Who Should I Start? Jordan Mason or Jerome Ford

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.

Wednesday, September 3, 11:47 AM

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford is listed as the starting running back on the team's depth chart heading into Cleveland's Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Fourth-round rookie Dylan Sampson is listed as the RB2 and will reportedly work as a change-of-pace back behind Ford early in the season. Second-round rookie Quinshon Judkins should factor into the backfield mix in Cleveland at some point this season, but remains unsigned for the time being after a domestic violence incident in July. Ford has a chance to outperform his draft-day cost until Judkins is signed and fully integrated into the offense. The 25-year-old Ford profiles as an RB3/flex option in Week 1.