Devin Neal vs Joe Mixon: Who Should You Start?
Joe Mixon and Devin Neal are at different tiers heading into 2026. The Houston Texans running back averaged 16.5 PPG in 2025, a full 10.8 points per game ahead of Devin Neal's 5.7 with the New Orleans Saints. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.
The per-game difference of 10.8 points favors Joe Mixon, though savvy managers know that gap can shrink or widen depending on the weekly slate. Defensive matchup, recent scoring trends, and health status all shift the calculus from one running back to the other.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. Devin Neal ran for 206 yards and 2 touchdowns; Joe Mixon posted 1165 and 11. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.
Devin Neal has his bye in Week 11, and Joe Mixon rests in Week 14. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at running back for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
