49ers Likely to Keep Jordan Mason

2025 Fantasy Football Impact

Don't bet on any team trading a Round 2 pick for Mason. So this all but guarantees he'll return to the 49ers for at least 2025.

That's interesting, because the team obviously still has Christian McCaffrey around to control the backfield when healthy. Isaac Guerendo also performed well in limited duty later in the season. And Kyle Shanahan's 49ers have regularly paraded Day 2 and 3 picks through the backfield rather than paying up for the position (outside of McCaffrey).

The tender also carries a one-year salary of just more than $5 million. That level would seem to not only lock Mason in as the No. 2 back. We're likely to see him get more work than anyone did behind a healthy McCaffrey in 2023.

I wouldn't bet on that being nearly enough work to make Mason fantasy relevant when McCaffrey's on the field. But it could be enough to lower McCaffrey's ceiling a fair amount from his 2023 heights.

Other Winners & Losers

Guerendo's a clear loser here. The 49ers have allowed plenty of players to leave this offseason. That they're paying up a little to keep Mason says they like him appreciably more than Guerendo.

If you're holding Guerendo in a dynasty league, you're probably stuck with him until/unless injuries press him back into duty (or at least up the depth chart).

I wouldn't call McCaffrey a "loser" here, because best ball ADP already has him going fifth among RBs, in the first half of Round 2 on Underdog Fantasy.

That's already a pretty big drop from No. 1 overall in 2024 drafts.