Joe Mixon's Fantasy Football Value In Question After Texans Sign Nick Chubb

Michael Fabiano | Jun 9, 2025

Texans RB Joe Mixon (28) rushed for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns in 14 games last season. / Thomas B. Shea-Imagn Images

The majority of the NFL’s big-name free agents have long been signed, but there are still a few players floating out there, including former Browns superstar running back Nick Chubb.

Well, not anymore.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Chubb will be signing a one-year deal with the Houston Texans after passing his physical It’s not what I would call a fantasy-friendly move either, at least not on the surface. It might also raise red flags in terms of the health and fantasy value of incumbent starter Joe Mixon.

Mixon was fantastic in the first half of the season, ranking sixth in fantasy points among running backs over the first 13 weeks. He was even better on a points-per-game basis, as only Saquon Barkley was ahead of Mixon in that statistical department during that time.

The wheels fell off after that, however, as Mixon was the RB43 based on total points scored over the final five weeks. During that time, he scored no more than 10.6 points in a game and was held to single digits three times. That killed the title hopes of countless managers.

Now heading into his age-29 campaign, Mixon comes with health questions. He was seen in a walking boot during the offseason and did not participate in Houston’s OTAs. We’re not exactly sure if this ailment will affect his status for training camp, and now the Texans will have Chubb on the roster. This comes after the team drafted Woody Marks in April.

Mixon has been a very good fantasy back over the years, but concerns about his health and the addition of Chubb signal a potential problem. As a result, I’m moving Mixon down in my rankings, making him a mid- to low-end No. 2 runner. Chubb, who has health concerns of his own coming back from both knee and foot injuries, remains no more than an RB5.

In all, this is backfield I’d probably be looking to avoid if at all possible.