Who Should I Start? Najee Harris or Jordan Mason

Wednesday, September 24, 6:15 PM

The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Wednesday that they placed running back Najee Harris (Achilles) on Injured Reserve, according to Fernando Ramirez of the Sporting Tribune. Harris' season is over after he tore his Achilles in the Week 3 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday. It's a disappointing end to his first year with the Bolts after signing with them in free agency in the offseason. The 27-year-old will end his streak of four straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons to begin his career. In his three games this year, Harris carried the ball 15 times for 61 yards and no touchdowns, adding three receptions for 25 yards through the air. The Chargers will be forced to lean more on rookie first-rounder Omarion Hampton as their lead back going forward, making him a must-start each week. Hassan Haskins will be elevated to the RB2 role, with Kimani Vidal the next man up at No. 2 in the backfield.

Saturday, November 15, 12:17 AM

Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason lacks standalone fantasy value heading into Week 11 against the Chicago Bears. Mason had been able to co-exist alongside Aaron Jones earlier in the year, and he was a must-start when Jones missed time due to injury. However, now that Jones is healthy again, the veteran has taken over the backfield, leaving Mason in an unsteady role. Just last week, the 26-year-old only played one-quarter of the offensive snaps, rushing four times and catching one pass. He was efficient with his opportunities, but it was still impossible for him to carve out fantasy value given his small workload. As long as Jones is healthy, Mason must be viewed as a mere handcuff and shouldn't be started in fantasy lineups this week.