The Houston Texans’ primary running back has remained sidelined throughout the entire season due to a foot injury, while the franchise has offered minimal updates regarding his condition. For fantasy football managers who made significant investments in him during drafts, what are the realistic prospects of Joe Mixon returning to action in the near future?
Joe Mixon Injury Update
Since before the season began, Mixon has remained on the reserve/non-football injury list. Now that we’ve reached Week 5, his mandatory four-game absence period has concluded. At this point, Mixon could be activated whenever the team chooses. Unfortunately, there have been no signs suggesting that activation is imminent.
The injury occurred during the offseason while Mixon was conducting training sessions away from Houston’s facility. While the exact details of how the incident happened remain private, the organization has confirmed the injury affects his foot and ankle region. What appeared to be a minor issue initially has transformed into a much more serious concern, keeping him out for the entire offseason period.
Jeff Mueller, a physical therapy specialist who analyzes injuries for fantasy football purposes, has uncovered concerning details about Mixon’s current situation. Based on his investigation, the available information suggests this represents an aggravation of prior injuries rather than a completely new problem requiring surgery.
Last season, Mixon suffered a right high ankle/deltoid injury in September and sustained a left ankle injury in December. As early as May, he was seen wearing a brace on his left ankle, indicating continued issues from those earlier problems.
After four weeks of the season, the team finally provided some form of update regarding Mixon’s status. Fantasy managers won’t find this news encouraging.
DeMeco Ryans, the head coach, confirmed that Mixon won’t be returning this week. Given that Houston has a bye week coming up, the absolute soonest we might witness Mixon taking the field would be Week 7… but that scenario seems unlikely as well.
Three weeks ago, Ryans made concerning statements during a press conference, seemingly discussing Mixon in past tense. “We’re rolling with the guys that are here,” Ryans declared. “That’s the main thing. We miss Joe, miss his energy, enthusiasm, and everything he brought to the team.”
This phrasing immediately raised red flags among observers regarding whether Mixon would return at any point this season.
Joe Mixon Injury Update: How Long Will the Texans RB Be Out With Mysterious Ankle Issue?
General manager Nick Caserio has been equally non-committal when asked about Mixon’s potential availability for the remainder of 2025. “We’ll see. We’ll take it one day at a time,” Caserio explained. “We’ll evaluate those players after four weeks and see where they are in their progression and then make a determination.”
Since August, we have consistently advised fantasy managers to proceed with the expectation that Mixon won’t participate in games this season. The absence of any sightings of Mixon working on rehabilitation fields or engaging in individual workouts indicates the star running back remains distant from returning to competitive action.
Joe Mixon Fantasy Outlook
During his first season wearing a Texans uniform, Mixon accumulated 1,016 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns across 245 carries while adding 36 receptions for 309 yards and an additional score. He led the team in total touchdowns throughout both the regular season (12) and postseason (2), establishing himself as the offensive foundation.
With Mixon sidelined for an indefinite period, Houston has tried to compensate for his absence using a rotation of running backs. The backfield composition has seen substantial modifications during the last three weeks, with definitive choices made regarding the depth chart structure.
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A notable shift occurred in the backfield during Week 3. Dameon Pierce has become a weekly inactive player, while Dare Ogunbowale sees no playing time. The situation has simplified to a defined division between Nick Chubb handling early-down duties and Woody Marks serving as the pass-catching specialist.
The former Cleveland standout continues overseeing early-down responsibilities, though he has looked less dynamic since recovering from his own injuries that have reduced his explosive capability.
Chubb’s playing time consistently hovers around 50%, positioning him as a touchdown-dependent RB3 choice for fantasy managers. The veteran previously earned four straight Pro Bowl honors from 2019-2022 before injuries derailed his momentum.
During Week 4, Marks began making a significant push toward becoming the primary option in this backfield. The rookie exceeded the veteran in snaps, touches, and overall production. Moving forward, he should be viewed as the lead back.
Should Mixon eventually return to full health, he would still be expected to resume his complete role in what should resemble a workhorse situation. However, that possibility grows less likely each week.
Fantasy managers who selected Mixon in their drafts don’t need to waste valuable roster space since he maintains IR eligibility, but they must prepare for an uncertain waiting period. The mystery surrounding his injury presents an enormous gamble despite the potential season-changing reward if he returns healthy. It’s entirely plausible, if not likely, that he won’t compete during 2025.