Who Should I Start? Joe Mixon or Travis Etienne Jr.

Thursday, November 20, 12:34 PM

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle, foot) is not expected to play this season as he deals with a foot injury from the offseason, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Mixon will likely stay on the Physically Unable to Perform list through the end of the 2025 season, while the Texans move forward with veteran Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks in their backfield. Things had been trending this way for a while, as the Texans haven't been giving any real updates on Mixon for pretty much the entire season. Fantasy managers who are still stashing the 29-year-old in redraft leagues should send him to the waiver wire now. Mixon's injury dates all the way back to spring workouts. One would think he'd be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign, but there has been little information about the exact nature of his injury. Marks, a fourth-rounder in April, has slowly started to see more work and should be the backfield leader over Chubb by the end of the year.

Sunday, December 7, 9:27 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. had a big day in his team's Week 14 win over the Indianapolis Colts, recording 74 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. The 26-year-old also hauled in his lone target for an eight-yard reception. Etienne Jr. has now recorded at least 18 touches in six out of his last seven games played. Across 13 contests in 2025, he's logged 1,098 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns on 227 touches. While the Jaguars have split work between Etienne Jr. and rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten at times this season, Etienne Jr. out-touched Tuten 20 to two in a crucial division matchup against Indianapolis. Etienne Jr. has established himself as a must-start fantasy running back heading into his Week 15 matchup against the New York Jets.