Who Should I Start? Israel Abanikanda or Julius Chestnut

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, July 13, 11:52 AM

TennnesseeTitans.com's Jim Wyatt points to a battle to watch during training camp being the one between Tennessee Titans running backs Julius Chestnut and rookie Kalel Mullings for the No. 3 role behind Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. Mullings missed time during the offseason program with an abdominal injury but took part in minicamp and is expected to be a full-go for training camp as he looks to beat out Chestnut. But Chestnut, who played in all 17 games in 2024, won't go down without a fight after having a solid offseason. The 24-year-old had 22 carries for 102 yards while adding two receptions for 11 yards in a depth role in 2024. Wyatt thinks that the Titans will keep three RBs on the active roster this year and one on the practice squad. Chestnut's leg up over Mullings could come on special teams, but Mullings will also work on special teams as he hunts for a roster spot.