Who Should I Start? Jordan Mason or Jaylen Warren

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.

Tuesday, August 5, 10:13 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren was listed as the top running back on the team's initial preseason depth chart. Veteran Kenneth Gainwell is listed behind only Warren, while rookie Kaleb Johnson is the third back on the depth chart. Johnson has been struggling with pass coverage, according to reports, which could limit his role early in the season and give Warren and Gainwell a chance to dominate the workload. Warren has always been excellent in pass coverage and could benefit from Aaron Rodgers' tendency to check down to running backs. Johnson could still earn short-yardage and goal-line work as the preseason continues, but for now, Warren looks to be the clear frontrunner for work in the Steelers' backfield.