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Cincinnati Bengals starting running back Joe Mixon hasn’t practiced the last few days, reportedly missing time due to migraines, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. There is optimism he will be back soon, but the underlying climate for Mixon’s training camp includes his desire for a new contract before his rookie deal expires.
We have no idea if Mixon’s migraines and missed practices are a sign to the team that he will find a way to hold out if he doesn’t get an extension, but we have to assume it could be. Back in April, Mixon was “prepared for a holdout,” per the The Athletic’s Paul Dehner. Mixon finished the 2019 season strong and believes he is worth more than the 1.2 million he is set to earn in the last year of his rookie contract.
In today’s NFL climate, running backs aren’t valued nearly as much as they once were, but that doesn’t mean Mixon can’t get a new contract. Unfortunately, it does mean he will likely need to settle for less money than he’d like. We’ll see how this plays out, but for fantasy football, it is worth knocking Mixon down a few spots in case he does miss time with a hold out.