Who Should I Start? Joe Mixon or Ashton Jeanty

Tuesday, February 24, 5:18 PM

The Houston Chronicle's Jonathan M. Alexander writes that "all signs point to a potential break between" running back Joe Mixon (ankle, foot) and the Houston Texans this offseason. Mixon ran for over 1,000 yards and had 11 touchdowns in 2024, but he didn't play at all in 2025 due to a freak ankle/foot injury last offseason. There are no injury updates on the 29-year-old this offseason after he had surgery, and general manager Nick Caserio said that Mixon's future with the club is "day-to-day." The Texans originally were hoping that Mixon would return last year, but he never did, and he sought treatment outside of the team's facilities. Mixon is entering the final year of a three-year deal he signed back in 2024, but the final year of the deal isn't guaranteed. The Texans, who are currently $4.9 million over the salary cap, could save $8.5 million in cap space by cutting him. Regardless of where Mixon is playing in 2026, his fantasy stock will be way down, and it's not even a guarantee he'll be ready for Week 1.

Friday, January 30, 3:21 PM

Given his status as the number six overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, expectations were high for Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty coming into his rookie season. Despite having a miserable supporting cast around him in Las Vegas, the 22-year-old managed to rack up 1,321 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns on 321 touches. Still, he left a lot to be desired from an efficiency perspective. Jeanty averaged just 3.7 yards per carry and 4.1 yards per touch in 2025. Heading into 2026, the Raiders will have a new coaching staff and potentially a new quarterback in place, which could help to maximize Jeanty's talent. However, the team may struggle to completely overhaul its offensive line, which profiled as one of the league's worst this past season. Jeanty remains an ultra-high-upside fantasy running back in dynasty formats, but both he and his organization will enter 2026 with plenty to prove.