I’m Buying Joe Mixon Stock For The First Time Ever In 2023
Fantasy success and real NFL success are two very different things. I think Joe Mixon stinks and he’s one of the most overrated running backs in the entire league. Mixon has been all over the map in terms of a fantasy asset. Some years, he helped you. Other years, he totally tanked your season. In 2023, I think this may the first year ever that I’m okay with ending up with Mixon.
In past years, Mixon has always been ranked fairly high. For a mediocre talent, I was never willing to part with high resources to acquire the former Oklahoma product. Mixon isn’t going free in drafts but you also don’t have to part with an arm and a leg anymore to get him. He went for a record low $17 in the auction league I’m in. He’s largely outside of the top 15 in most rankings.
There are just things that are true for Mixon this year.
He plays for the Bengals.
Semaje Perine is gone.
Mixon took a pay cut and they’re going to run him into the ground until the squeeze every ounce of juice out of him.
Mixon has averaged over 4.1 yards per carry in his career just once. The thing is, he doesn’t really need to be efficient. On this Bengals team that could easily win the Super Bowl, Mixon could easily fall into the end zone 13 times like he did in 21. The red zone carries will be there.
So will the receptions. Mixon had 75 targets last year. What’s going to happen to that number now that Perine is gone? I got news for everyone… the backup running back spot in Cincinnati is shaky. Trayveon Williams never stays healthy and Chase Brown looked like the worst player on the field at the Senior Bowl.
I’m not saying I’m dying to go get Joe Mixon. I am saying that I’ll gladly take him this year if he slides and I need a running back. Volume is crucial in fantasy football and the touches are going to be there for Mixon in a big way barring injury.
