Who Should I Start? Ameer Abdullah or Hassan Haskins

Friday, January 3, 6:07 PM

After initially being listed as doubtful, the Las Vegas Raiders have downgraded running back Ameer Abdullah (foot) to out for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers after he missed practice all week. Abdullah injured his foot in the Week 17 loss to the New Orleans Saints in which he had the first 100-yard rushing day of the season. With the 31-year-old getting an early start to the offseason, the Raiders will use Alexander Mattison as their lead back against LA at Allegiant Stadium, with rookie Dylan Laube and Chris Collier also seeing action in a change-of-pace role. Abdullah saw additional opportunities in the second half of this season due to injuries to Mattison and Zamir White, but he'll finish his third season in Sin City with only 311 rushing yards and two TDs on 66 carries over 16 games. He added a career-high 40 catches for 261 yards and three more TDs.

Tuesday, April 29, 12:04 AM

The Athletic's Daniel Popper writes that Los Angeles Chargers running back Hassan Haskins is the leader in the clubhouse for the third running back spot on the 53-man roster this year behind Najee Harris and first-round rookie Omarion Hampton because of his versatility on special teams. Haskins played the third-most special-teams snaps of any Charger last year. Kimani Vidal will have to come to training camp ready to perform to make it more of a competition for the No. 3 job. The 25-year-old Haskins won't be on the fantasy radar in single-year leagues as long as both Harris and Hampton are healthy for the Bolts. The former fourth-rounder by the Tennessee Titans in 2022 out of Michigan had only 34 carries for 89 yards and two touchdowns for L.A. in 17 games last year while also adding three catches for 49 yards and a touchdown.