Okay, let’s talk about this headache I had trying to figure out who to roll with: Rhamondre Stevenson or Joe Mixon. This stuff keeps you up at night sometimes, you know?
My Initial Dilemma
So, I was staring at my roster, looking at these two guys. Both have shown they can be really solid fantasy players, right? But they both had question marks floating around them this offseason, making it a real toss-up.
My first gut feeling was kind of split. I remembered Stevenson looking like a beast two seasons ago, catching passes, running hard. But last year? Not so great, and that Patriots offense looked terrible. Then there’s Mixon, always seems to get the volume, but maybe not the most explosive guy, and now he’s on a completely new team with the Texans.
Digging In (Kind Of)
I didn’t pull out any super complex spreadsheets or anything. Mostly, I just thought back to watching them play and looked up some basic stuff. Here’s what was bouncing around in my head:
- Rhamondre Stevenson: He’s the main guy in New England, probably. When he’s healthy, he gets a lot of work, both running and catching. That’s good. But, that Patriots offense… who’s the QB? Is the line any good? Feels like he could get a ton of carries for like, 60 yards and no touchdowns. That’s a killer.
- Joe Mixon: Okay, he moved to Houston. That offense looked way better last year with Stroud. They should move the ball more than the Pats. That means more chances to score, right? But, will he get the same huge workload he got in Cincy? They have Dameon Pierce there too. Maybe it’s more of a split than people think? Plus, Mixon isn’t exactly Mr. Efficiency sometimes.
Making the Call
I spent a good bit of time just mulling it over. Went back and forth a few times. Watched some highlights from last year, tried to picture how each guy would fit into their offense this season.
What really pushed me one way was thinking about the team situation. Houston’s offense just feels like it has way more potential to be good, maybe even great. More trips to the red zone usually mean more chances for the running back to punch it in. Even if Mixon splits work a little, the quality of his touches might be better.
With Stevenson, it felt like betting on talent in a really bad situation. Like, he could be awesome, but the team might just drag him down. Too much risk for me, especially early in the season when you’re trying to figure things out.
The Decision
So, after all that back-and-forth, I landed on Joe Mixon. It felt like the slightly safer play with potentially similar, maybe even higher, upside because he’s tied to what I think will be a much better offense. It wasn’t an easy choice, and honestly, Stevenson could totally prove me wrong if the Patriots surprise everyone. But you gotta make a call, and Mixon felt like the better bet for my squad based on what I was seeing and feeling.
