The Houston Texans are just hours out from the NFL trade deadline–– and nobody knows which direction this team is going to go.

One area on the roster that has been circled as a potential position of interest for the Texans has been running back.

According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, Houston has been among the teams checking in on "available" running backs around the league before the deadline, along with safeties.

As to who the Texans might have their eyes on is a bit of an unknown. However, when surveying around the league, there are several running backs that could stick out as guys that are potentially available, fill a need on the roster, and within reason for Houston to go out and add for the right price.

So let's do some digging. Which running backs around the league could the Texans truly go out and make a move for?

Let's look at 10 different names at the position around the league to keep an eye on––tiering them as either veteran depth pieces, high-value starters, and longshots that probably aren't on their way to Houston anytime soon:

Veteran Depth Pieces

• Tony Pollard, TEN
• Alvin Kamara, NO
• James Conner, ARI
• Devin Singletary, NYG
• Isaiah Pacheco, DET

This would be the range of outcomes to expect for the Texans: not an upgrade that really shakes up the top of the depth chart, but one that could provide some much-needed depth behind the current running back room that's been both shallow and dealing with injuries over the past few weeks.

Each of these guys feels unlikely to claim more than a day three pick in exchange for their services on the trade market. And for the Texans, that's a price tag they could be willing to pay in order to add some much-needed security at running back for a run game that's been stuck in the bottom half of the NFL all season.

The one name I'd keep the closest watch on here is Devin Singletary of the Giants; a veteran runner who would cost minimal assets to acquire, has been in Houston before, and could be the right caliber of back to slot behind Woody Marks and David Montgomery as a reliable RB3 who can produce on the ground and through the air in a pinch.

High-Value, Starting Options

• Breece Hall, NYJ
• Ashton Jeanty, LVR

These two feel like they could be grouped within the next category: they haven't been included in many trade rumors leading up to the deadline, and in all likelihood, probably won't be on the move to the Texans anytime soon.

However, the idea of the Texans pursuing either is at least fun to consider.

Breece Hall was briefly rumored as a Houston target this past offseason as a potential addition to an expansive roster of Iowa State alums, while Ashton Jeanty presents a similar situation to Marvin Harrison Jr., where the front office takes a chance on a young talent who hasn't performed up to expectations in the spot he was drafted.

When stacking up the price tag of each (likely to cost at least a day or two to pick), along with the lack of clear desire or aggressiveness from either team to make a move on these backs, don't hold your breath on the Texans striking on a trade here.

But maybe once the offseason arrives, and the situation continues to look as it does for both running backs, then perhaps the Texans' interest could shift in a different direction––if their backfield dilemma is still in a similar spot.

Longshots

• Jonathan Taylor, IND
• Saquon Barkley, PHI
• Derrick Henry, BAL

Here are the big names at running back that everyone's talking about at the deadline: Jonathan Taylor, Saquon Barkley, and Derrick Henry.

Each would be due to command some serious interest in the market if their respective teams decided to aggressively shop them. And for a running-back-needy team like the Texans, they make sense as a suitor that should keep all three at least on the radar leading up to the deadline.

But the realism behind a move for any of these three–– at least from Houston's perspective–– feels pretty out there with just a few hours to go until the buzzer sounds.

For one, there's the cost that each would be due to land from any team interested in acquiring them: a first-round pick appears to be the going rate.

Maybe the Texans would be interested in paying that given their Super Bowl aspirations, but that's still a pretty steep price for an older running back with many miles on the odometer.

But Barkley and Henry have also both been informed by their teams that they won't be traded ahead of the deadline. That creates an even stronger hurdle for Houston to overcome. Taylor might be a different story, but it'd be really hard to expect the Colts to ship out their franchise running back to a division rival like the Texans, even if the package in return was an ideal one. 

So if the Texans were to make an addition at running back at the deadline, expect the scale to be a bit smaller than these guys. These top-tier stars might just be out of reach, and if they weren't, their price tag might be a little too steep for Houston's desires.