5 candidates who could lead the Bengals in rushing yards in 2023

1. Joe Mixon

Football fans gush over the new guys and grow attached to the players who have been on the roster for a while and who we hope will take the next step. However, sometimes, when answering questions such as who will lead the team in rushing yards, the simple answer is the correct response.  

The team’s 2023 rushing title will belong to Joe Mixon at the end of the season. Every year Mixon has played an entire season, he has rushed for over 1,000 yards. He appeared in 14 games and still rushed for 1,168 yards in his second season. Last year, while his rushing yards were down, he had his best year catching the ball out of the backfield. He finished the season with a career-best 60 receptions for 441 yards. 

Since entering the league in 2017, Mixon has been the team’s leading rusher and it has not been particularly close.

In 2020, Mixon played in only six games but still led the team in rushing. His 428 rushing yards that season bested Giovani Bernard’s 416 and Samaje Perine’s 301. 

The only way for anyone other than Mixon to lead the team in rushing yards is if he were to not see the field for an extended period of time. And even then, the backs might not surpass his season totals. 

If healthy, expect the seven-year veteran to finish the season as the Bengals player with the most rushing yards. Hopefully, Mixon will have his best season yet, helping the Bengals get to where they want to be while hitting all of his bonuses in his contract earning back some of the money he gave up in his contract restructuring.