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.

Monday, January 6, 9:14 AM

Dallas Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn acted as the team's RB2 on Sunday in the 23-19 loss to Washington following the release of running back Ezekiel Elliott. Vaughn rushed six times for 37 yards, spelling Rico Dowdle. The 5-foot-6 running back looked solid, cranking out a team-long 12-yard carry among his six rush attempts. Vaughn will look to earn a larger role going into next season as Dowdle is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the spring.