Joe Mixon is apparently on track to be one of the NFL’s best-kept secrets going into next season.
The Cincinnati Bengals running back ended up leading the AFC in rushing last year, running for 1,168 yards and eight scores and catching more than 40 passes.
Impressive considering Mixon wasn’t playing with Andy Dalton the entire season, ran behind what was by far the NFL’s worst offensive line and had to face defenses not worried about A.J. Green or Tyler Eifert for most of the season. Feel free to add on compensating for the league’s worst defense.
Yet, as we noted, Mixon was already omitted from one top 25 players under 25 years old list.
Now he’s missing from another, simply listed as a missed the cut.
Fantasy football outlooks aren’t exactly being kind either:
Perhaps Zac Taylor’s offense being an unknown going into next year is a big part of the justification for Mixon flying under the radar here.
But Mixon’s blend of patience and athleticism has earned him whispers of Le’Veon Bell already, which is all the more impressive given the circumstances surrounding him last year.
With Mixon figuring to be a centerpiece of an improved attack next year, it is quite clear he’ll pop up on plenty of “surprise” lists soon enough.
