Joe Mixon was a pretty good player in fantasy last year (1,424 yards from scrimmage, 8 total touchdowns, and 35 receptions) but he could be looking to take a big step forward. Mixon was stuck in a really bad situation last year but he played very well, as he led the NFL in evaded tackles. In a better situation, that type of elusiveness could make Mixon a top-3 running back. The Bengals offense will be much better this year with A.J. Green coming back and the addition of Joe Burrow. Last year the Bengals were starting backup quarterbacks, so even as a rookie Burrow will be a massive improvement. The offense was so bad last year that Mixon averaged only 4.1 yards per carry despite being the most elusive running back in football. With Green back and Burrow a threatening passer, defenses won’t be able to load the box as much to stop Mixon. On top of that, playing in a better offense gives Mixon more touchdown upside and will keep him on the field for longer, resulting in more carries. Despite being a very talented pass catcher, Mixon has not been used very much as a receiver with the Bengals. That cou;d potentially change with Burrow coming in, but it isn’t something you should count on because Giovani Bernard is still there. Overall, Joe Mixon should be able to improve on his already solid numbers last year, and he is a safe pick with a floor of what we saw last year.