Who Should I Start? Joe Mixon or Brian Robinson Jr.

Friday, September 12, 1:38 AM

A lack of injury updates on Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle, foot) is creating a sense of concern and uncertainty for fantasy managers. The Texans have provided very few updates on Mixon since placing him on the non-football injury list, and general manager Nick Caserio was non-committal on the running back playing this season. That was two weeks ago, though, and a lack of chatter about the veteran ball-carrier puts managers in a difficult position. Roster spots are precious, so managers only want to stash Mixon if they think he's going to return later this year. Even in leagues with IR spots, there's no point in holding Mixon if the Texans don't expect him back. However, with the team declining to provide an update, managers have no choice but to keep him on the back end of their rosters. In the meantime, Nick Chubb will remain the team's primary running back with Dameon Pierce and Woody Marks also getting involved.

Saturday, September 13, 1:14 AM

San Francisco 49ers running back Brian Robinson Jr. may see an uptick in usage when the team faces the Saints on Sunday. With quarterback Brock Purdy (toe, shoulder) out, wide receiver Jauan Jennings (shoulder) questionable, and tight end George Kittle (hamstring) on injured reserve, San Francisco is short on playmakers. In Week 2, San Francisco may prefer to grind things out on the ground now that Mac Jones is under center. If that's the case, Robinson should mix in regularly in order to avoid overworking Christian McCaffrey (31 touches in Week 1). Robinson projects as an RB4 in Week 2. While he is not a must-start, he is a viable flex in deeper leagues and should be rostered in most leagues.