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Don't Trust The Box Score: Jordan Mason's Misleading RB7 Finish

Trust The Film

Fantasy football is all about the box score: Yards and TDs equal fantasy points, and fantasy points win your league.

But not every 5-100-1 is built the same. That’s why we use not only advanced analytics, but also film to identify talented players on the verge of delivering numbers.

Every week, I’ll bring my 21 years of experience analyzing college and NFL film to highlight when the box score doesn't match reality, showcasing a few players who performed significantly better or worse than the box score indicates.

Jordan Mason, RB, Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings traded a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 sixth-rounder for Mason and a 2025 sixth-round pick. The 230-pounder became a complement to 30-year-old Aaron Jones.

Jones suffered a hamstring injury in Week 2 and went on IR. That left Mason as the lead back, with 2023 undrafted free agent Zavier Scott and journeyman Cam Akers also seeing touches in Week 3. Mason logged 16 carries for 116 yards and 2 TDs, though he saw no targets on 16 routes run. The rushing numbers landed him RB7 for the week, but the tape wasn’t as strong as the stat line.

Mason broke off a few long runs, but he capitalized on Cincinnati’s poor spacing on defense. G Donovan Jackson and WR Jalen Nailor sealed the outside zone, giving Mason a free 10 yards. His burst and agility looked ordinary, and he gained what was blocked rather than creating more.

The Vikings leaned on outside zone with Mason, and the Bengals’ LBs crashed inside nearly every time, leaving the edge open. His longest run went for 24 yards, and he wasn’t touched until the end. Instead of lowering his pads and powering through 210-pound S Geno Stone, Mason drifted toward the sideline and got shoved out of bounds. 

His lack of precision also showed on several failed runs.

When blocking didn’t seal the edge, Mason struggled to cut back for positive yardage. On this play, he reacted a step too late and sidestepped into defenders. Adjustments like this often ended in quick tackles because of his slow reaction or lack of agility to hit the hole.

His biggest weakness, though, lies in the passing game.

Mason ran 16 routes with no targets. His route running often looked half-hearted, as if he was more decoy than factor. On this play, he lumbered into the defender due to Carson Wentz throwing quickly the other way. Separation wouldn’t have come anyway. Mason’s size and heavy footwork make him an unlikely factor in the passing game.

Mason’s Role Is Clear, But So Are His Limitations

Mason benefits from Jones being on IR and from the return of LT Christian Darrisaw in Week 3. Strong offensive line play drove much of his rushing success against the Bengals.

He adds no receiving value, though, and will struggle to create against stronger defenses. Cincinnati’s run defense proved slow to react and poor at shedding blocks.

Don’t count on Mason producing as a top-12 back each week.

Tony Pollard, RB, Tennessee Titans

The Titans’ offense is awful. It ranks bottom-5 in both passing and rushing yards and sits tied for last in total TDs.

A rookie QB can lead to early struggles, but the Titans’ O-line features three former first-round picks plus the league’s 10th-highest-paid LT and fourth-highest-paid center. That should be enough for an effective ground game.

Instead, Pollard has absorbed hit after hit behind the line, freelancing for yards just to avoid losses. His film looks better than the box score.

This run captures Pollard’s 2025 experience. He takes the handoff with one defender already in the backfield and two more closing the hole. G Peter Skoronski gets caught in traffic, offering no help, and Pollard goes down for a loss. It’s hard to fault him on plays like this. 

When he has even a sliver of space, he can create.

Here, G Kevin Zeitler pulls and cuts off the defender in the backfield, opening a lane. Pollard shrugs off an arm tackle, adds 8 yards with his burst, and shuffles past his second-level blocker to pick up more before being dragged down. 

Through three weeks, the tape shows Pollard breaking tackles near the line and giving himself a chance for positive plays.

Pollard maximizes goal-line opportunities. He stays low with good knee bend, hits the crease, and dives across for a TD. The Titans haven’t created many short-yardage chances, but Pollard still shows the skill to squeeze through small holes and finish runs.

Pollard has also contributed as a receiver. On this play, he settles into a soft spot against Cover-3 for a checkdown, then turns upfield and fights through contact for extra yards. Plays like this highlight what he can do in space.

Film Shows RB1 Skills, Situation Needs To Improve

Pollard still has the tools at age 28: vision, power, balance, and burst. His receiving has even improved. The problem is Tennessee’s offense, including an O-line that hasn’t played to its pedigree.

He’s running like a top-12 RB, but the blocking and opportunities aren’t there consistently. Tyjae Spears will also return soon from an ankle sprain and could siphon work. The Titans will try a new playcaller this week in QB coach Bo Hardegree.

If the blocking improves and Hardegree leans on Pollard’s strengths, the RB still has the talent to deliver top fantasy weeks.

Bo Nix, Denver Broncos

Nix was drafted as QB8 in consensus ADP but hasn’t lived up to that billing early. He has finished QB27, QB12, and QB19 in the first three games.
Still, his play hasn’t slipped from his rookie season, even if the numbers are down. He continues to work well in Sean Payton’s system, even in last week’s 156-yard, 1-TD box score dud.

The mental side of Nix’s game makes him dangerous. He diagnoses Cover-3 before the snap here, knowing Courtland Sutton will slip behind the shallow defenders. Nix waits for the break and places the ball to the right of the linebacker for a clean completion.

Of course, recognition is useless without time to throw.

The biggest difference between Nix’s rookie year and this one is time in the pocket. Pressure comes too quickly, forcing mistakes.

On this play, the Chargers generate pressure with four rushers, and Nix steps up away from his checkdown. The RT loses soon after, leading to a sack. Ideally, Nix would have had time for the WR’s in-cut to develop, but it never happened. The sack was the best outcome, as any throw would have risked a turnover.

Nix’s scrambling ability gives him weekly fantasy upside, and he may need to lean on it more. Here, the Chargers rush three, and Nix steps up for a 12-yard gain.

So far, he looks hesitant to run, keeping his eyes downfield in hopes of extending plays. Too often that ends with an incompletion and a hit. More scrambling could be the answer if pass protection doesn’t improve.

This is a positive example. The pocket collapses inward, Nix buys time, knows where the line of scrimmage is, and completes an 8-yard pass to Sutton. When he scrambles toward his checkdown, plays like this work. Using his legs to keep defenses off balance while making sharp reads is his path consistent top-12 fantasy status.

Matchups Will Dictate Nix’s Fantasy Value

Nix took fewer risks in Week 3 than in the first two games. That resulted in a low completion rate but no interceptions.
All three games, however, have showed poor pass protection disrupting rhythm. If that doesn’t change, Nix can still run and throw his way into fantasy relevance. It would require scrambling more, though, instead of throwing the ball away.
Against weaker pass rushes, Nix can thrive. He should remain a starting candidate when the matchup favors him.

Next Up

Top 10 Fantasy Football Takeaways from Week 3 Usage

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Shane Hallam, Writer

Shane has over 20 years of experience creating content and playing every fantasy football format, including redraft, dynasty, devy, C2C, IDP, CFF, and more. He is a multi-year winner of $500 dynasty leagues on the FFPC and a King's Classic Champion. Shane utilizes deep film and scheme study to enhance his fantasy performance. He led the industry in 2024 preseason Kicker Rankings and ranked second in preseason QB Rankings. He also ranked eighth in preseason IDP rankings.