Joe Mixon injury update: Latest on Bengals RB for fantasy football Week 9

The last time Joe Mixon faced off against the Buffalo Bills, he helped the Cincinnati Bengals defeat them in the NFL Playoffs last year. He is likely looking forward to the opportunity to do so again when the two legitimate AFC contenders meet again on Sunday Night Football in Week 9 of the 2023 NFL season.

Before that can happen, Mixon will need to overcome a chest injury that he is reportedly dealing with this week. He was a surprising addition to the Bengals' first official Week 9 injury report on Wednesday. This puts his status for the game, as well as in fantasy football, in serious jeopardy.

Joe Mixon injury update

Joe Mixon update

Joe Mixon has officially been listed with a chest injury on the Cincinnati Bengals' first Week 9 injury report. This was released by the team at their first practice session on Wednesday during the week leading up to their important clash with the Buffalo Bills. He was able to log limited participation in practice, which is better than being a non-participant but still a concerning development.

Mixon will have two more opportunities on Thursday and Friday to potentially get back to being a full participant in practice, or he will run the risk of receiving an official injury designation ahead of Week 9. Fantasy managers will want to monitor his progress throughout the week before finalizing a decision on whether or not to use him in lineups.

What happened to Joe Mixon?

It's unclear precisely what happened to Mixon, but he likely injured himself at some point during his Week 8 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. He completed the game in its entirety without any reported in-game injuries, so it was a bit surprising to see his name pop up on the injury report this week.

It's possible he suffered some chest injury during the game and played through it, whether he was aware of it. Sometimes players don't realize injuries until after a game concludes when it's relatively minor. It's also possible that the Bengals are simply limiting his practice reps this week, giving their star running back a bit of rest before the second half of the 2023 NFL season.

When will Joe Mixon return?

With no reported injuries during last week's game against the 49ers, as well as being able to log a limited session in the Bengals' first Week 9 practice, it would appear that Mixon has a strong chance of playing against the Bills despite being listed on the initial injury report.

If he cannot suit up for this game, his next opportunity to do so will come in Week 10 against the Houston Texans in Cincinnati. Fantasy football managers should pay attention to his practice activity and official injury updates during the week to give them a better idea about his potential availability. This is an important matchup for the Bengals in Week 9, so Mixon will likely do everything he can to try to play.