Fantasy Football News

Vikings RB Aaron Jones racked up 113 yards and a TD on 25 carries, which tied his career high from 2019 with the Packers. Jones also caught all three of his targets but generated just 4 yards on those. The veteran dominated work, playing on 87.3% of snaps, handling all the RB carries, and running a route on 70% of dropbacks. Jones has averaged 21.3 carries across the four games since Mason went down and garnered 17 targets over just the past three weeks.

The Vikings placed RB Jordan Mason on IR with a thumb injury, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. This one comes out of nowhere. Mason finished the Week 1 win over the Packers, and there was no report of an injury afterward. He's now out for at least the next four games. We'll see about his availability beyond that.

Update: HC Kevin O'Connell said Mason had surgery to fix a "small fracture" in his thumb and is expected back after 4 weeks.

Vikings RBs Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones both scored a TD against the Packers in Week 1. Mason rushed 15 times for 59 yards while Jones ran 12 times for 40 yards. Neither caught a pass, though Jones had 1 target. Both were utilized near the goal line, leading to the scores.

There’s plenty of reason to believe Mason will emerge as the Vikings’ RB1 in his second season with the team. Alec Lewis of The Athletic highlighted him as a training-camp standout: “If you are searching for standouts at training camp, look for Mason. The 27-year-old returned this summer in exceptional shape, and his explosiveness shows up in team drills.”

The Vikings retooled their run game this offseason, hiring OL coach Frank Smith to lead the charge. The biggest change to the scheme will be more outside zone runs, as outlined in a recent article from The Athletic's Alec Lewis. That shift looks like excellent news for RB Jordan Mason.

Purple Insider's Matthew Coller believes RB Jordan Mason will be the Vikings' "bell cow" this season and run for 1,010 yards. It's just a prediction, but Coller is a respected reporter who's been covering the Vikings since 2016. It's not tough to imagine Mason surpassing RB Aaron Jones on the depth chart considering where both guys are in their careers.

The Minnesota Vikings selected Wake Forest RB Demond Claiborne in Round 6 of the 2026 NFL Draft. Claiborne spent three years leading the Wake Forest backfield, stacking good production despite a middling offense. That included 1,956 rushing yards, 21 TDs, and 51 receptions over his final two years. He even squeezed out a career-best 5.1 yards per carry in 2025 after suffering a rib injury in the opener. Claiborne brings legit juice. His 42.5% breakaway rate, per Pro Football Focus, underscores how often he delivered runs of 15+ yards. Among the 20 RBs invited to the NFL Combine, Claiborne ranked sixth in 2025 rushing market share (48.1%), and 14th in yards after contact per attempt (3.04). He ranked 10th in 2025 missed tackles forced per attempt (0.21) and 17th in receiving yards per route run (0.66). He is currently 22 years old.

The Vikings and RB Aaron Jones have agreed to a restructured contract, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Jones will make $5.6 million this season, including $5 million guaranteed. Schefter reported on March 1 that Minnesota was planning to release Jones, but he'll now be back for his third season with the team.

The Vikings will release RB Aaron Jones prior to the start of the new league year, barring a trade, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. The move will save Minnesota $7.75 million against the cap.

Vikings RB Aaron Jones (hip) is out for Sunday’s game vs. the Packers. RB Jordan Mason (ankle) is off the final injury report after practicing all week. He should control backfield work against a Green Bay defense that’s expected to rest starters. The Vikings are 8.5-point favorites in this one.

Vikings RB Aaron Jones (hip) did not practice on Wednesday. He played through an ankle issue last week, but this hip is new. We'll see if the 31-year-old suits up for Sunday's finale vs. the Packers. RB Jordan Mason (ankle) got in a limited practice on Wednesday, giving him a chance to make it back for this weekend. If both Jones and Mason miss, RB Ty Chandler would be the favorite for lead duties.

Vikings RB Jordan Mason (ankle) is out for Thursday's game vs. the Lions. RB Aaron Jones (ankle) was limited in practice all week but is not listed on the final injury report. He probably won't be at 100% but figures to serve as Minnesota's clear lead back on Christmas. Jones lands 20th in the Week 17 RB rankings.

Vikings RB Jordan Mason (ankle) did not practice on Tuesday. He never returned to last week's game vs. the Giants after going down on the first possession and seems unlikely to play vs. the Lions on Thursday. RB Aaron Jones, who also suffered an ankle injury on that opening possession, returned to the game and was limited on Tuesday. He should be ready to lead the backfield on Christmas.

Vikings RB Aaron Jones logged a season-high 21 carries in Minnesota's 16-13 Week 16 win over the Giants. Jones, who briefly exited the game in the first quarter with a minor ankle injury, also had his highest rushing total (85) and snap count (39) of the 2025 season. No. 2 RB Jordan Mason, who had a 47% snap share and 51% rush share heading into Week 16, was carted off the field in the second quarter with an ankle injury and quickly ruled out. With Mason absent, Jones' expanded workload resulted in him surpassing double-digit fantasy points for the first time since Week 11.

Vikings RBs Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason both suffered ankle injuries on the first possession of the game and are questionable to return. That leaves Zavier Scott as Minnesota's top RB. We'll update the situation when we know more.

Update: Jones returned in the second quarter, but Mason has been ruled out.

Vikings RB Aaron Jones (shoulder) got in a limited practice on Wednesday. He's seemingly gearing up to play vs. the Commanders this weekend, but we'll keep tabs on his status over the next few days. A healthy Jones has operated as Minnesota's clear lead back lately, so he'll be the best fantasy bet in this backfield if he suits up. But this shoulder injury will add risk to his fantasy profile.

The Vikings do not believe the shoulder injury that knocked RB Aaron Jones from Sunday's game vs. the Seahawks is serious, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. "He is likely to be considered day-to-day," Schefter adds. It sounds like Jones has a chance to play vs. the Commanders this weekend, but we'll keep a close eye on his status. Jones' absence would Jordan Mason into a fantasy RB2. He averaged 15.0 carries, 1.8 targets, and 75.3 total yards in the four games Jones missed earlier this season.

Vikings RB Aaron Jones suffered a left shoulder injury in the third quarter of Sunday's game vs. the Seahawks and is questionable to return. Jones took a big hit and was in obvious pain on the sidelines, so we don't expect to see him back out there. We'll update his status when we know more. Jordan Mason will take over as Minnesota's lead back.