The Houston Texans have yet to see Joe Mixon take the field, and his absence has already left a noticeable hole in the backfield. Mixon was brought in to give the offense a steady veteran presence and take pressure off CJ Stroud. Instead, he has been stuck on the sideline, and fantasy managers are growing restless waiting for answers.
Where Things Stand
Mixon began the year on the reserve/non-football injury list because of a lingering foot issue. That move locked him out for at least the first four games of the season. The earliest he can suit up is Week 5, but the Texans haven’t committed to that timeline. General manager Nick Caserio has kept the updates cautious, leaving the door open to a longer recovery window.
Fantasy Football Impact
While Mixon sits, Houston has pieced things together with a rotation. Nick Chubb has handled most of the early-down carries and provides the most steady value for fantasy players.
Rookie Woody Marks has seen his workload grow as a receiving threat and is a potential option for owners, especially in PPR leagues.
The last back is Dameon Pierce, who continues to play in a change-of-pace role, but is still not rosterable in most leagues. None has fully replaced Mixon’s projected production, but the backfield has remained good enough for the time being
What to Watch Next
The biggest sign Mixon is nearing a return will be his appearance at practice. Even then, Houston is unlikely to throw him straight into a 20-carry workload. The issue for the Texans is that they seem to be needing Mixon a lot sooner than they initially hoped.
The team is 0-3, and the offense is struggling to move the ball at all. When he is able to return, the team should slowly ease him back into action. This will make him more of a long-term play for fantasy owners rather than an immediate jolt of RB1 numbers.
Bottom Line
Mixon is sidelined through Week 4, and his Week 5 outlook is still cloudy. Fantasy managers should continue leaning on Chubb while keeping Woody Marks on the radar in deeper formats. Mixon’s eventual return will shake things up, but expecting a quick turnaround could lead to frustration.
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