Joe Mixon

Joe Mixon

27-Year-Old Running BackRB
Houston Texans
2023 Fantasy Outlook
Mixon had a bizarre offseason off the field, with two odd and concerning anecdotes raising the specter of some kind of legal or NFL penalty, though nothing has developed yet. Assuming Mixon is still on the Bengals and free of suspension, the details beyond that are encouraging for his fantasy value, which has consistently remained at the good-but-not-great level throughout his Cincinnati career. Mixon is not explosive and has seen Joe Burrow claim a huge share of the Bengals' touchdowns in recent years, but rushing volume is essentially assured with Samaje Perine gone to Denver in free agency and no veteran or Day 1/2 draft pick brought in this spring. Mixon caught 102 balls the last two years even with Perine taking a lot of the passing-down work, finishing 2022 with career highs for targets (75), catches (60) and receiving yards (441) in 14 games. Mixon has just one season on record with multiple 40-yard runs or better than 4.1 YPC (both 2018), but steady volume in a high-scoring offense almost always plays well in fantasy, and he could benefit from a blocking upgrade after the Bengals signed 345-pound OT Orlando Brown to a four-year, $64 million contract. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
$Signed an extension with the Texans in March of 2024 that runs through the 2026 season.
Gets extension from Houston
RBHouston Texans
March 14, 2024
Mixon has signed a three-year contract extension with the Texans, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
Per Schefter, Mixon's reported deal with Houston -- which runs through 2026, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle -- is for $27 million and includes $13 million guaranteed. The Bengals sent the 27-year-old to the Texans in exchange for a 2024 seventh-rounder, setting the stage for Mixon to take over as the lead back in his new locale, replacing Devin Singletary, who signed on with the Giants in free agency. Also in the mix for carries for Houston will be 2022 fourth-rounder Dameon Pierce, but the team's decision to extend Mixon clearly demonstrates confidence in the 2017 second-rounder, a context that should allow him to maintain steady weekly volume in 2024.
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NFL Stats
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do Joe Mixon's 2023 advanced stats compare to other running backs?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average. The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
  • Broken Tackle %
    The number of broken tackles divided by rush attempts.
  • Positive Run %
    The percentage of run plays where he was able to gain positive yardage.
  • % Yds After Contact
    The percentage of his rushing yards that came after contact.
  • Avg Yds After Contact
    The average rushing yards he gains after contact.
  • Rushing TD %
    Rushing touchdowns divided by rushing attempts. In other words, how often is he scoring when running the ball.
  • Touches Per Game
    The number of touches (rushing attempts + receptions) he is averaging per game
  • % Snaps w/Touch
    The number of touches (rushing attempts + receptions) divided by offensive snaps played.
  • Air Yards Per Game
    The number of air yards he is averaging per game. Air yards measure how far the ball was thrown downfield for both complete and incomplete passes. Air yards are recorded as a negative value when the pass is targeted behind the line of scrimmage. All air yards data is from Sports Info Solutions and does not include throwaways as targeted passes.
  • Air Yards Per Snap
    The number of air yards he is averaging per offensive snap.
  • % Team Air Yards
    The percentage of the team's total air yards he accounts for.
  • % Team Targets
    The percentage of the team's total targets he accounts for.
  • Avg Depth of Target
    Also known as aDOT, this stat measures the average distance down field he is being targeted at.
  • Catch Rate
    The number of catches made divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Drop Rate
    The number of passes he dropped divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Avg Yds After Catch
    The number of yards he gains after the catch on his receptions.
  • % Targeted On Route
    Targets divided by total routes run. Also known as TPRR.
  • Avg Yds Per Route Run
    Receiving yards divided by total routes run. Also known as YPRR.
Broken Tackle %
13.2%
 
