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Will Jordan Mason start for the Minnesota Vikings when he returns? Zach Thompson breaks down the Jordan Mason return timeline and fantasy football outlook ahead of Week 7.
Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason (thumb) had a great training camp and preseason, and there was a lot of preseason hype that he would be the top running back for the team this season. He had 15 carries for 59 rushing yards and a touchdown in Week 1 against the Packers and looked like he may be ready to deliver on the hype.
Unfortunately, he suffered a thumb injury and had to be placed on short-term injured reserve. The team opened his 21-day practice window and designated him to return from IR before the Week 7 game against the Colts, which is the earliest he could return.
Mason was in a timeshare with Aaron Jones Sr. before his injury, and in his absence, rookie Demond Claiborne and veteran DeeJay Dallas picked up more work. So, will Mason be the starter when he returns to action?
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Will Jordan Mason Start For The Minnesota Vikings When He Returns?
Mason did not get the official "start" in Week 1, coming off the bench behind Jones. He only played one fewer snap than Jones in Week 1, and he ended up with more carries (15) than Jones and with more rushing yards (59), including this 28-yard run.
Incredible blocking across the board on Jordan Mason's 28-yard run. The Vikings weren't efficient on the ground yesterday, but better days are coming in that regard. https://t.co/zECt3NyNHS
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) September 14, 2026
Mason lost weight coming into the season but looked faster and more effective in preseason and training camp. His injury wasn't related to his lower half, so he should have fresh legs and be ready to step back into a timeshare with Jones.
Neither Dallas nor Claiborne had much success in their roles. Claiborne totaled six carries for 13 yards and added eight receiving yards on two catches. Dallas was a little more involved in the passing game with four catches for 34 yards but only had 10 rushing yards on his three carries.
The veteran Jones has taken most of the work, playing 73.2% of snaps this season and running for 418 yards and two touchdowns on his 97 carries. He added 12 catches for 72 receiving yards and did lose one fumble.
With such a heavy workload for the 31-year-old veteran, the Vikings are sure to get Mason back involved as quickly as they can. While Jones will likely remain the preferred third-down and passing-down back, Mason could take over most of the work on early downs as soon as he's ready to go.
Jordan Mason Fantasy Football Outlook
Mason will likely take over early down work and will be a low-end RB2 when he's back to full speed. If Jones gets banged up and misses time, Mason would have an even higher upside, possibly even as a low-end RB1 if he's getting all the work.
The Vikings come off their Week 6 bye week with a favorable matchup against the Colts, who have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to running backs this season. After a tougher matchup against the Lions in Week 8, the Vikings have three straight matchups against teams in the top 10 of fantasy points allowed to running backs as they take on the Bills, Packers, and 49ers.
With a favorable schedule ahead, Mason should be at least a FLEX play in most of those matchups. If you can add him from the waiver wire or in a trade before he comes back, he can be a huge part of your plan through the bye weeks.
Jordan Mason is Worth Stashing with Return Looming https://t.co/oga58dnNxQ
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) October 20, 2026
On the other side of the timeshare, Aaron Jones Sr. will take a huge hit to his value since he will no longer be the only option in the backfield. Selling high on him could be a good strategy before his workload decreases.
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 7 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Jordan Mason, Aaron Jones Sr. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 7. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 7 of the 2026 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
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Popular Week 7 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 7 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 7 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 7 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Jordan Mason, Aaron Jones Sr. compared to others:
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