general
2026 Minnesota Vikings betting preview, predictions: Four NFL player props to target before Week 1
Vikings’ new GM, Kyler Murray signing, and draft pick Caleb Banks set the stage for prop bets on key Vikings players
Jordan Mason
RB · MIN · 27 yrs · exp 4 · Georgia Tech
Status
- Game status
- Active
Keep Trade Cut (SF TEP)
From latest snapshot · trend vs ~7d prior when data allows.
Value
3,059
Rank
#137
Pos rank
#38
7d trend
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Value history (90d)
One snapshot point per calendar day (shown in your timezone).
Latest: Sep 7, 2026 · 3,059
News
Stories linked to this player — newest first.
general
3 stars from the 49ers preseason finale: The depth at running back looks better than ever
3 stars from the 49ers preseason finale
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2026 CBS Sports NFL All-Breakout Team: Caleb Williams, two other Bears headline rising stars on offense
Caleb Williams of the Bears was named to the 2026 CBS Sports NFL All-Breakout Team on offense. Other notable players recognized include Bhayshul Tuten of the Jaguars, Drake Maye, Tyler Shough, Jaxson Dart, Bo Nix, Bryce Young, Cam Ward, Malik Willis, Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, Blake Corum, Jonathon Brooks, Jordan Mason, Quinshon Judkins, TreVeyon Henderson, and James Cook
analyst
Demond Claiborne Appears Locked into RB3 Role
Demond Claiborne's inefficiencies in preseason games might not affect his RB3 role with the Vikings
general
Kyler Murray leads Vikings to a field goal in only drive
Kyler Murray led a 10-play, 54-yard drive for the Vikings in their preseason opener
analyst
Demond Claiborne Leads Vikings In Rushing Saturday
Running back Demond Claiborne of the Minnesota Vikings earned a team-high 12 carries for 34 yards in the club's preseason opener against the New York Giants. Playing mostly behind the Vikings' backups on the offensive line, Claiborne still showed some juice despite limited space to run, including a nine-yard burst that gained a first down to set up Minnesota's lone touchdown. The rookie will begin the season behind Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason, though his impressive speed and receiving potential give him a chance to win playing time in a backfield with two veterans on expiring deals. Claiborne, a sixth-round pick, has serious long-term potential in dynasty formats, but he also could be a high-priority waiver candidate in redraft leagues if either Jones or Mason misses extended time
RB · MIN
analyst
Jordan Mason: Just three totes in preseason opener
Jordan Mason had a limited role in the preseason opener, carrying the ball only three times for 17 yards in a 13-10 win over the Giants
general
49ers preseason snap counts and grades: More questions than answers at left guard
A look at who graded well for the 49ers in their first preseason game
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6 Winners and 4 losers from the 49ers’ preseason opener
Taking a look at some under the radar names who stood out for the 49ers against the Titans
general
Vikings name Kyler Murray starting QB over J.J. McCarthy, per report
The quarterback battle in Minnesota has reportedly come to a swift conclusion, as the Vikings have named Kyler Murray their new starter over former first-round pick J.J. McCarthy , per ESPN . This battle was expected to last into the preseason, but Kevin O'Connell has apparently called the contest four days before the Vikings are scheduled to take the field against the New York Giants . Murray was viewed as the favorite to win this job over McCarthy, who became the only first-round pick since 1970 to finish last in the NFL in completion percentage and TD-INT ratio in his first season. While Minnesota did rally to finish with a 9-8 record last year, the Vikings still missed the playoffs thanks to an underperforming offense. Murray was released by the Arizona Cardinals this offseason following seven years with the franchise. The former No. 1 overall pick won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019, made two Pro Bowls, and took Arizona to the postseason once, but his play dipped in recent years. Murray has missed 30 out of a possible 68 games over the last five seasons, and his last winning season came back in 2021. In all, Murray went 38-48-1 during his time with the Cardinals. Still, it's possible Murray is rejuvenated by this change of scenery. In Minnesota, he finds multiple upgrades he did not have in Arizona. For example, Murray has a star wideout for the first time since DeAndre Hopkins . Justin Jefferson is one of the best pass-catchers in the game, and just became the third player to ever begin a career with six straight seasons of 1,000 yards receiving. He's not the only weapon either, as Minnesota has a solid supporting cast which includes Aaron Jones , Jordan Mason , Jordan Addison , T.J. Hockenson and Jauan Jennings . Murray also has the backing of a Brian Flores unit that finished No. 3 in total defense last season (282.6 yards allowed per game) and No. 7 in scoring defense (19.6 points allowed per game). If Murray can be an efficient distributor of the football, this Vikings team can return to the postseason. This is a developing story
