JordanMason

News: 17 hours agoMason carried the ball 15 times for 68 yards in Sunday's 16-10 win over the Colts. He failed to catch either of his two targets.

Spin: Making his return from an IR stint due to a thumb injury that had kept him out since Week 1, Mason ended up leading the Vikings in rushing yards after Aaron Jones aggravated a knee injury and spotted in and out of the lineup. Jones had been getting a hefty workload while Mason was sidelined, but their roles could be reversed in Week 8 against the Lions.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Mason is back for his second season in Minnesota and will battle 31-year-old Aaron Jones Sr. for backfield opportunities. Mason's role was almost exactly as expected last season, as he was utilized often as a rusher (9.9 carries per game), but a nonfactor as a receiver (1.0 targets per game). Mason reached 13 fantasy points just once in his 16 games and it was a 23.6-point effort in Week 3, one of five games Jones missed. Mason, 27, is an effective rusher -- his 5.10 YPC ranks third and his 2.42 YAC second among 54 RBs with 350-plus carries since he entered the league -- but adding so little as a receiver (34 career targets) severely limits his fantasy output. Even if Jones were to miss time, Mason would max out as a flex.