While the Texans knew RB Joe Mixon was dealing with an injury, they have just decided to make a brutal decision. Adam Schefter broke the news that Mixon would not be activated ahead of Tuesday's 53-man roster deadline.
Instead, he was placed on injured reserve with designation to return, meaning Mixon will miss at least first four games of the year. Mixon has been dealing with an ankle injury, one that forced him to miss three games last season and all of the offseason.
The Texans are expected to roll out a running-back-by-committee approach, led by Nick Chubb, with Dameon Pierce and rookie Woody Marks mixing in behind Chubb.
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How Long is Joe Mixon Out For?
Joe Mixon is guaranteed to miss the first four games of the 2025 season, but it's possible that he could miss more. h
His first chance to return in the Texans' Week 5 showdown in Baltimore. Houston has a key decision ahead of him, as the team has their bye in Week 6.
Should Mixon return to action in Week 5, it likely would be in a limited capacity. If anything, they could get him back on the field for a few snaps before ramping up his availability going into Week 7’s Monday night showdown against the Seattle Seahawks.
As of now, October 5 is the target date for his return.
Texans RB Depth Chart for Week 1-4
Without Mixon, the Texans are expected to operate a running-back-by-committee approach that probably will not be very friendly for fantasy football managers.
RB1: Nick Chubb
RB2: Dameon Pierce
RB3: Woody Marks
RB4: Dare Ogunbowale
All signs point to Chubb being the RB1 in Houston, at least being the starting two-down back at the beginning of the year, with Pierce and pass-catching rookie Woody Marks behind him.
Joe Mixon Injury Updates for Fantasy Football
Here is how Mixon’s injury affects fantasy football, including the Texans RB depth chart. It will especially open up more snaps for RBs Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, and Woody Marks.
Note: All fantasy football projections come from the PrizePicks NFLSZN board — a season-long real money fantasy football game.
RB Nick Chubb
Chubb will make his Houston Texans debut after missing half of 2024 due to a serious knee injury from Week 2, 2023, which he says are "all behind" him. The 29-year-old had exclusively played for the Cleveland Browns in his first seven seasons.
He will now immediately jump to RB1 on the Texans' depth chart. If he performs well, he could see an increased workload even upon Mixon’s return, and this could turn into a split backfield.
FantasyPros lists him as RB48 as the Texans have the 29th-ranked strength of schedule for running backs.
However, Chubb likely won't be a great pass-catching contributor — something to consider in PPR leagues. Mixon had 36 receptions in his Texans debut last season. Chubb has that many combined in his last three seasons.
Chubb also hasn’t reached 100 yards in a game since September 10, 2023, before his major injury. Mixon had eight games with 100+ yards last season. The Texans operate heavily through their run game, but it’s unlikely that Chubb will see the 20+ carry workload that Mixon had.
Nick Chubb Week 1 Projections: 47.5 rushing yards, 4.5 receiving yards
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RB Dameon Pierce
At just 25-years-old, there’s room to believe that Pierce could return to his 2022 rookie form, where he rushed for 4.3 yards per carry and 939 yards. That said, rookie Woody Marks is hungry to take his place and can contribute more as a passer.
Pierce has never been much of a pass-catching batch, with only 21 targets across the last two seasons combined.
He averaged just 2.4 yards per carry this preseason in a limited sample size. It’s no secret the team values Pierce more than 31-year-old Dare Ogunbowale, but he still has to earn the RB2 spot.
If it weren’t for a 92-yard run last season, his average would be nowhere near 7.3 yards per attempt. At this point, the rookie Marks’ looks like the more appealing running back as a change-of-pace to Chubb.
RB Woody Marks
Drafted No. 116 overall out of USC, Marks enters the league at 24-years-old. His preseason production spoke for itself: 16 carries for 63 yards and a TD. He also added 4 receptions for 20 yards.
Knowing how much Stroud likes to check down to his RBs, Marks already has more upside than Pierce, as hecanplay on passing downs.
Not only that, but QB C.J. Stroud showered the rookie with praise, “Woody Marks is a baller. Great, smart young kid who loves ball.”
Standing 5-foot-10, 208 pounds, Marks is a key addition in your deep leagues. He could work out as a long-term investment in any dynasty league, as Mixon and Chubb are aging and won’t be around forever.
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