RB · MIN
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Minnesota Vikings Hidden Gems: 3 Secret Superstars on the 2026 roster
The Vikings obviously need a quarterback, but a return to the playoffs after last year’s drought will require some secret stars, as well. Jordan Mason, James Pierre, and Chuck Demmings are here to help
analyst
Demond Claiborne Building Momentum and Seeing More Work
Minnesota Vikings rookie RB Demond Claiborne, after an early camp injury, is showing significant progress. He had a 60-yard touchdown in practice and has been heavily involved as a runner and receiver, even mixing with the first team. While behind established backs, Claiborne is demonstrating versatility that could make him a waiver wire option by season's end and a valuable dynasty stash
analyst
Aaron Jones Sr. Is a Low-Cost Buy for Dynasty Contenders
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. remains a sensible low-cost dynasty target for contenders, while rebuilding managers should look to move him before his short-term value declines further. The 31-year-old produced 1,546 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns in 2024 before a hamstring injury helped limit him to 12 games last season. Jones finished 2025 with 132 carries for 548 yards and two touchdowns, plus 28 receptions for 199 yards and another score. Jordan Mason was the more productive runner, totaling 758 yards and six touchdowns on 159 carries, but Jones doubled Mason's reception total and should remain the more established passing-down option. Minnesota retained Jones on a revised contract that lowered his 2026 base salary to $5.5 million, and he is entering the final year of the deal. Sixth-round rookie Demond Claiborne adds another change-of-pace option, but Jones still has a path to useful receiving work. RotoBaller ranks Jones 171st overall in its latest dynasty update, placing him firmly in the low-cost range. Contenders can justify acquiring him as PPR depth, while rebuilders should sell rather than risk another age-related drop in value after the season
analyst
Demond Claiborne Drawing Rave Reviews from Vikings Camp
Minnesota Vikings "executives, coaches, and teammates quietly raved" about rookie running back Demond Claiborne's movement skills this spring, per Alec Lewis of The Athletic. A sixth-round pick out of Wake Forest, Claiborne recorded 2,350 scrimmage yards and 23 touchdowns across his final 24 games for the Demon Deacons. He enters 2026 firmly behind veterans Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason on the team's running back depth chart and may even be behind Zavier Scott for Minnesota's RB3 job. However, neither Jones Sr. nor Mason is under contract with the Vikings beyond 2026. Claiborne profiles as the highest-upside athlete of the Minnesota running backs. If he can prove himself capable of handling the finer points of the running back position, Claiborne could carve out a role in the Vikings' backfield sooner rather than later
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Ranking the NFL's top 10 running back duos ahead of 2026 season
This article ranks the top 10 running back duos in the NFL for the 2026 season, considering individual stardom, balanced backfields, and recent production against projections. It also includes honorable mentions and discusses specific player pairings and their potential impact
trade
Trade: Aaron Jones, David Montgomery, Jordan Mason
sleeper-tx-trade+5 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Aaron Jones, David Montgomery, Jordan Mason traded
analyst
Demond Claiborne an Intriguing Dynasty Stash Candidate Ahead of 2026
