Is Joe Mixon Injured or Playing In Week 4? Should I Start Cam Akers For Fantasy Football?

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle) was struck with the injury bug in Week 2 after putting up a stellar performance for fantasy managers in Week 1. As is often the case with hip-drop tackles, Mixon's ankle was rolled up on by a defender and twisted at an extreme angle.

Mixon was coming off a huge Week 1 where he demolished the Indianapolis Colts defense to the tune of 30 carries for 159 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and one rushing touchdown, along with three catches for 19 yards, good for 26.80 PPR fantasy points. Mixon was off to a hot start, so it's disappointing he got hurt so soon.

The Texans will face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Is Joe Mixon still hurt, or will he play in Week 4? Should you start Cam Akers instead? Let's dive in.

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Is Joe Mixon Playing In Week 4?

Update: Multiple sources, including ESPN's Adam Schefter, are reporting that Joe Mixon will be OUT today.

You love it, your league-mates love it, everyone loves it when a player is a true game-time decision. Unfortunately, that's exactly what Mixon is this week. Mixon will reportedly test out his ankle promptly before the final inactive list deadline has passed. Fantasy managers may need to wait until 90 minutes before the game to find out what Mixon's status is.

Texans RB Joe Mixon, listed as questionable for today due to a sprained ankle, is out today vs. the Jaguars.

Another week of Texans RB Cam Akers leading the way.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 29, 2024

It's not uncommon for this situation to occur, and unfortunately without detailed information on Mixon's injury, it's not possible for managers to know whether he's more or less likely to start until official confirmation has arrived. This underscores the importance of continuing to check for updates.

NFL rules dictate that Mixon must be declared active if he will play and inactive if he's not. Fantasy managers of Mixon should have Akers stashed on their bench and ready to sub in for Mixon once the inactive list is released if Mixon is designated as not playing.

Should I Start Joe Mixon for Fantasy Football Week 4?

It doesn't inspire confidence in Mixon that he's not even sure whether he'll be able to play until immediately before the game. That would mean he's probably still in significant pain, and his ankle could be less functional. We could see Mixon's workload managed, though the Texans haven't commented on this situation.

#17 Joe Mixon is a game-time decision.

He didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday.

But Mixon was able to practice in limited fashion on Friday.

If he was to miss – Cam Akers becomes a must start…

— SAL VETRI (@SalVetriDFS) September 29, 2024

If Mixon plays, he's a must-start due to his workhorse nature and the terrible quality of play the Jaguars have put on display so far this season. The Jaguars have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs in full-PPR scoring.

If Mixon doesn't play, Akers becomes a must-start due to his projected workload (basically all of it) and again, the fact that the Jaguars run defense is horrible. It's a pretty simple situation overall - you just want to start the lead back!

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