Who Should I Start? Joe Mixon or RJ Harvey

Thursday, February 5, 8:40 AM

Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio said on Thursday that running back Joe Mixon (foot, ankle) will attempt to play in 2026, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. "Joe (Mixon) worked really hard to get himself ready. He's committed to trying to be able to play football this year. We'll see if he's physically able to do it or not. It's a little bit of a moving target," Caserio said. The GM said late last month that Mixon's foot/ankle injury last year was a "freak thing" that ended up keeping him out all year. The 29-year-old will attempt to play in 2026, but Caserio admits that it's no sure thing. Mixon has one year left on the three-year, $25.5 contract restructure that he signed in March of 2024, and the Texans can clear $8 million in salary cap space this year by cutting him. Even if Mixon sticks on Houston's roster, they could add to the RB position after Woody Marks took over as the primary back in 2025.

Saturday, February 14, 6:12 AM

Across 17 games as a rookie in 2025, Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey recorded 896 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns on 193 touches. The 25-year-old opened the season in a relatively limited RB2 role behind veteran Broncos back J.K. Dobbins. However, Dobbins suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 10, opening the door for Harvey to take on more backfield work. From Week 11 onwards, Harvey recorded 507 yards from scrimmage and scored six touchdowns. Heading into 2026, Harvey looks well-positioned to take over as Denver's full-time lead back as Dobbins is set to hit free agency this spring. The Broncos could easily re-sign Dobbins or bring in a different veteran back to ease Harvey's workload. Still, the trajectory of Harvey's rookie season indicates he's a player on the rise, and his fantasy stock in dynasty formats should be trending upward after 2025.