Who Should I Start? Joe Mixon or James Conner

Wednesday, May 6, 7:53 AM

Free agent running back Joe Mixon (ankle, foot) remains unsigned, and now that we've reached the month of May, there are serious questions about whether he'll be able to occupy a meaningful role for the 2026 season. Mixon missed all of last year due to injury, and while we know he was dealing with ankle and foot issues, the Texans were very secretive about his status and why his injury timeline dragged on so much longer than anticipated. Even as Mixon hits free agency, we still haven't heard any updates about his health or status. The fact that none of the 32 teams has signed him feels discouraging, though. It was a rapid fall-off for the veteran back, who is just one year removed from tallying 1,016 rushing yards, 309 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns in Houston. Now, if he does sign somewhere, it'll likely be in a backup role, capping his standalone value in the RB3/flex tier (at best). As long as he's unsigned, Mixon is somewhat untouchable in fantasy football, slotting in as the overall RB73 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings.