Who Should I Start? Jordan Mason or Ricky Pearsall

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.

Monday, January 5, 3:25 PM

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) aggravated his PCL injury last week, which is why he was inactive for the Week 18 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night despite practicing all week before the game, according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. The 25-year-old former first-rounder is also dealing with an ankle sprain, which makes him questionable to play in the Wild-Card round of the playoffs this Sunday versus the hosting Philadelphia Eagles. When healthy, Pearsall is one of quarterback Brock Purdy's top targets, but he's played in just nine games in 2025 due to injuries after playing in 11 games in his rookie campaign. If Pearsall misses a second straight game this weekend, Jauan Jennings, Demarcus Robinson, and Kendrick Bourne would all be in line for more targets.