Minnesota Vikings rookie running back Demond Claiborne was selected in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft after he recorded 1,047 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns across 12 games at Wake Forest in 2025. In Minnesota, Claiborne joins a crowded running back room that also includes Aaron Jones Sr., Jordan Mason, and Zavier Scott. As a result, Claiborne may have a difficult time carving out a fantasy-relevant role in his first NFL season. However, both Jones Sr. and Mason will be free agents at the end of the 2026 season, leaving the Vikings without a clear running back of the future. Weighing in at under 200 lbs., Claiborne is a bit undersized for a true three-down role in the NFL. Still, he brings high-end speed and could be worth targeting as a dynasty stash candidate in rookie drafts
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49ers roster preview: It’s now or never for Jacob Cowing
We haven’t seen Jacob Cowing catch a pass since 2024. The 41-yard pass against the Chiefs in Week 7 of his rookie year feels like an eon ago. He was on the field for 175 snaps that season, mixed between wide receiver and returner. He was a good one. One kickoff return was 32 yards. Multiple punt returns went for double-digits. The fact that Cowing began the season as the starting punt returner tells you how the coaching staff felt about his ability with the ball in his hands. The allure of Cowing is tantalizing. You can throw him a screen, use him down the field, but also capitalize on his speed on intermediate routes. There’s a place for Cowing in Shanahan’s offense any year. The problem is that the last time we saw him, he was sharing the field with Ronnie Bell , Jordan Mason , Chris Conley , Eric Saubert , and a No. 14 wearing Pearsall. The roster is a little different in 2026, and the 49ers still don’t know what they have in Cowing beyond offseason platitudes. Last offseason, Shanahan said Cowing “put in some of the most work that anyone did over the offseason.” This spring, Kyle said, “I was really excited how Jordan and Jake came back. You could tell they came back; it wasn’t just healthy. You could tell they’ve been putting work in. They’ve come here, to me, to play and work.” If every 49ers player were to line up in the end zone and race to mid-field, my money would be on Cowing being the first to cross the 50. He has another gear, and you could see it in OTAs when he was behind the secondary multiple times. Age: 25 Experience: 2 accrued seasons Height: 5’8 Weight: 175 pounds Cowing has two years remaining on his rookie deal. His base salary is $1.075 million in 2026, and he’ll receive $132,177 of his prorated signing bonus. If the 49ers wanted to move on from Cowing, they’d lose his signing bonus in dead money, but save his base salary in cap savings. Cowing hurt his hamstring in OTAs and training camp as a rookie. Then he returned and had another setback in the form of a shoulder injury. Last July, Cowing sustained a serious hamstring strain on the first day of training camp. Then not only did he re-injure it, but he also fully pulled his hamstring during the rehab process. That caused the 49ers to shut him down and place him on the season-long IR. The 49ers toyed with the idea of activating Cowing toward the end of the season, but Shanahan ultimately said it would be unrealistic for him to play . Cowing told reporters that he has addressed his injury issue and that it’s a thing of the past. But history isn’t on his side, and he’ll need to prove he can make it through a training camp before the 49ers can rely on him. Per Sports Info Solutions, 63% of Brock Purdy ’s pass attempts last season came 10 yards or under. While that may fit some narratives, that is not the kind of quarterback Purdy wants to be. He wants to live in the intermediate portion of the field and occasionally uncork it deep. In 2023, his short passes were in the 50th percentile while he targeted the intermediate part of the field 27% of the time. Purdy’s intermediate attempts dipped to 21% last season. That, to me, is not a Purdy stat. That’s a 49ers receiver stat. You’re not going to design an offense that runs routes between 12 and 18 yards when your wideouts consist of Kendrick Bourne and Jauan Jennings . The “swirl” routes were crossed out of the playbook because there were no vertical threats without Pearsall. Below, Cowing is the wideout in motion against Christian Gonzalez —one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL — running a swirl route: Last year, most cornerbacks were squatting on those routes without fear of a vertical threat. You cannot do that with Cowing. And it’s not just stretching the field vertically. Cowing’s addition would allow the 49ers to use him on deep crossing routes where he can use his god-given ability to run away from cornerbacks. That was on full display during OTAs. Cowing would be a couple of steps [... truncated ...]
