Ezekiel Elliott vs Joe Mixon: The Full Breakdown
Joe Mixon and Ezekiel Elliott are at different tiers heading into 2026. The Houston Texans running back averaged 16.5 PPG in 2025, a full 9.3 points per game ahead of Ezekiel Elliott's 7.2 with the Dallas Cowboys. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.
That 9.3-point weekly advantage for Joe Mixon is meaningful but not automatic. Fantasy football is a week-to-week sport, and the answer to "who should I start" often changes based on opponent, recent form, and game environment. Season averages set the baseline; weekly context makes the call.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. Ezekiel Elliott ran for 452 yards and 3 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.
Ezekiel Elliott has his bye in Week 7, 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.
