Joe Mixon: The 2020 Fantasy RB1?
While elite running backs like Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey will be flying of the board in the early part of the first round, the real number one overall running back in 2020 will be sitting in the back of the first round. Enter Joe Mixon. While he hasn’t had a true RB1 season yet in his career, he has the perfect setup in Cincinatti to have his best season yet and finish as the top overall running back in fantasy football.
Listen: Why Joe Mixon Is Ready For The Elite Club | The Feed Me Fantasy Podcast
Bellcow workload
In order to be the top running back in fantasy football, you need an elite workload. In 2019, three of the top five running backs in fantasy football ranked inside the top five for total carries. Joe Mixon saw career high carries in 2019 finishing tied for fifth with Chris Carson. In addition to his carries, he had 35 receptions and finished with over 300 touches.
Related | Six Running Backs We Love To Draft In 2020
Despite his high volume, Mixon struggled to produce offensively. He rushed for 31 less rushing yards in 2019 as he did in 2018 despite having 40 more carries. Mixon is once again locked in for over 300 touches in 2020. He has no competition for carries, and the Bengals didn’t take any running backs in the draft. His volume is elite, and luckily for Mixon, the Bengals upgraded offensive pieces will not only improve his yards per carry, but also allow Mixon to have his highest rushing yard total in his career.
Offensive Improvements
The Bengals offense in 2019 was atrocious, They finished in the bottom ten teams in yards per game, first downs per game, and redzone efficiency. Frankly, it is a miracle that Mixon was able to even produce at the level he did in 2019. Out of all running backs that had over 240 carries in 2019, Mixon had the fourth highest percentage of runs that went for negative yards with just under 20 percent. The Bengals played with inadequate quarterbacks and didn’t have their top wide receiver for the whole season.
While 2019 was a disaster for the Bengals, they are heading into 2020 with a lot more optimism. They drafted their future star quarterback Joe Burrow and added a true offensive weapon through the draft in Tee Higgins. Combine that with a now healthy AJ Green and Tyler Boyd, and the Bengals are shaping up to have a potent offense. Aside from the offensive pieces, the Bengals will have a stronger offensive line as well. Jonah Williams, an elite tackle, is coming back from injury and will give the Bengals much needed offensive line support. The bottom line is that last year was as bad as it could get for Bengals and Mixon still produced. With a stronger offensive line and new weapons, the Bengals will improve greatly in 2020 and Mixon will be a huge beneficiary of the offensive changes.
Uptick in Receiving Work
In terms of rushing volume, Mixon has most likely hit is ceiling, 278 carries is a lot for any back. However, there is room for improvement in regards to his receiving work. Despite ranking in the top five for carries, he ranked 32nd in receptions. If the reception work can increase, Mixon will be able to become the top fantasy running back in 2020.
The Bengals have been impressed with his receiving work so far and are planning on increasing his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. Here is an excerpt from an interview with the Bengals offensive coordinator: “Finding ways to get him some touches in the pass game are some of the things we’ve looked at and studied ways to do it better.. and we’re going to target him eight times a game, or something like that”. While all coach speak needs to be taken with a grain of salt, Mixon was averaging barely two receptions a game last year so any increase will be great for Mixon. Factor in the rookie quarterback situation, Mixon figures to receive a lot of checkdown passes as a safety valve for Burrow.
Conclusion:
Opportunity, talent, and a good offense are the key factors that generate an elite fantasy season. With a high volume in carries and receiving work, a rejuvenated offense, and superb talent, Joe Mixon is a sure bet to surprise everyone and finish as the number one running back in fantasy football.
SEASONAL RANKINGS |TOP-300|
DYNASTY RANKINGS | QB | RB | WR | TE | 1QB ROOKIES | SF ROOKIES
