Bengals running back Joe Mixon has been a consistent presence in the Bengals offense and often doesn’t get the credit he deserves. In five seasons, he’s recorded 4,564 rushing yards, 33 rushing touchdowns, 1,104 carries, 171 receptions, 1,322 receiving yards, and eight receiving touchdowns.
Last season was his first year being selected to the Pro Bowl after he put up career-highs in rushing yards (1,205) and rushing touchdowns (13). He finished 2021 as the #3 fantasy running back and the #11 player overall. His 245.9 fantasy points ranked 19th among all players.
Mixon’s emergence last year was in no small part due to QB Joe Burrow’s MVP-caliber season. He also got help from rookie WR Ja’Marr Chase, who challenged defenses all year long, which allowed Mixon to get more high-value touches despite not being in most third down sets.
He saw 42 red-zone carries on the year, which was tied for 8th in the league; his 12 red-zone touchdowns were tied for 4th. Mixon operates as the ideal balanced back for Cincinnati, possessing the ability to catch and run with consistency in and out of the red-zone. With Burrow and the new offensive line this year, Mixon is poised to have a solid follow-up to his career year this season.
Health Analysis – Mixon has dealt with a handful of injuries over the last few years. He had surgery on his right knee in 2018, a foot sprain in 2020, and a series of ankle sprains in 2021. He’s also coming off of a season-ending foot injury. His Injury Risk is Elevated (21%) and his Health Performance Factor is Above Average (79%).
Despite this, he should continue to carry a heavy workload and see plenty of red zone work, making him a strong option late in the first round. There is always some level of concern when a player has had multiple foot/ankle injuries, but his 2021 injury was pretty minor.
| ATT | YDS | TD | YDS/A | YDS/G | ATT/G |
| 292 | 1205 | 13 | 4.1 | 75.3 | 18.3 |