Since the beginning of the offseason, San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason has made the most of his opportunities, earning praise for his hard-nosed, physical running style that embodied an NFL player.
However, due to a variety of circumstances, Mason has yet to see significant NFL action.
After Elijah Mitchell suffered a sprained MCL in Week 1, Mason could've seen opportunities behind Jeff Wilson in San Francisco's running back rotation, given his performance in the offseason and style of play.
But, the 49ers opted for a different direction, utilizing Wilson as a bell-cow back, significantly decreasing the team's efficiency on the ground, before involving veteran Tevin Coleman, who had a short stint on the active roster.
Instead, Mason was relegated to special-teams action only, even with fellow rookie Tyrion Davis-Price nursing an injury of his own.
San Francisco certainly could've benefitted from Mason's approach, given the stacked boxes they faced with their one-dimensional rushing attack under Jeff Wilson, but went a different direction and took a hit offensively.
Then, the 49ers made a huge move, trading for Christian McCaffrey, which placed Mason further down the depth chart. While Jeff Wilson Jr. was moved at the deadline to the Miami Dolphins, Elijah Mitchell returned following the bye week, keeping Mason as the third running back on the depth chart.
However, the rookie out of Georgia Tech saw action towards the end of San Francisco's 38-10 blowout over the Arizona Cardinals, rushing four times for 14 yards, but showcasing his physicality with a strong eight-yard carry.
Then, following the unfortunate injury to Elijah Mitchell and some knee irritation to Christian McCaffrey, Mason saw his most substantial load yet, rushing for 25 yards on five attempts against a strong Saints defense.
With Mitchell's injury and McCaffrey's soreness, Mason will step into the backup role for the 49ers with the potential of extra carries if the latter's injury worsens over the week.
Mason has made the most of every opportunity he's received and now will finally get a chance to shine and showcase why the 49ers were high on his potential when they elected to keep him on the 53-man roster.
Mitchell will likely be sidelined for the majority of the regular season, if not more, meaning McCaffrey, Mason, and Tyrion Davis-Price will be San Francisco's three active running backs, barring any unforeseen moves.
In Week 12, of Mason's 25 yards, 18 came after contact, showcasing his skillset, which will come in handy as San Francisco looks to maintain their diverse offensive rushing attack following the early season efficiency struggles.
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