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Should I drop Joe Mixon for fantasy football Week 5? Is Joe Mixon a safe player to cut? Read the fantasy football waivers outlook.
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (foot) has been sidelined throughout the entire regular season due to a foot injury. Mixon initially hit the non-football injury/reserve list at the start of the season.
Even though his practice window could open, Mixon has yet to return to the field, suggesting he is still several weeks away from a potential return.
Should fantasy managers drop Mixon from their roster? Let's dive in!
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Should I Drop Joe Mixon in Fantasy Football?
Any fantasy manager in a league that does not have an IR spot should consider dropping Joe Mixon ahead of Week 5. Earlier this week, Aaron Wilson of KPRC reported that the team has yet to provide any update regarding Mixon's timetable, which is not a good sign, since he could have returned this weekend.
Mixon's unclear timeline has continued to decrease his fantasy value throughout the opening month of the season.
While managers in formats with IR spots can still stash Mixon, they should instead pivot to other players on the IR with clearer timelines, such as Jalen Coker (quadriceps) or Aaron Jones Sr. (hamstring), who should make a greater impact for fantasy this season.
Joe Mixon Not Ready to Return https://t.co/x22mNOdy8w
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 29, 2025
Who Should I Pickup for Fantasy Football?
With Mixon's unclear timeline, managers should look to the waiver wire for a replacement. In his own backyard, Woody Marks has emerged as the top option and is still available in shallow formats. In Week 4, Marks led the way, totaling 69 yards and a score on 17 attempts and adding 50 yards and an additional touchdown on four receptions.
Another backfield to consider targeting is Arizona. With James Conner (foot) suffering a season-ending injury and their No. 2 option, Trey Benson (knee), hitting the IR, they will likely turn to Michael Carter to the backfield. Carter is projected to take on the starter's workload while Emari Demercado figures to have a role on passing downs.
Lastly, managers should also consider adding either Rico Dowdle or Trevor Etienne of the Carolina Panthers. Their starting option, Chuba Hubbard (calf) will not play in Week 5 and could potentially be in danger of missing Week 6, which should open the door for both Dowdle and Etienne to hold short and long-term upside.
Michael Carter Will Play "a Lot of Snaps" in Week 5https://t.co/7EPJ8BtP0Z
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) October 4, 2025
Who Should I Pickup Tool
Trying to decide who to pickup off the waiver wire instead? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to pickup...
Who Should I Pickup? Looking for a replacement? Some common 2025 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Woody Marks, Rico Dowdle, Rachaad White, Sean Tucker, Michael Carter, Trevor Etienne. But not to worry, we are here to help make these waiver wire decisions and build winning teams in 2025. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups in 2025. Our free Who Should I Pickup? tool will help make your fantasy football waiver wire decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to pickup... all free! Make the right decisions.
2025 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on players like Woody Marks, Rico Dowdle, Rachaad White, Sean Tucker, Michael Carter, Trevor Etienne. They are some of the most common searches for 2025 fantasy football waiver wire pickups.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy football rankings, projections, and more.
Recent Improvements For Who Should I Pickup? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Pickup? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win on the waiver wire in 2025. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football waiver wire rankings and projections based on their research, and updates them constantly throughout the week. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
Looking for a replacement? Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2025 for Woody Marks, Rico Dowdle, Rachaad White, Sean Tucker, Michael Carter, Trevor Etienne:
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