Who Should I Start? Aaron Jones or Saquon Barkley

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.

Wednesday, June 4, 6:22 PM

When asked about retirement down the road, Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley said could eventually be a spur-of-the-moment decision. "I'll probably be one of those guys that it would be out of nowhere," Barkley said. "I'll probably just wake up one day, whether it's next year or two years or four years and just be like, 'yeah, it's over.'" The 28-year-old had an eventful first year in Philly in 2024, leading the league in carries (345), rushing yards (2,005) and yards per game (125.3) in 16 regular-season starts while helping the Eagles win their second Super Bowl championship. It's hard to see the volume staying so high as he nears the dreaded 30-year-old mark for RBs, but as long as he stays healthy, Barkley should continue to be a high-end RB1 in fantasy in one of the best offenses in the NFL. While there's a lot to like about the three-time Pro Bowler, he'll also be one of the bigger bust candidates thanks to his injury history.