The Houston Texans continue dealing with a major void in their backfield as their star running back remains absent from action. Joe Mixon has been sidelined for the entire season with a foot injury that has shown no signs of resolution. Should fantasy football managers maintain hope for his eventual return, or is the season lost?
Joe Mixon Injury Update
Mixon has remained on the reserve/non-football injury list since July, missing all of training camp, the preseason, and now approaching Week 7 without any concrete return timeline. The injury occurred during the offseason while he was conducting training sessions away from Houston’s facility, affecting his foot and ankle region.​
Recent comments from general manager Nick Caserio provide little optimism for fantasy managers hoping for clarity. During the team’s bye week, Caserio stated there is no timetable for Mixon’s return, saying “we won’t put a particular timetable on it” and that they will “take it one day at a time”.​
The most concerning aspect of Caserio’s update is his timeline for even having a timeline. He indicated that “over the next three or four weeks, we’ll probably get a little more information here, kind of see how he’s progressing,” suggesting late October or early November before the team has any definitive answers about his availability for 2025.​
Aaron Wilson reported that sources describe Mixon’s injury as a “tough, complicated situation,” with uncertainty remaining about whether the veteran running back will take the field at all this season. This aligns with the physical therapy analysis that suggested the injury represents an aggravation of prior ankle issues rather than a completely new problem.​
Head coach DeMeco Ryans previously made concerning statements that seemed to discuss Mixon in past tense, declaring “We’re rolling with the guys that are here” and referencing what Mixon “brought to the team”. These comments continue to raise red flags about his potential return.​
Mixon Fantasy Outlook
With Mixon sidelined indefinitely, the Texans have settled into a backfield rotation between Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks. Chubb has emerged as the clear leader through five games, pacing the team in carries, rushing yards, touchdowns, and snaps.​
Caserio praised Chubb’s efficiency during a recent radio interview, noting he is “a very efficient runner” with “good vision” and “good balance,” while adding there “haven’t been a lot of negative runs with him on the field”. The former Cleveland Browns standout signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with Houston in June after recovering from his own serious knee injury.​
Marks has shown flashes of potential, particularly in Week 4 when he tallied 17 attempts and five targets, accumulating 69 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards with two total touchdowns against Tennessee. However, his role remains inconsistent, as evidenced by just seven attempts in Week 5 despite logging 39% of snaps compared to Chubb’s 34%.​
The backfield dynamics could shift after Houston’s bye week, but the expectation should be that Chubb and Marks continue forming a frustrating committee for fantasy purposes. Chubb operates as a touchdown-dependent RB3 option, while Marks provides more upside in PPR formats due to his pass-catching ability.​
Should Mixon eventually return to full health, he would be expected to resume his workhorse role given his three-year contract extension. However, that possibility grows less likely each week that passes without meaningful progress updates. Fantasy managers who drafted Mixon can maintain him on injured reserve, but the realistic expectation is that he will not play football in 2025.
