Joe Mixon Injury Update Reshapes Fantasy Football Rankings

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (foot/ankle) has been out of commission much of the offseason and was placed on the non-football injury list in July but won't be activated by the NFL roster deadline on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. The decision guarantees he will miss at least the first four games of the 2025 season.

Where Will The Texans Turn Next?

The injury news sparked concerns in July when it broke, although the expectation at the time was Mixon would be available for the opening week. Given the lengthy runway of prep time, Houston added veteran Nick Chubb after drafting USC rookie rusher Woody Marks in April.

The early-season outlook positions Chubb as the primary two-down back for the Texans, whereas Marks is making a case to serve as a third-downer/change-of-pace option. Nearly two years after suffering a catastrophic knee injury, Chubb has been credited by his new head coach, DeMeco Ryans, for still having his trademark explosive ability.

Marks still needs to climb the depth chart and overtake veteran Dameon Pierce, who is now healthy after missing some practice time this offseason. Another vet, Dare Ogunbowale, could factor in as a third-down outlet, though he's more likely to serve as a core special teamer.

What is the Fantasy Football Impact?

Mixon was going as RB27 after the July injury news surfaced, quite the tumble after finishing as fantasy's No. 17 back in PPR scoring a year ago. His average draft position (ADP) likely would bottom out somewhere in the late 40s or high 50s among running backs if the draft season were extended. In the final week of drafting, Mixon will be a risk-reward decision for fantasy gamers seeking a late-round value opportunity. Consider him a value past roughly Round 12 or so, but be aware he could miss more than the first month given his age (29) and workload history.

Chubb has been going in the low-end RB5 neighborhood over the last month or so since signing, and that number has climbed into the No. 4 range with the news of Mixon remaining out. Just how early you should target him depends on league size, scoring, and your willingness to roll the dice on how long Mixon will be absent. Anything earlier than the RB30s is assuming considerable risk, even in the deepest of leagues.

Among Pierce, Marks, and Ogunbowale, Marks has the most upside for PPR flex value. Expect his current ADP of RB71 to continue to rise over the next few days, and he's a reasonable RB4/No. 5 target. Pierce is a desperation buy for depth in 12-plus-team leagues, and O-Gun can be avoided in all formats.