The Houston Texans tweeted out Monday that running back Joe Mixon will be moved from the Active/Non-Football Injury list to the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list, meaning he will miss at least the first four weeks of the regular season.
Mixon’s average draft position had already started to fall in the preseason, and this news won’t help matters. This injury has lingered on for a long while, so you almost have to wonder if he’s even going to be ready by midseason.
The veteran was a fantasy superstar in the first 11 weeks of last season, averaging a league-best 22.6 points per game. During that time, he averaged more than 100 scrimmage yards and scored 11 total touchdowns. Mixon fell apart down the stretch, though, failing to score more than 10.6 points over his final four games.
Now that it looks like we won’t have Mixon for awhile, the Texans backfield will be in the hands of Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, Dare Ogunbowale and Woody Marks. Chubb is the best fantasy bet, but he simply isn’t the same elite back he was back in Cleveland. At best, he’ll be a middling flex starter while Mixon is out.
Pierce and Marks are both draftable fliers, but no more than RB5 types in drafts. In terms of Mixon, he’s worth a late round look for managers who have injured reserve spots and can stash him away for the first month plus of the season. However, his days as an impactful fantasy back appear to be in the rearview mirror.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce On The Rise In Fantasy Football After Joe Mixon Injury Update.