Outlook: Mason was an absolute beast for the first quarter of the season in place of the injured Chrisian McCaffery. Piling up 100-plus yards in three of the first four games of the season Mason all but faded from relevance after Week 6. Injuries of his own cost him time on the field, and the 49ers felt like a late-round pick was worth more than keeping him around as injury insurance. The former undrafted free agent joins the Vikings as a direct backup to veteran Aaron Jones. Largely a product of the 49ers run scheme, Mason doesn't possess enough elite traits to threaten playing time, and makes for a reliable, yet underwhelming handcuff for Jones owners as he offers next to nothing as a receiver.

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Outlook: Rookie Jaydon Blue steps into the NFL with some buzz from his Texas days. He snagged 42 receptions in his final college season and turned 134 rushing attempts into 14 touchdowns, showing off explosive speed and pass-catching flair. He's not your classic between-the-tackles bruiser - think of him as a scatback with breakaway potential.

Blue should see the field early, likely as a secondary option behind Williams, although the team may opt to give Miles Sanders enough playing time to cap both Williams and Blue early on. Blue's receiving skills could make him an exciting piece in the Cowboys' offense, but don't expect a huge role right away. He's more likely to cap the upside of other backs than be a standalone fantasy star, at least early on. Still, that pass-catching upside and explosive speed makes him worth keeping an eye on.

Stash Blue late as a bench option with PPR upside. He's a long-term play who could grow into relevance as the season unfolds, particularly if the veterans in front of him suffer any sort of injuries.

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Outlook: Wilson entered the 2024 as a bottom of the roster player after being waived by the Broncos in 2023. Solid special teams play and a need for positional depth kept him on the roster in 2024, but he ended up filling an important role after early season injuries to MarShawn Lloyd and AJ Dillon. Wilson was an effective breather back, as he tallied 500 yards and four scores on the ground, but ultimately, he is a 26-year-old undrafted back playing behind a workhorse, and competing with a much more talented former 3rd round pick. Leave him on the waiver wire and check in if injuries hit.

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Outlook: Like most of the offense, Johnson deserves a mulligan from last year. The 2023 4th rounder saw only 55 carries, spending time behind Swift and Khalil Herbert. Despite his lack of meaningful involvement, he did prove to be effective near the goal line, scoring six rushing touchdowns. With a limited athletic profile, Johnson projects as the thunder to Swift's lightning. The potential to be a late-round lottery ticket is there if you believe in the offense's ability to rebound. Johnson is likely best viewed as a Swift handcuff as only 7th round pick Kyle Monangai is currently there to threaten him.

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Outlook: One of the truisms of fantasy football is that rookie skill players are overvalued. Such was the case with Benson, who, as the second running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, looked poised to step in and contribute immediately. That didn't happen. Benson was more backup than complement as a rookie, with his 69 combined touches barely outpacing unheralded veterans Demercado (40) and Carter (46). He matched Conner at 4.6 yards per carry on his 63 totes but was minimally involved as a pass catcher with six catches for 59 yards.

Will things be any different in 2025? Maybe. That answer comes down to two primary things: how well Conner holds up physically at age 30, and how much Benson has developed after a full season in the NFL. While the former is obvious, the latter is sneakily important as even if Conner stays largely healthy this year, Benson could still improve his production by claiming many of the 86 combined touches that Carter and Demercado had last year.

Conner's injury history and age should be enough to keep Benson as one of the top handcuff options in drafts this year, though we're still talking about a fringe top-50 option at the position. The good news is, after an uninspired NFL debut, Benson is likely to be available later in drafts.

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