Who Should I Start? Israel Abanikanda or Deuce Vaughn

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.

Sunday, November 24, 11:55 AM

Dallas Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn is a healthy inactive for the Week 12 game against the division-rival Washington Commanders on Sunday in D.C. Vaughn will be on the sidelines for this one after playing just 16 of the team's 83 offensive snaps in the Monday night loss to the Houston Texans in Week 11. The 23-year-old has been a distant third on the RB depth chart in his second NFL season in Dallas behind Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott in a struggling rushing attack. Vaughn has had only 11 carries on the season for 33 rushing yards while catching three passes for 18 yards. He should remain on the waiver wire in most fantasy leagues for the rest of the season in a Dallas offense that will likely remain well below average the rest of the way with quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) out for the season.