Jordan Mason’s move to injured reserve with a thumb injury does more than clear out carries in Minnesota’s backfield. It puts a spotlight on rookie fullback Max Bredeson, who may end up being the key to keeping the Vikings’ run-game shape intact.
The Vikings drafted Bredeson to replace C.J. Ham after Ham retired, then made him their only fullback on the 53-man roster.
That choice already hinted at a specific role for the 23-year-old, and Mason’s injury only raises the value of what he can do. Rather than simply asking another backup runner to mimic Mason, Minnesota may lean harder on Bredeson to help Kevin O’Connell keep the heavier personnel groupings that were part of the Week 1 plan.
Against Green Bay, the distribution told the story. According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, Aaron Jones played 30 of 65 offensive snaps, Mason played 29, Bredeson played 24, and DeeJay Dallas played six.
Mason finished with 15 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown. Jones had 12 carries, Dallas caught one pass for one yard, and Bredeson did not log a touch.
But Bredeson’s role wasn’t empty. He also took 10 special-teams snaps, while Dallas had 19. The rookie’s workload was meaningful even without a carry or target.
That was true from the start. Ham averaged 16.7 offensive snaps per game across 11 appearances in 2025, with 184 total offensive snaps. Bredeson surpassed that number by more than seven snaps in his first regular-season game alone.
One play showed exactly why Minnesota values him. On Jones’ fourth-quarter touchdown, the Vikings used 21 personnel, shifted Bredeson before the snap, and had him help seal the edge as Jones scored from three yards out. That kind of assignment may matter even more now.
Jones and Dallas can split the direct backfield work, while Bredeson helps the Vikings stay physical without making every heavier look scream run.
Bredeson is not a Mason clone, and the Vikings would be fooling themselves to treat him like one. Mason brought a downhill element that Minnesota now has to replace in a different way. Dallas has a clearer path to offensive snaps, and rookie Demond Claiborne could still get involved after an underwhelming preseason.
Still, the bigger issue is not just finding 15 extra carries. Minnesota spent the offseason reshaping its run-game identity, and Bredeson was already on the field for 36.9 percent of the opener before Mason’s injury became part of the equation.
If that usage holds or grows against Chicago, it will say plenty about how the Vikings plan to protect that identity while Mason recovers.
In Other News...
Kyle Van Noy May Be Forcing The Vikings Into A Decision
Kyle Van Noys status has become one of the more interesting roster calls facing the Vikings this early in the season. After being elevated from the practice squad for Week 2 against the Bears, the veteran edge rusher is in line for his second straight game with the team, a sign Minnesota may be weighing whether to keep him around beyond a temporary move.
Van Noy logged 25 defensive snaps in the previous game and is expected to remain part of the rotation off the edge, which gives the Vikings a useful layer of depth as they sort through their front seven. The same elevation also brought rookie receiver Dillon Bell onto the game-day roster, but Van Noys repeated call-ups are the part that could eventually force a bigger decision about how the Vikings want to handle his role moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings QB Debate Suddenly Has A Very Short Window
Kevin OConnell has already drawn the lines for the next two weeks, and they leave little room for a lingering quarterback debate. Kyler Murray has been ruled out for Week 2 against the Chicago Bears because of the concussion protocol, which means Carson Wentz will get the start there, but the Vikings coach said he expects Murray to clear protocol and be ready to return in Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
OConnell also made it clear the job is not up for grabs while Murray is on the mend. Once he is medically cleared, Murray is slated to reclaim the starting role, which makes this more of a temporary holdover than a true quarterback battle. For Minnesota, the intrigue now is less about who will start long term and more about how Wentz handles a brief turn under center before the expected handoff back. [Read more 🡒]
Caleb Williams Exit Suddenly Looms Over Vikings Bears Rivalry
Caleb Williams exit in the fourth quarter of Sundays Bears-Vikings game put a sudden jolt into a rivalry that already had plenty riding on it. On a non-contact play, the Bears quarterback went down with a hamstring injury, then had to be carried off before being carted to the locker room, turning what had been a tense divisional matchup into one with a much bigger concern hanging over Chicago.
For the Vikings, the bigger picture is less about one play than what it might mean for a division opponent already dealing with uncertainty at quarterback. Medical experts who looked at the injury believe it is a hamstring strain, the kind that can force a player to miss time, and the timing could matter well beyond one afternoon in Week 2. [Read more 🡒]