Who Should I Start? George Holani or Israel Abanikanda

Sunday, August 11, 4:54 AM

Seattle Seahawks running back George Holani found the end zone in Saturday's 16-3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Holani entered the game after three straight Kenny McIntosh touches gave Seattle first down on the Chargers' 11-yard line. After taking the handoff he deftly bounced outside when his lanes up the middle were jammed, found the edge, and ran it in. The undrafted rookie out of Boise State finished the game with six carries for 24 yards and two receptions for another six yards through the air. Fellow rookie Kobe Lewis led Seattle's backfield with 10 carries. Both running backs are competing with McIntosh to see who will sit directly behind Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet on the depth chart. Their next opportunity for game action will come against the Tennessee Titans on August 17.

Monday, September 9, 7:44 PM

New York Jets running back Israel Abanikanda is a healthy scratch for the team's Week 1 regular-season opener at Levi's Stadium on Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers. Abanikanda enters the 2024 season as the team's RB4 behind starter and bell-cow Breece Hall and rookies Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis. As such, the 21-year-old is obviously off the fantasy radar in most single-year leagues for the time being unless injuries push him into a relevant game-day role. The former fifth-round pick out of Pittsburgh last year was also buried on the depth chart in his rookie season and finished with 22 carries for 70 yards while catching seven passes for 43 yards in only six games. Abanikanda has breakaway speed but is once again buried on the depth chart and will have to wait for his opportunity beyond Week 1.