Positive Run %
84.0%
 
% Yds After Contact
59.2%
 
Avg Yds After Contact
2.4
 
Rushing TD %
3.5%
 
Touches Per Game
18.2
 
% Snaps w/Touch
42.4%
 
Air Yards Per Game
-7.7
 
Air Yards Per Snap
-0.18
 
% Team Air Yards
-3.5%
 
% Team Targets
11.1%
 
Avg Depth of Target
-2.0 Yds
 
Catch Rate
81.3%
 
Drop Rate
4.7%
 
Avg Yds After Catch
8.8
 
% Targeted On Route
17.0%
 
Avg Yds Per Route Run
1.00
 
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2023
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2021
2020
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2017
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2022 NFL Game Log
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2021 NFL Game Log
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Houston TexansTexans 2023 RB Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
#% of Team Snaps

66156%
29625%
12411%
968%
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Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where Joe Mixon lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
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2023 Joe Mixon Split Stats
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Measurables Review View College Player Page
How do Joe Mixon's measurables compare to other running backs?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
* All metrics are from his Pro Day (not the combine).
Height
6' 1"
 
Weight
220 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.43 sec
 
Cone Drill
7.00 sec
 
Vertical Jump
35.0 in
 
Broad Jump
108 in
 
Bench Press
21 reps
 
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
In terms of raw yardage and efficiency, 2021 was a fairly typical season for Mixon. His 1,519 scrimmage yards were a career high, but by less than 60 yards over his previous best, while 4.1 yards per carry matched his 2019 performance. What changed for Mixon, and indeed for the whole Bengals franchise, was the emergence of QB Joe Burrow. With the young quarterback leading the way and challenging defenses, Mixon got more high-value touches. He finished the year tied for eighth in red-zone carries with 42 and tied for fourth in red-zone rushing touchdowns with 12, and he faced eight-man fronts just 18.8 percent of the time, one of the lower rates in the league. Mixon still possesses a solid all-around skill set, but he's not quite one of the game's elite backs and still doesn't get consistent third-down work even though he's a capable pass catcher. Fortunately, the offense around him could take another step forward, as Cincinnati spent big money in the offseason to shore up its offensive line by adding Alex Cappa, La'el Collins and Ted Karras. While those signings were largely geared toward keeping Burrow upright, Mixon should also find more running room behind them. If he stays healthy and creeps back toward the 4.9 yards per carry he managed in 2018, another career year could be in the cards.
Mixon started 2020 on pace for another solid campaign. With Joe Burrow adding some life to the passing game, defenses couldn't stack the box, and the 24-year-old averaged better than 23 touches a game and appeared headed for his first season with 1,500 scrimmage yards. Then Mixon injured his foot and didn't play another game after Week 6, as the Bengals decided there was no need to rush him back once Burrow also went down. When he's 100 percent healthy, Mixon is an elusive and powerful runner with reliable hands, and while he doesn't have any elite traits that would give him a superstar ceiling, there's also no obvious weakness. The biggest issue so far in his career has been an offensive environment that prevents him from fully maximizing his potential. Cincinnati has added foundation pieces at the skill positions in recent drafts, but the team's offensive line was among the worst in the league last year, and the defense wasn't much better. Mixon has only Samaje Perine, Trayveon Williams and sixth-round rookie Chris Evans as competition in the backfield now that Gio Bernard is in Tampa, but the O-line doesn't inspire confidence even after adding 32-year-old Riley Reiff and second-round pick Jackson Carman.
It was clear early on that the Bengals offense was going to be bad in 2019, and it was Mixon who bore the brunt of those struggles as new coach Zac Taylor focused on his passing game. The third-year back didn't record his first 100-yard rushing game until Week 10 and didn't score his first rushing TD until Week 11. It's arguably a testament to Mixon's talent that his season totals look as palatable as they do given his washout first half. A big, powerful runner with surprising nimbleness, the 6-1, 220-pound Mixon is a prototypical three-down back who adds some value in passing situations while also wearing down defenses with his physicality. Neither Mixon nor Giovani Bernard saw a big increase in receiving usage last year, which was somewhat surprising given Taylor's background working under Sean McVay for the Rams. Cincinnati finished 30th in points and 26th in yards, despite being sixth in pace and ninth in total plays run. Better days should be ahead, though. With No. 1 pick Joe Burrow stepping in at quarterback, A.J. Green returning from an ankle injury and the potential for better offensive line play with last year's first-round pick Jonah Williams healthy, the offense should be more efficient this season, and that improvement is likely to extend to Mixon. There's been some chatter about a potential contract holdout, but Mixon hadn't made an announcement at press time.
