Who Should I Start? Israel Abanikanda or Dean Connors
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
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 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 | 3.7 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 0.0 |
Dean Connors News
Saturday, August 15, 7:52 PM
Los Angeles Rams running back Dean Connors rushed for 22 yards on six carries during Saturday's preseason contest against the Kansas City Chiefs. He also caught all four of his targets for an additional 29 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. Throughout his collegiate career at Rice and Houston, Connors' top trait was his ability to catch passes and produce as a receiver. Over his last three NCAA seasons, he had a whopping 139 catches, 1,142 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns. He had at least 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of those three seasons, and he totaled 30 touchdowns during that span. While Connors may not be the most efficient runner, the undrafted free agent may be able to sneak onto the back end of the Rams' roster because of his pass-catching skills. Ronnie Rivers and Jarquez Hunter represent his biggest competition for the No. 3 running back role behind Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.
Israel Abanikanda vs. Dean Connors
Still trying to decide between Abanikanda and Connors? 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 Dean Connors is projected to score 0.9 points.
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