It has been an eventful offseason off the field for Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon, who had an arrest warrant issued for aggravated menacing on Feb. 2, only to have the charges dropped and then later reinstated. The process is still ongoing, but it immediately introduces some uncertainty into the veteran’s outlook for 2023, as the NFL could elect to weigh in with disciplinary action at any point, regardless of how the legal process plays out. Or, conversely, they could decide to wait until after the season and/or impose no penalties at all.
While the possibility of a suspension hangs over Mixon, it’s by no means the only issue fantasy owners should consider heading into this season. Age and mileage are also becoming concerns. Mixon turns 27 in July, and he is entering his seventh year in the league. His durability to this point has been admirable, appearing in at least 14 games five times, and posting 270 or more touches in four of those campaigns, but it may be catching up with him.
To that end, Mixon is coming off his least effective full season since his rookie year, collecting 814 yards and seven touchdowns on 210 carries (3.9 YPC). If you omit 2020, when injuries limited him to six games, that’s well below his per-season averages of 269 carries, 1,170 yards (4.4 YPC), and 8.7 TDs from his previous three campaigns.
