Who Should I Start? Javonte Williams or Jordan Mason

Friday, January 2, 4:31 PM

Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams (shoulder, neck) has officially been ruled out for Sunday's season finale against the New York Giants, per The Athletic's Jon Machota. Williams has been battling a neck/shoulder injury that he originally suffered in Week 15. He was a non-participant every day of practice this week and will miss his first game of the season in Week 18. The 25-year-old has been a workhorse for the Cowboys in his first season with the team, finishing with 252 carries for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding 35 catches (51 targets) for 137 yards and two more scores as a receiver. The former Denver Bronco will end the season as the RB13 in PPR points per game (15.2), a major value for fantasy managers who spent a mid-to-late round pick on him in draft season. Malik Davis (calf, eye) has also been ruled out after missing practice all week, setting up rookie Jaydon Blue for the first meaningful action of his career in a favorable matchup against the Giants' 30th-ranked run defense.

Sunday, January 4, 8:45 AM

Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason is set to be the lead back for the Week 18 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Mason is set for an increased workload with the Vikings ruling out Aaron Jones Sr. (hip) for the regular-season finale. When Jones missed time early in the season, Mason rushed for over 50 yards in each of those games with three total touchdowns. The Packers are unlikely to play their starters on defense, as their postseason seeding is already determined. Mason is primed for a strong performance, so fantasy managers should strongly consider him for DFS contests or in leagues still playing for a fantasy championship. He offers borderline RB1 value without Jones in the mix and comes in as RotoBaller's RB10 in the latest rankings for Week 18.