Mason carried the ball 16 times for 57 yards and caught all three of his targets for 15 yards in Sunday's 24-21 loss to the Steelers in Dublin.

EDGE Analysis

The former 49ers wasn't able to repeat his Week 3 breakout versus Cincinnati against a tougher front seven, and Mason's longest run against Pittsburgh went for only nine yards. He also saw backup RB Zavier Scott catch a 16-yard TD in the fourth quarter as Minnesota tried to come back from a 21-6 deficit. Things won't get any easier for Mason in Week 5, as he'll take on a Browns defense in London that has already stuffed Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs this season.

Mason rushed 16 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns and wasn't targeted in the Vikings' 48-10 win over the Bengals on Sunday.

EDGE Analysis

Making his first start in place of Aaron Jones (IR, hamstring), Mason delivered on lofty expectations from fantasy managers with an ultra-efficient performance. The offseason addition consistently rattled off productive gains throughout the afternoon, and he found the end zone from five and four yards out in the second and third quarter, respectively. Mason shared work with Zavier Scott (eight carries) and Cam Akers (five carries), but that was at least partly a byproduct of the Vikings being able to rest starters in the second half. Mason will remain a coveted option in all formats when Minnesota faces off with the Steelers in Dublin, Ireland in Week 4.

Mason is taking over as Minnesota's unquestioned lead back with Aaron Jones (hamstring) going to injured reserve and missing at least four games.

EDGE Analysis

With No. 3 RB Ty Chandler (knee) already on IR, the Vikings are left with Mason and Zavier Scott as their only running backs on the active roster. The team figures to promote Cam Akers or Xazavian Valladay from the practice squad before Sunday's game against Cincinnati, but that shouldn't stop Mason from taking on a large workload against a vulnerable defense in a game featuring two backup quarterbacks. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters Wednesday that Mason is a "potential bell-cow kind of back."

Mason is a candidate for more touches with Aaron Jones (hamstring) potentially being limited or sidelined Sunday versus the Bengals, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Coach Kevin O'Connell relayed the news regarding Jones on Monday, and the situation should gain clarity once the Vikings are required to post Week 3 injury reports, starting Wednesday. In any case, Mason already had a leg up on Jones through two games this season, handling 24 carries for 98 yards and gathering in three of four targets for 15 yards, while Jones notched 13 carries for 46 yards and three catches (on four targets) for 44 yards and one touchdown. Assuming Jones is out this weekend, most of his touches will be gobbled up by Mason.

Mason rushed nine times for 30 yards and caught two of three targets for eight yards in Sunday's 22-6 loss to Atlanta.

EDGE Analysis

Mason was already seeing early-down work before co-starter Aaron Jones (hamstring) was forced out of the contest with an injury. The latter did not return Sunday, and Jones' status going forward is currently unclear. The gradual shift by Minnesota's coaching staff towards the younger, more-explosive Mason early in the season was clear, and the injury to his backfield mate only solidifies that movement. Managers should look past this statistical dud and start Mason with confidence heading into next Sunday's tilt against the Bengals.

Mason rushed 15 times for 68 yards and brought in his only target for seven yards in the Vikings' 27-24 win over the Bears on Monday night.

EDGE Analysis

Mason comfortably led the Vikings in rush attempts and rushing yards, outpacing the only other running back to log a carry, Aaron Jones, by seven carries and 45 yards. The Week 1 usage between the two players is eye-catching to say the least, considering Jones is the established incumbent of the ground attack under a returning coaching staff. Nevertheless, Mason is a proven commodity as an offseason addition, and head coach Kevin O'Connell may be most comfortable affording the latter the bulk of early-down work on most weeks. The next opportunity to see how the pecking order shakes out comes in a Week 2 home matchup against the Falcons on Sunday night.

Mason rushed for 20 yards on four carries and failed to catch his only target in Saturday's 20-10 preseason win over the Texans.

EDGE Analysis

Getting the start with Aaron Jones held out of the lineup Minnesota's exhibition opener, Mason saw a heavy workload on the team's first drive and then checked out of the contest. Mason was very productive last season with the 49ers in Kyle Shanahan's RB-friendly scheme, but it's not yet clear how big a role he'll have with the Vikings behind Jones, who is coming off a 2024 campaign in which he amassed 1,546 scrimmage yards and played all 17 regular-season games.

Mason (ankle) participated in on-field drills during OTAs on Tuesday, per the Vikings' official site.

EDGE Analysis

Mason appears fully recovered from the high-ankle sprain that forced him to miss the final five regular-season games of his breakout 2024 campaign in San Francisco. The 26-year-old impressed out of the gate last year with Christian McCaffrey unavailable for the 49ers, rushing 134 times for 685 yards (5.1 YPC) and three scores during the team's first eight games, before injuries of his own popped up. Aaron Jones inked a two-year extension with Minnesota this offseason and still projects as the team's starter, but in the interest of keeping the 30-year-old fresh, Mason will be a candidate to push for a significant backfield split. Boasting a far larger frame at 5-foot-11, 223 pounds, Mason also seems the favorite for short-yardage and goal-line work.

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell expects Mason (ankle) to "bring something to the table" in goal-line and short-yardage situations, ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert reports.

EDGE Analysis

O'Connell also discussed returning starter Aaron Jones, saying "when [Jones] has... that 1A/1B backfield structure, he can be a total game-changer every time he touches the ball." In other words, O'Connell hopes the 223-pound Mason can be 1B, taking carries between the tackles while Jones gets most of the work in space. The Vikings traded for Mason in mid-March, shortly after San Francisco gave him a second-round restricted free agent tender (and after Minnesota re-signed Jones on a two-year, $20 million contract). Mason missed the final five weeks of his 2024 breakout season with a high-ankle injury, but there hasn't been any report of surgery or a prolonged rehab process this offseason.

The 49ers traded Mason (ankle) to the Vikings on Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 49ers placed a second-round tender worth $5.3 million on Mason when free agency began, but he'll now be shipped out along with the No. 187 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft in exchange for the No. 160 pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick, per David Lombardi of SFStandard.com. Mason will receive a two-year contract with the Vikings that's worth up to $12 million and includes $7 million guaranteed. Mason served as the 49ers' starting running back for the first half of the 2024 regular season due to Christian McCaffrey being sidelined with Achilles injuries. Through the first eight games of the regular season, Mason rushed for 685 yards and three touchdowns on 134 carries while adding 10 catches (on 12 targets) for 86 yards, though he missed the final five games due to a high-ankle sprain. Ty Chandler was slated to be the Vikings' backup running back, but Mason's addition is an upgrade to the backfield led by Aaron Jones, who agreed to a two-year contract with Minneosta on March 9.