Joe Mixon Is Primed To Be A Reliable RB2 In Fantasy Football Again

The Houston Texans won the AFC South again last season, finishing the regular season with a record of 10-7. No other team in the division finished with a winning record. They have high expectations again this season with their offense taking center stage. QB C.J. Stroud garners plenty of headlines, but RB Joe Mixon is also a big part of their offense, making him a valuable fantasy football option.

Click here for more 2025 Player Profiles!

DraftKings is giving ALL customers a can't-miss offer for Best Ball: Draft One, Get One! Enter a lineup in the $15 Million Best Ball Contest for just $20, and you'll score another Best Ball ticket to play FREE for a share of $15 million—giving you a second shot to win big!

Mixon’s First Season With Texans

Prior to last season, Joe Mixon had spent his entire career with the Cincinnati Bengals. He had plenty of success with the franchise, including four seasons with at least 1,000 rushing yards. One of the main reasons for his success was his heavy workload. He had six seasons with the Bengals in which he averaged 4.1 yards per carry of fewer. However, he racked up significant rushing yards because he received at least 210 carries in a season five times.

The move from the Bengals to the Texans still left Mixon with plenty of work. He received 245 carries in 2024, finishing with 1,016 rushing yards. He was also involved in the passing game, catching 36 of 52 targets for 309 yards and one touchdown. That marked the third straight season in which Mixon has received at least 50 targets and recorded at least 300 receiving yards.

Touchdown Production

Mixon’s best season in the touchdown department came in 2021 when he had 13 rushing scores. He received 42 carries inside the red zone that season, 15 of which came from inside the five-yard line. In his final season with the Bengals, he was given 59 red zone carries, 21 of which came within the five-yard line. The result was nine rushing touchdowns that season.

In his first season with the Texans, Mixon had 11 rushing touchdowns. That was the second-highest mark of his career, despite playing in just 14 games. The Texans also looked Mixon’s way when they got in close, giving him 58 carries inside the red zone. Of those 58 carries, 14 of them came inside the five-yard line.

Despite Mixon’s consistent production in terms of carries, rushing yards, and touchdowns, he has an ADP of 46, according to 4for4’s Multi-Site ADP. That ADP makes him RB18, putting him in the range of players, including rookie Omarion Hampton (ADP 45, RB17) and Chuba Hubbard (ADP 48, RB19).

Texans Backup RB Options

The Texans did not have great running back options behind Mixon last season. After Mixon and his 245 carries, C.J. Stroud was second on the team with 52 rushing attempts. As far as other running backs go, Cam Akers and Dameon Pierce finished with 40 carries each.

Pierce has battled with injuries throughout his young career, and Akers is now on the Saints. In order to improve their depth behind Mixon, the Texans signed Nick Chubb to a one-year contract. Coming back from a major knee injury last season, Chubb ran for just 332 yards on 102 carries with the Browns. He had never averaged fewer than 5.0 yards per carry for a season prior to last year, so it’s fair to question if he will ever be the same after his knee injury. Also, he will turn 30 years old in December.

Chubb is a big fantasy name based on his past performances, but given his age and injury history, he is better suited to be a backup at this stage of his career. Don’t expect him to be a major threat to steal work away from Mixon. He’s more of an insurance policy who could fill in for Mixon for a game or two if Mixon were dealing with an injury.

The Bottom Line

• After posting his fifth season with at least 237 carries and 1,016 rushing yards last season, Mixon is poised to shoulder another heavy workload for the Texans in 2025.
• Mixon receives a heavy dose of carries inside the red zone, which has helped him record at least nine rushing touchdowns in three of the last four seasons.
• The Texans added Nick Chubb during the offseason, but given his age and injury history, he is not a threat to take significant carries away from Mixon.
• According to 4for4’s Multi-Site ADP, Mixon has an ADP of 46 and is RB18. Expect him to be a reliable RB2 in most fantasy formats.