Who Should I Start? Aaron Jones Sr. or Jordan Mason

Thursday, October 23, 7:26 PM

After being activated from Injured Reserve earlier in the day, Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (hamstring) is officially active and will return to play against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Week 8 on Thursday Night Football. Jones is returning to action this week for the first time since injuring his hamstring in the Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. It's surely a boost for Minnesota's ground game, but on a short week after he returned to practice on Tuesday, it seems unlikely that the 30-year-old veteran will see more touches in the backfield over Jordan Mason, who has been serving as the team's lead back when Jones was on IR. The Chargers were just dominated on the ground by Colts RB Jonathan Taylor, but Jones is an extremely risky lineup option on a short week without much practice time. Mason is the better play against the Bolts.

Wednesday, October 22, 9:53 PM

Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason has an enticing matchup, but might not have full control of the Vikings' backfield in a Thursday game at the Los Angeles Chargers. Backfield mate Aaron Jones (hamstring) is eligible to come off injured reserve as of this week, had his practice window opened, and is listed as questionable, which is a variable worth watching prior to the game. This week brings a good matchup for any Minnesota rusher as they take on a Chargers defense ranked 28th in yards per carry allowed, 31st in rushing touchdowns allowed, and 29th in expected points added from rushing defense. Mason has earned at least 15 touches in four games in a row, giving him a solid fantasy floor as a steady RB2 option. Ultimately, managers should check back in to see if Jones is active before making a final decision.