Texans Backfield with Chubb and Mixon Has Case to Be AFC’s Best

The Houston Texans invested in their running game this weekend by signing former Browns Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb, assuming a physical is passed on Monday. With Joe Mixon returning as the No. 1 option in the backfield, Houston’s backfield duo might instantly be one of the best in the NFL.

Bleacher Report ranked the top running back duos in the league, and while the Mixon-Chubb combo wasn’t mentioned - likely because it wasn’t official at the time of writing - it does give Texans fans a solid idea of where their new rushing attack might rank.

The top seven duos all came from the NFC side of the league, understandably topped by Detroit with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Three NFC South teams, Tampa Bay, Carolina, and Atlanta, checked in for the next four spots with Saquon Barkley and AJ Dillon mixed in from Philadelphia. The top AFC tandem was Buffalo’s James Cook and Ray Davis.

While Chubb is still trying to return to form after two seasons marred by injury, it’s not to farfetched to argue that the combo of Mixon and Chubb doesn’t clear Buffalo’s so long as the veterans in Houston remain healthy.

It would be wholly reliant on Chubb, who carried the ball just 102 times in eight games last year for 332 yards and three scores. Mixon barely topped 1,000 yards in 14 games and 11 times. The Buffalo combo combined for just under 1,500 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns with both players available in all but one game.

It’s a mighty big if for both veterans to stay healthy, but a proper rotation between the two could help them stay on track more comfortably rather than dealing with the wear and tear of a feature back as they’ve done up to this point in their respective careers. And if topping 1,500 yards and 20 scores between them is all it takes to be the top rushing duo in the AFC, it’s certainly an achievable statline.