a window slightly for Ogunbowale. Since then, Marks logged a limited practice Thursday and was a full participant Friday. Chubb sat out Thursday and got on the field Friday for a limited session, which included stretching on the side and working with the training staff. Ogunbowale could steal snaps from Chubb, but it looks like Marks should be a workhorse against Arizona.