Who Should I Start? Jordan Mason or Omarion Hampton

Monday, February 2, 5:31 PM

Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason had a career-high 159 rushing attempts for 758 yards (career-low 4.8 yards per carry) and a career-high six rushing touchdowns in 16 games (five starts) in 2025 in his first year with the team. The 26-year-old added a career-best 14 receptions on 16 targets for 51 yards through the air. He'll be under contract with the Vikes again in 2026 after signing a two-year, $10.5 million deal in March of last year. Mason's fantasy ceiling was capped while working in a timeshare with Aaron Jones, who is also under contract through next season, and he finished as the RB34 in half-PPR scoring while averaging only 7.7 fantasy points per game. In what should be a similar role in 2026, Mason will be an RB3/flex target later in fantasy football drafts as the power back for Minnesota. Those who roster the oft-injured Jones would be wise to handcuff him to Mason.

Thursday, February 19, 8:13 AM

The Los Angeles Chargers selected running back Omarion Hampton 22nd overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, but ankle injuries limited the talented rookie to only nine regular-season games. Even still, the 22-year-old out of North Carolina showed enough in his first season to make him a popular breakout candidate heading into 2026. Following a season-ending injury to Najee Harris in Week 3, Hampton exploded for his best game of the season, with 165 total yards and a touchdown in a Week 4 loss to the Giants. While he would play only five more games for the rest of the year, mostly behind an injury-ravaged offensive line, he continued to run hard, averaging 4.4 yards per carry while staying steadily involved in the passing game. Assuming a full return to health by both Hampton and the line in front of him, the second year back could be knocking on a top-five fantasy finish in Mike McDaniel's offense in 2026.