Who Should I Start? Israel Abanikanda or Damien Martinez


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
1.3 8.6 0.1 0.1 0.8 0.0

Israel Abanikanda News

Israel Abanikanda A Healthy Scratch Against 49ers

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.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.3 1.6 0.0 0.1 0.4 0.0

Damien Martinez News

Damien Martinez Released from Seahawks' Practice Squad

Tuesday, September 2, 9:08 PM

The Seattle Seahawks have released rookie running back Damien Martinez from their practice squad, per John Boyle of Seahawks.com. Seattle selected Martinez in the seventh round of the 2025 draft, but he failed to make the team's 53-man roster and has now been bumped off the practice squad as well. Martinez averaged over six yards per carry in each of his three college seasons, so his track record of production could lead to him landing another practice squad deal with a different team. However, Martinez is highly unlikely to be fantasy-relevant in 2025 and does not hold much dynasty value at this point either.


Israel Abanikanda vs. Damien Martinez

Still trying to decide between Abanikanda and Martinez? 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 1.3 points this week while Damien Martinez is projected to score 0.3 points.