The Minnesota Vikings are still without their veteran RB Aaron Jones. Jordan Mason has taken over the main role in the Minnesota backfield and has been pretty effective in 2025. He hasn’t had that same success in the first half of their Week 5 game against the Browns, though. He’s been quiet, and the Minnesota rushing attack hasn’t been very effective.
What Happened to Jordan Mason?
Mason is off to a slow start in the first half. He isn’t hurt, but is losing his grasp on the main workhorse role in the backfield.
After a costly first-quarter fumble leading to a Cleveland touchdown, he hasn’t seen the same involvement as usual, with rookie Zavier Scott seeing some carries. Even Cam Akers added a touchdown on a trick play pass.
Jordan Mason and T.J. Hockenson owners look away 🫣
This Cam Akers TD pass to Josh Oliver evens things up in London.
(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/4J9dI25p7X— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) October 5, 2025
Mason has just six carries for 17 yards with the brutal fumble. He did add a reception for just a singular yard as well. If the Vikings go back to him in a more involved role, he will have to pick it up to get the offense rolling, especially on the ground.
Mason started the second half exactly how the Vikings needed him to. It was a great response from Mason after a poor first half. He racked up three carries for 20 yards and a touchdown on Minnesota’s opening drive out of the half. It is a quiet start no more, and Mason looked to have retaken his grasp on the dominant back in the backfield.
His involvement following the fumble wasn’t the same as usual, but the first drive of the third quarter was much more like the previous games of the season. Mason is the 7th-ranked running back in PFSN’s Running Back Impact score with a grade of 83.7. He has made the most of the injury to Jones and looks to be poised for major involvement in the offense even when Jones returns.
The Vikings came out of the half firing on all cylinders with a great drive, but they’ll need a few of those drives to put away the stingy Browns. They are not going away, and rookie Dillon Gabriel in his NFL debut is putting up a fight.
Browns RB Quinshon Judkins has proven difficult to stop. It’s Mason’s turn to assert himself like Judkins in the ensuing drives and help the Vikings pull away from the Browns.
