Who Should I Start? Joe Mixon or David Montgomery

Wednesday, September 17, 11:11 AM

The Houston Texans have been worringly vague when providing updates on the status of running back Joe Mixon (ankle, foot), who did not participate in any team offseason activities while recovering from an ankle/foot injury. Mixon was placed on the non-football injury list before the start of the regular season, meaning his earliest possible return date is Week 5 against the Baltimore Ravens. However, it appears as though Mixon will likely be out significantly longer and could even miss the entirety of 2025. The 29-year-old was a huge piece of Houston's offense in 2024, totaling 1,325 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns in 14 games. In Mixon's absence so far, the Texans have turned to veteran running back Nick Chubb, who has 103 rushing yards and a touchdown on 25 carries through the team's first two games. Mixon may be worth stashing in an IR spot for fantasy managers, but the lack of updates from the team is a concerning sign.

Monday, September 15, 11:17 PM

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries in his team's 52-21 Week 2 win over the Chicago Bears. Since joining the Lions, Montgomery has been one of the NFL's most consistent red-zone backs. The 28-year-old has not gone consecutive games within a season without scoring a touchdown since December 2023. On a less positive note for fantasy managers, Montgomery appears set for a secondary role behind Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit this season. Although Gibbs only earned one more carry than Montgomery in Week 2, Montgomery was on the field for 10 fewer snaps. The veteran has also recorded seven fewer touches than his backfield mate through the first two games of the season. Montgomery remains a consistent flex option in fantasy, but he'll likely be reliant on finding the end zone again to produce in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens.