The Cincinnati Bengals kicked off the 2018 NFL season on a high note with a 34-23 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1. At the forefront of their success was running back Joe Mixon.

Mixon proved to be an integral part of the offense on Sunday. According to Geoff Hobson of the team's official website, head coach Marvin Lewis is confident he can handle an even bigger workload moving forward:

Marv: likes Mixon's number of catches (5) and thinks he can carry it 22 times

Mixon finished the day with 17 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown while tacking on five receptions for 54 yards. His versatile skill set out of the backfield made him a matchup nightmare for the Indianapolis Colts. It appears Levy feels he can do it on a weekly basis.
The designation should come as no surprise. The Bengals have been trying to make Mixon the workhorse since the better part of last year. Cincinnati already had a decent 1-2 punch going with running backs Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard. However, it became evident the Bengals were ready to transition to a one-man backfield when they Mixon in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
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For Cincinnati's offense has shown some signs of improvement from last season. This means Joe Mixon could be poised to finally take on that workhorse role for good. If that is the case, there is a very good chance he sees 25 or more touches per game from here on out. Needless to say, this is quite the vote of confidence from Levy. However, it is one that could pay huge dividends for the Bengals given his cheap contract.