It’s the end of Week 1, and yet we may already have a league-winning running back on the fantasy football waiver wire. Jordan Mason is the backup running back in San Francisco to Christian McCaffrey, who is dealing with a calf/Achilles injury.
McCaffrey was inactive for Week 1, and Adam Schefter stated in the pregame show that we could be without McCaffrey in Week 2. If this injury keeps McCaffrey out of the multiple games, Mason will become the most popular option on the waiver wire.
Should Jordan Mason Be Added From the Fantasy Waiver Wire in Week 2?
Mason brings his own style to the game. He is explosive out of the backfield and can bulldoze defenders as they meet on the field. Mason can flourish specifically in short-yardage situations, especially on the goal line, but don’t be fooled; his footwork is strong enough to make him elusive enough to create missed tackles.
Last season, Mason only saw 40 rushing attempts, producing 206 yards and three touchdowns. TruMedia shows us that Mason had 5.2 yards per rush, which is only 0.2 lower than McCaffrey’s. Although McCaffrey was second overall in that statistical category, Mason was sixth in the NFL, showing he can gain yards with the best of them.
Mason is someone that Kyle Shanahan can trust on third downs, allowing him to be a bellcow for the offense. His 75% third-down rushing conversion total is the fourth-best in the entire NFL. That is even better than his running mate McCaffrey, who was 21st best last season.
Mason is a player worth spending the majority of your FAAB to add him to your team. His opportunity is immense with McCaffrey struggling to return to this offense. One of the best rules is to have good players from great offenses. The 49ers’ offense is one of the best, and Mason shows enough promise in his skill set to help you dominate fantasy football.
Next week, the 49ers will face the Minnesota Vikings. On paper, the Vikings’ defense looks great this season, but they played the struggling New York Giants. They have allowed the third-most targets to the running back position in 2024. They have allowed those running backs the ninth most receptions as well.
If Mason can utilize his 223-pound frame to punish the defense in the run and his explosiveness to make quick cuts in the passing game, the Vikings will have their hands full in Week 2 of the NFL season.
Even if McCaffrey were to return, the 49ers would be wise to monitor his injury, let him return slowly, and take some of the load off their aging veteran running back. The 49ers are playing for the playoffs and the Super Bowl, not the early portion of the season. This mentality will allow a shift within the offensive scheme.
This shift in opportunities is all we need to have Mason outperform his fantasy outlook from this offseason and rise up the consensus rankings. On Monday Night Football, Mason erupted for 147 yards and one rushing touchdown. Of all running backs in Week 1, only Joe Mixon had more rushing yards than Mason with 159 total.
Mason also received 73.6% of the rushing attempts for the 49ers tonight, meaning he should have massive usage in place of McCaffrey.