Who Should I Start? Aaron Jones or Omarion Hampton

Monday, April 7, 12:27 PM

The Minnesota Vikings have running back Aaron Jones penciled in as their starting RB again in 2025 after paying him more to return ($20 million over two seasons). However, ESPN's Kevin Seifert writes that new RB Jordan Mason isn't going to be a typical backup after they acquired him in a trade from the San Francisco 49ers. Head coach Kevin O'Connell has been very clear that he wants to pull back on Jones' usage after he set career-highs in snaps (700), rushing attempts (255) and total touches (306) in 2024. "When he has historically had that 1A/1B backfield structure, he can be a total game-changer every time he touches the ball," O'Connell said. "So it was always about bringing Aaron back ... but what are we going to pair him with?" It's obviously bad news for Jones' chances of an RB1 finish in fantasy in 2025, with Mason expected to be used in short-yardage and goal-line situations for the Vikes.

Monday, May 19, 3:26 PM

NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reports that first-round rookie running back Omarion Hampton has agreed to a four-year, $17.77 million deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. The contract includes a $9.56 million signing bonus. Hampton and backfield mate Najee Harris are set to split time in Jim Harbaugh's offense, which caps the former Tar Heel's immediate upside. Still, his long-term outlook is looking quite rosy. Like Harris, the 22-year-old is a powerful, bruising back with a three-down skill set, though he possesses much more explosiveness than the veteran. Even if Hampton starts the season off behind his teammate in carries, it wouldn't be surprising to see him even out the workload over the course of the season -- if not outright taking the job if he adjusts quickly enough.