Longtime Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon will be released and replaced by free-agent RB Zack Moss, helping the team get younger and the books get lighter.
3/12 update: Mixon was traded to the Houston Texans instead of being released.
Zach Moss in, Joe Mixon out. https://t.co/POlhrgbwP8
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2024
Mixon has become mostly a plodder the past few seasons, though the seven-year pro has developed a nose for the end zone as his career has chugged along. In the first four years, he found paydirt 25 total times but has posted 37 scores in the past three campaigns. The ascension of Joe Burrow hasn’t hurt his cause, preventing defenses from fully selling out in the red zone. An adept receiver and quality blocker, Mixon should pick up in Houston where he left off, despite entering his age-28 season.
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As for Moss, he split time early in his career with Buffalo before being sent to the Indianapolis Colts a couple of years back. He filled in admirably for Jonathan Taylor last year, generating 466 rushing yards, 576 total yards, and five offensive TDs between Week 2 and Week 6. He remained involved upon Taylor’s return until seeing his workload significantly decrease before fracturing his forearm late in the year.
Moss has enough talent to be a three-down option, though it’s likely Cincinnati works in Chase Brown to enough of a degree that this might even devolve into a full-on committee.
Fantasy football outlook
It’s simply too early to make a definitive fantasy claim as to Moss’ value, but he has a prime opportunity to finish in the neighborhood of RB10 to RB15 with a similar workload to what Mixon has offered in recent years. He’s not the same quality pass catcher, but Moss isn’t the worst receiver out of the backfield, either.
We’ll do a deep dive on this situation following the NFL draft. In the meantime, Moss’ dynasty worth is trending upward, and all gamers should be optimistic about his upcoming season.