Joe Mixon’s arrival in Houston last offseason was highly anticipated, as the Texans wanted to take the next step forward and build a contender around C.J. Stroud. Mixon delivered for the Texans, but the team around him ultimately faltered.
Entering the 2025 NFL season with high hopes, the Texans were hoping Mixon could replicate the dominant play that earned him his second career Pro-Bowl selection last year. However, the star running back has been sidelined all offseason with a mysterious injury. With the regular season just around the corner, what is the latest on his injury status?
What Is the Latest on Joe Mixon’s Injury?
How did Mixon get hurt? Nobody outside the organization seems to know for sure. The star running back suffered a non-football-related injury during the offseason, which sidelined him for all of the team’s training camp and preseason.
While the specific details surrounding the incident remain private, the injury is confirmed to be related to Mixon’s ankle. The Texans recently announced that Mixon will remain on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list to start the year, meaning he must miss at least the first four games of the regular season. Then, Houston has a bye in Week 6, so it’s possible that the earliest Mixon plays this season is in Week 7 against the Seattle Seahawks.
However, there is a growing concern that Mixon may miss all or most of the 2025 NFL season. When Texans general manager Nick Caserio was asked if Mixon will suit up at all during the 2025 NFL season, he was noncommittal.
“We’ll see. We’ll take it one day at a time,” Caserio said, according to ESPN. “We’ll evaluate those players after four weeks and see where they are in their progression and then make a determination.”
This lines up with a recent post from Jeff Mueller, a doctor of physical therapy and fantasy football injury analyst, who sounded alarms about Mixon’s status.
“I have received info from two different people. That info has been enough for me to fully remove Joe Mixon from my board for 2025,” he said.
I have received info from two different people.
That info has been enough for me to fully remove Joe Mixon from my board for 2025. https://t.co/kzUBW3jETe— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) August 15, 2025
In Mixon’s absence, the running back duties will fall on the trio of Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, and rookie Woody Marks. It will be interesting to see how head coach DeMeco Ryans utilizes that combination to keep the offense humming.
Last season, Mixon thrived and became the backbone of the offense, finishing the year with 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding 309 receiving yards and a score through the air.
When Mixon does return, it will mark his first full-speed work since last winter. That layoff adds an extra layer of concern for a 29-year-old running back whose role is built on rhythm and short-area quickness.
Mixon’s Fantasy Outlook
Mixon headed into the 2025 offseason as the undisputed lead back in the Texans’ offense. The former Bengals star quietly tied Josh Jacobs in fantasy points per game (17.2) last season, but finished 11 spots lower at RB17.
Ankle injuries saw Mixon miss three games and limited him in three more. Wildly, from Weeks 1-15, before he played through his second injury, Mixon was the RB2 overall in fantasy points per game (20.2).
Unfortunately, injury has struck again for the star RB, ruling him out for at least the first four games of the season after the team decided against activating him before cut-down day. Mixon should still be the team’s RB1 when he returns, but there are no guarantees when that will be.
Outgoing OC Bobby Slowik was replaced by Nick Caley, who joins Houston from a Rams team that leaned heavily on running back Kyren Williams in 2024. Workhorse usage is rare in today’s NFL, but Mixon could have a huge role if he can get himself back on the field.
The Texans star’s ADP will be hard to gauge after the team announced his PUP designation, as the player will likely continue to slip before the season starts. Mixon is a massive risk, but it could pay off handsomely if he can return midseason.
Your starting running backs should be on your roster by the time you need to make a decision on Mixon, making him a worthwhile stash with league-winning potential.