Can a player still be a breakout candidate after successfully breaking out the season before? We may be about to find out. Mixon emerged as a legitimate lead back in 2018, improving both as a runner and a receiver while handling a large workload for a Bengals offense that otherwise struggled. The second-year RB also took his game to another level when he became the focal point of the attack after Andy Dalton broke his thumb, piling up 495 rushing yards in the final five games of 2018. Mixon offers a compelling combination of size, power and elusiveness, and he did his damage working behind a bad offensive line that should be improved with the addition of No. 11 overall pick Jonah Williams. With last year's performance as a baseline, it's now time to see whether Mixon's ceiling is even higher. New coach Zac Taylor spent the last two years on Sean McVay's staff in Los Angeles, and if Taylor's scheme works even close to as well in Cincinnati, Mixon could see the same kind of opportunities Todd Gurley enjoys. Giovani Bernard remains on hand to handle some of the passing-down workload, but even if Mixon doesn't see 300 touches, he could still take another big step forward with the help of a better environment around him.
Coming off a lackluster rookie campaign, Mixon heads into 2018 atop the Bengals' depth chart with a chance to blossom in his second season. Despite having the frame and physicality of a prototypical lead back, he displayed little of the explosiveness or elusiveness he flashed in college at Oklahoma, managing only two rushes of 20 or more yards last season. He did at least show that he can handle three-down responsibilities, though with Giovani Bernard still in town Mixon likely won't be asked to do too much in passing situations. Jeremy Hill's departure opens snaps and touches on early downs, and fourth-round pick Mark Walton doesn't figure to pose an immediate threat to Mixon's playing time. Perhaps most important, the Bengals made a serious effort to beef up their woeful offensive line, trading for oft-injured Bills left tackle Cordy Glenn and drafting Ohio State center Billy Price with the 21st overall selection. If Glenn stays healthy, Mixon should see a lot more open space in front of him and a lot less traffic in the backfield, giving him a much better chance of fulfilling his immense potential.
Arguably no running back taken in the 2017 draft has more to prove than Mixon. On talent alone he should have been a first-round selection, as he showed a complete package of skills at Oklahoma. The 6-1, 226-pound back has elite burst, exceptional elusiveness and the strength and bulk to thwart tacklers with stiff arms or simply lower his shoulder and grind out extra yards. He also flashed soft hands and plus route-running ability, along with a willingness to pass protect, making him a true three-down option. Overshadowing his on-field skills is a volatile off-field reputation, and a 2014 incident in which he punched a female student led to a suspension for that entire season. The Bengals drafted Mixon in the second round and have a history of taking on talented players with similar risk profiles, but as Vontaze Burfict has shown, they aren't always able to keep such players on the straight and narrow. With Jeremy Hill struggling the past two years and Giovani Bernard recovering from a torn ACL, the door is wide open for Mixon to take on a large workload for Cincinnati right away, but he'll be on a very short leash if further off-field troubles surface.
More Fantasy News
Headed to Houston
RBHouston Texans
March 12, 2024
The Bengals are slated to trade Mixon to the Texans, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
ANALYSIS
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Released by Bengals
RBFree Agent
March 11, 2024
Mixon was released by the Bengals on Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
ANALYSIS
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Possible cap casualty
RBCincinnati Bengals
February 19, 2024
Mixon is a potential cap casualty this offseason, though it won't be surprising if he's back with the Bengals instead, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Tops 1,000 yards in two-TD finale
RBCincinnati Bengals
January 7, 2024
Mixon rushed 14 times for 111 yards and a touchdown while catching one of two targets for a six-yard touchdown in Sunday's 31-14 win over the Browns. He finishes the season with 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns on 257 rushing attempts, along with 52 catches on 63 targets for 376 yards and three touchdowns.
ANALYSIS
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In clear for Week 18
RBCincinnati Bengals
January 5, 2024
Mixon (illness) doesn't carry an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Browns.
ANALYSIS
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