The Houston Texans rolled the dice on Joe Mixon in 2024 and hit the jackpot. He became part of a powerful running game that helped carry them to the playoffs after losing a chunk of their receiving corps, keeping things close with the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs.
The Texans then added former Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb to create a powerful one-two punch, designed to help keep the pressure off quarterback C.J. Stroud. However, that masterplan has been thrown into serious doubt.
What’s Joe Mixon’s Status Heading into Preseason Week 2?
Unfortunately, Mixon has been sidelined from training camp with a foot injury, and it remains unclear when he may return. Mixon was placed on the team’s non-football injury list and faces the real possibility of missing Week 1.
According to Aaron Wilson, “Mixon is not considered a lock to be ready for the season-opener against the Los Angeles Rams.”
“The Texans will take their time with managing his recovery and will not rush him back onto the field after missing the entire offseason and the majority of training camp so far,” continued Wilson. “They can lean on Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, Dare Ogunbowale, and Woody Marks in his absence.”
Mixon delivered a stellar campaign in 2024, rushing for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding 36 receptions for 309 yards and another touchdown. He maintained that excellence through the playoffs, grinding out 106 yards and a touchdown in a Wild Card victory against the Los Angeles Chargers, then following up with 88 yards and a touchdown in the Division Round loss to the Chiefs.
Mixon’s Status Up in the Air After Latest Concerning Update
According to Jeff Mueller, a fantasy football injury analyst, things are not optimistic for Mixon’s availability ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
“I have received info from two different people,” wrote Mueller on X (formerly known as Twitter). “That info has been enough for me to fully remove Joe Mixon from my board for 2025.”
In his absence, Chubb is expected to step into the number one role, thrusting him into a spotlight he hasn’t occupied since his injury.
Can Nick Chubb Still Be the Texans’ Lead Back?
Chubb, 29, is entering his eighth year in the NFL with significant questions surrounding his readiness. As recently as 2023, he was considered one of the best running backs in football, but he suffered a devastating knee injury just two games into that season that changed everything.
He returned in 2024 and played eight games, carrying the ball 102 times for 332 yards and three touchdowns while adding five receptions for 31 yards and another score. While those numbers show he can still contribute, they’re a far cry from his dominant pre-injury production.
Whether Chubb can still be “that guy” is up for debate, but the Texans are about to find out in the most critical way possible. Behind him in the depth chart are veteran Dameon Pierce and Woody Marks. Pierce brings a downhill running style, while Marks offers dynamic talent that works well in space and passing situations.
Regardless of the depth options, Mixon’s absence throws the Texans’ backfield into complete flux. The plan was for Mixon to handle the heavy lifting as the lead back, with Chubb keeping the running game fresh through rotation. Now, the Texans will spend the preseason discovering if their stable of running backs can carry the offensive load without their intended centerpiece.
The Texans do have other weapons surrounding Stroud to ease the burden. They added Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, and Christian Kirk. The key challenge becomes finding a way to keep the ship afloat until Mixon can re-enter the mix and give the Texans the devastating one-two punch in the backfield they originally envisioned.
In the Texans’ Week 1 preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings, Dare Ogunbowale led the team in rushing with 29 yards on five carries, while Jawhar Jordan added six carries for 18 yards.
The focus now shifts to preseason Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers, where the Texans will be hoping one of their running backs steps up in Joe Mixon’s absence.
