Who Should I Start? Israel Abanikanda or DeWayne McBride

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, July 22, 4:42 PM

Minnesota Vikings running back DeWayne McBride (undisclosed) is being placed on the non-football injury list, the team announced on Monday. McBride joined the organization as a seventh-round pick last year, but he did not appear in a game after spending the season on the practice squad. McBride was once a deep sleeper in fantasy football following his prolific college career at UAB which saw him rush for over 3,000 yards and 32 touchdowns in his sophomore and junior seasons combined. Heading into his second year as a pro, he'll likely have a tough time earning a role behind Aaron Jones, Ty Chandler, and Kene Nwangwu, especially since he's beginning the offseason with an injury.