Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Samaje Perine vs Woody MarksWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Woody Marks is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 8.3 PPG to Samaje Perine's 6.5 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Woody Marks is the better fantasy play this season.

Woody Marks has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 1.8-PPG advantage is real (8.3 to 6.5), and Woody Marks's 5 touchdowns show scoring upside. Samaje Perine is the buy-low candidate if recent production has dipped, because the talent gap is smaller than the numbers suggest.

Low confidence: the production gap is narrow enough that weekly context matters more than the season line.

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RBKansas City Chiefs#99

Samaje Perine

PPG

6.5

Games

Rush Yds

285

Rush TDs

Rec

Rec Yds

182

Bye

Week 6

RBHouston Texans#36PPG LEADER

Woody Marks

PPG

8.3

Games

Rush Yds

703

Rush TDs

Rec

Rec Yds

208

Bye

Week 8

The Edge Chart

Samaje Perine

Woody Marks

Head to Head

6.5 PPG8.3 PPG

15 GP16 GP

Bye: Week 6Bye: Week 8

Fantasy Tiers

Samaje Perine: Tier 5 (Deep League) RB (ranked #99 at the position). Woody Marks: Tier 4 (Bench/Bye Fill) RB (ranked #36 at the position). Among the top 50 running backs this season, Samaje Perine is producing at 30% of elite pace and Woody Marks at 38%. That ranking gap means Woody Marks carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Samaje Perine vs Woody Marks: The Full Breakdown

Samaje Perine and Woody Marks are both viable fantasy running backs heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Samaje Perine averaged 6.5 PPG across 15 games with the Kansas City Chiefs, while Woody Marks posted 8.3 PPG in 16 appearances for the Houston Texans.

A 1.8-PPG gap gives Woody Marks the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.

Both profile as early-down workhorses. Samaje Perine ran for 285 yards and 2 touchdowns; Woody Marks posted 703 and 2. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.

Samaje Perine has his bye in Week 6, and Woody Marks rests in Week 8. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at running back for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

Both are in a similar trade value range. A straight swap would be fair in most leagues, with the tiebreaker going to whichever manager values schedule or bye week more. Dynasty outlook: Samaje Perine (age 27) is approaching the age where RB production historically drops. Sell-high window is open. Woody Marks (age 25) has not yet hit the RB cliff. High dynasty ceiling if volume holds.

Did You Know?

•Woody Marks outscored Samaje Perine by a projected 31 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Woody Marks played 16 games in 2025 compared to Samaje Perine's 15. That durability gap means Woody Marks contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Woody Marks scored 5 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.3 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at running back.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Samaje Perine vs Woody Marks: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Samaje Perine	Woody Marks
PPG (Half-PPR)	6.5	8.3
Games Played	15	16
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	98	133
Rushing Yards	285	703
Rush Yds/Game	19.0	43.9
Rushing TDs	2	2
Receptions	24	24
Receiving Yards	182	208
Targets	0	36
Total TDs	3	5
Age	-	25
Bye Week	Week 6	Week 8

Summary

Woody Marks outscored Samaje Perine by 1.8 PPG in 2025 (8.3 to 6.5). That production gap is the baseline, but weekly context shifts the answer. DraftCall analyzes matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and health data to deliver a clear start or sit recommendation backed by real reasoning.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Samaje Perine or Woody Marks in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Woody Marks has the edge at 8.3 PPG compared to Samaje Perine's 6.5 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did Samaje Perine and Woody Marks average in 2025?▾

Samaje Perine averaged 6.5 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 15 games in 2025. Woody Marks averaged 8.3 PPG over 16 games. That is a difference of 1.8 points per game.

When are Samaje Perine and Woody Marks's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Samaje Perine (KC) has a bye in Week 6, and Woody Marks (HOU) has a bye in Week 8. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Samaje Perine or Woody Marks a better fantasy running back in 2026?▾

Woody Marks outscored Samaje Perine by 1.8 PPG in 2025, which gives him the edge heading into 2026. For a week-by-week verdict, DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality and recent trends in real time.