Who Should I Start? Joe Mixon or Jamaal Williams

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, August 11, 12:00 PM

Free-agent running back Jamaal Williams is scheduled to work out for the Miami Dolphins on Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Williams worked out for the Chicago Bears on Saturday, so he could be getting close to signing with a team for the 2025 season. The 30-year-old played in 14 games for the New Orleans Saints in 2024, rushing for 164 yards and one touchdown on 48 carries. He's a complementary piece at this point, but Williams has been an effective goal-line and short-yardage player at certain times in his career. Miami has Jaylen Wright, Alexander Mattison, and Ollie Gordon II as the leading candidates for the RB2 role behind De'Von Achane. However, Mattison (neck/shoulder) left the team's first preseason game early with neck and shoulder soreness, so Williams could be brought in as a veteran replacement.