Who Should I Start? Israel Abanikanda or Keilan Robinson

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.

Saturday, August 23, 12:35 AM

Philadelphia Eagles running back Keilan Robinson ran for 23 yards on nine carries in a 19-17 win over the Jets in the third and final week of the preseason. The Philly run game wasn't as slow as last week against the Browns, but it was a low bar to clear for Robinson after a nine-yard performance. The second-year RB has been in a battle for a roster spot throughout this preseason, and after a couple of underwhelming outings, it's hard to see him making the cut with at least four other backs ahead of him on the depth chart. Robinson had no carries last year for the Jaguars and was used only on kick returns. It seems that he will get little to no attention in backfields in 2025, and he is not worth a fantasy draft pick.