Who Should I Start? Israel Abanikanda or Brashard Smith
Week 3 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Israel Abanikanda News
Friday, August 21, 12:12 PM
Dallas Cowboys running back Israel Abanikanda has exceeded expectations in training camp so far, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Abanikanda has not appeared in an NFL game since his rookie season in 2023, when he recorded 113 scrimmage yards on 29 touches across six games with the New York Jets. He spent the final portion of the 2025 season on the Cowboys' practice squad and is now competing for a spot on the team's 53-man roster this summer. Dallas has a clear leader in the backfield in running back Javonte Williams. However, the team's RB2 job appears to be an open competition between Jaydon Blue (shoulder), Malik Davis, and Phil Mafah. With all three of those players largely unproven as NFL contributors, Abanikanda may have a chance to work his way into the mix for the Cowboys. In deeper league formats, Abanikanda may be a name for fantasy managers to keep an eye on throughout the remainder of the preseason.
Week 3 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.7 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 3.8 | 0.0 |
Brashard Smith News
Friday, September 18, 5:49 PM
A seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith flashed upside as a receiver out of the backfield during his rookie season. However, the 23-year-old's 2026 debut was discouraging for fantasy managers, as Smith played exclusively on special teams in Kansas City's Week 1 win over the Denver Broncos. Chiefs RB1 Kenneth Walker turned in a dominant performance against Denver, and rookie running back Emmett Johnson appears to have established himself as the clear RB2 in Kansas City. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes attempted just 27 passes in Week 1, so Smith may play a role in games where Kansas City is forced into more pass-heavy game scripts. Still, Smith seems unlikely to provide fantasy-relevant production unless there's an injury to Walker or Johnson.
Israel Abanikanda vs. Brashard Smith
Still trying to decide between Abanikanda and Smith? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Israel Abanikanda is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Brashard Smith is projected to score 1.7 points.
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