Jordan Mason's Fantasy Football Outlook Without Christian McCaffrey

Before the San Francisco 49ers took on the New York Jets on Monday Night Football in Week 1, Christian McCaffrey was suddenly ruled out due to a calf injury. Jordan Mason would fill in for the All-Pro back in the season opener, and he excelled with an expanded workload in San Francisco's 32-19 victory.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan has revealed that McCaffrey is also dealing with Achilles tendinitis, putting his status for Week 2 in jeopardy. Given how Shanahan is talking and the fact it's early in the season for the 49ers -- who are 1-0 to begin the year -- it wouldn't come as a surprise to see Mason make another spot start on Sunday.

Ahead of a road showdown with the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2, let's take a look at Jordan Mason's workload from Week 1 and what his fantasy football outlook looks like until CMC returns.

Mason's Week 1 Workload

San Francisco's offense didn't miss a beat with Mason heading the backfield as they produced 32 points against a formidable Jets defense. Mason handled all 28 of the team's running back carries in Week 1 while Deebo Samuel also received 8 rushing attempts for the 49ers.

In his first career start, Mason turned his 28 carries into 147 yards, and he finished with 152 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. Only Joe Mixon and Rhamondre Stevenson logged more adjusted opportunities (36 and 31) at the RB position in Week 1 than Mason (30) while the third-year back was the RB3 in half-PPR scoring formats with 21.7 fantasy points.

Aside from pacing San Francisco's backfield in production, Mason led the team in snap rate (81.4%) while also being deployed on 92.3% of the team's red-zone snaps. Rookie Isaac Guerendo was active for the 49ers to begin the season, but he was on the field for only three snaps, so Samuel appears to be the only other skill player who could steal meaningful carries from Mason in McCaffrey's absence.

Mason has been an efficient rusher as a backup in his first two seasons with 5.6 yards per attempt, and he undoubtedly proved he can handle a workhorse role sans McCaffrey.

Mason's Week 2 Fantasy Outlook

For those who took CMC early in the first round of fantasy football -- or you need aid at the RB position -- Mason is a fantastic option entering Week 2. It's tough to match Mason's potential volume, and the 49ers have consistently had an effective rushing attack that certainly boosts the upside of their RBs.

As mentioned above, Deebo appears to be the only player who could take carries away from Mason if McCaffrey is inactive on Sunday. Samuel posted an 84.6% red-zone snap rate in Week 1, and he scored a rushing touchdown on an end-around near the goal line as his physicality and ability to create with the ball in his hands makes him valuable to the offense.

Guerendo is a rookie rusher who will need to earn trust -- especially in pass protection -- before he takes on a noteworthy role in the offense. By the time McCaffrey is ready to make his season debut, Guerendo still may not be a factor in the offense, so Mason is poised for another large workload in Week 2 if the 49ers want to wait at least another week to trot out the reigning Offensive Player of the Year.

San Francisco is slated to take on Minnesota in the second week of the campaign, and the Vikings are coming off a 28-6 win over the New York Giants in which they limited the G-Men to 74 rushing yards on 21 attempts. That being said, slowing down the Giants on the ground is much different than limiting the 49ers' dynamic running game.

Assuming McCaffrey is unable to suit up, Mason is set up for another ultra-productive game taking handoffs from Brock Purdy.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.