Who Should I Start? Jordan Mason or Bhayshul Tuten

Tuesday, August 5, 11:49 AM

Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason was viewed as a "massive" part of Minnesota's offseason plan, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. During the spring, the Vikings acquired Mason via a trade. During the 2024 campaign, Mason emerged as a key contributor to the San Francisco rushing attack when Christian McCaffrey was sidelined. On a career-high 153 carries, Mason tallied 789 yards and three scores. During the first seven weeks, Mason flashed RB1 upside as he averaged a strong 14.8 PPR points per game and averaged 95.3 yards per game during this stretch. In addition, reports from Vikings camp suggest the team views him and veteran Aaron Jones as "Co-RB1s." While Jones will likely see the slight majority of carries, Mason possesses much higher upside given his age and speed. He is worth viewing as a standalone flex option and a high-upside handcuff if Jones were to miss time.

Monday, August 11, 3:28 PM

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten got "a lot of run" with quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the first-string offense during Monday's practice, according to ESPN Radio's Mia O'Brien. O'Brien also reports that head coach Liam Coen was "very complimentary" of the 23-year-old's running in their preseason loss to the Steelers. Tuten was the third (and final) Jaguars running back to receive a touch in that one, but tied backfield mate Tank Bigsby for the team lead in carries (six), yards (24), and scored their lone rushing touchdown. By the looks of it, Travis Etienne Jr. is still the top dog here, with Tuten and Bigsby vying for touches behind him. However, Bigsby outproduced Etienne Jr. in 2024, and this room feels more open for the taking than initially anticipated. Jacksonville's final two preseason games should shed some more light on how this backfield will operate come the regular season.