analyst
Aaron Jones Sr. Remains in Flex Consideration for 2026
In his second season with the Minnesota Vikings, running back Aaron Jones Sr. was limited to only 548 rushing yards and two scores on the ground while missing five games with a variety of injuries, including a hamstring issue that landed him on injured reserve. An additional 199 receiving yards and one more touchdown through the air allowed him to maintain a serviceable fantasy floor when he was available, but along with former undrafted free agent Jordan Mason, he formed one of the less inspired running back committees in 2025. The Vikings finished in the bottom half of the league in terms of both rushing yards and touchdowns, making it all the more surprising that the team opted to make so few changes to the room for 2026. Minnesota spent a sixth-round pick on Wake Forest's Demond Claiborne, but at only 195 pounds, his role could be limited to little more than change-of-pace duties as a rookie. The offensive line should see better health in 2026, and free agent acquisition Kyler Murray represents a dramatic potential improvement at the quarterback position, so the Vikings could be banking on better cohesion and functionality to lift the offense as a whole, and with it the running game. No longer a player to actively target in fantasy drafts, Jones has fallen to RotoBaller's RB38 for 2026. Still, he should continue to provide usable value from the flex spot for as long as he can hold off Claiborne as the team's primary pass-catching back
general
Vikings Training Camp Position Preview: QB Battle, Bully Ball & Roster Questions Answered
As Minnesota Vikings training camp approaches, Tyler Forness and Dave Stefano of The Real Forno Show break down every position on the roster — from the high-stakes quarterback competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy to a revamped run game, a new “bully ball” wide receiver, and a defensive line full of unknowns. If you want to know where this Vikings team truly stands heading into camp, this episode delivers the sharpest analysis in the Vikings podcast space. The biggest storyline this offseason remains the quarterback room. Tyler laid out a clear framework: “ Carson Wentz won’t get elevated to being the starter… Carson will stay QB2.” The thinking is that keeping both Murray and McCarthy on the roster removes the pressure from whoever wins — a dynamic Tyler credits as a key reason Sam Darnold thrived in 2024. On the run game, Jordan Mason emerges as a sleeper: “ Jonathan Taylor had more carries at Wisconsin than Jordan Mason has had in four years of college and four years in the pros. Let that sink in for a second.” With fresh legs and a Frank Smith wide-zone scheme, Mason could be a breakout candidate. At receiver, Jauan Jennings changes everything: “Jennings is a bully. He’s gonna play like Dennis Rodman. That’s a different element for this offense.” QB Competition: Tyler believes one of Murray or McCarthy will be cut or traded — “if Kyler does not get the starting job, I think he’ll request a trade.” Kevin O’Connell’s QB Development: “He’s a veteran quarterback whisperer… but as far as developing a quarterback, he’s not shown he can do that yet.” Jordan Mason sleeper alert: Low tread on the tires at age 27, fits the new wide-zone scheme perfectly. Jauan Jennings changes the red zone: “Having the curveball of a physical presence like Jennings completely changes the dynamic of your play calling.” Edge rusher depth is a concern: “I hope they sign Jadeveon Clowney … eight and a half sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 40 pressures” on minimal snaps. Jake Golday’s role: “Van Ginkel is an edge rusher who does off-ball stuff. Golday is an off-ball guy who does edge rusher stuff.” Defensive line youth: Caleb Banks and Dominic Orange project as future starters — “I don’t expect it [day one], but they’re good players, drafted for a reason.” Harrison Smith : “He’s gone until he’s back, and right now I don’t see him coming back.” View Link Or on your favorite podcast aggregator. This episode of The Real Forno Show is exactly why Vikings fans tune in every week — unfiltered, film-room-level analysis from Tyler Forness, one of the sharpest voices covering Minnesota football. Whether you’re a die-hard or a casual fan trying to get ready for training camp, this breakdown of every position group is required listening before the pads go on. Tyler Forness @TheRealForno of Vikings 1st & SKOL @Vikings1stSKOL and A to Z Sports @AtoZSportsNFL , with Dave Stefano @Luft_Krigare producing this Vikings 1st & SKOL production, the @RealFornoShow . Podcasts partnered with Fans First Sports Network @FansFirstSN . What position battle are you most excited to watch in Vikings training camp — the QB competition or the edge rusher depth race?
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