Who Should I Start? Israel Abanikanda or Kene Nwangwu


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Israel Abanikanda News

Israel Abanikanda A Healthy Scratch Against 49ers

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.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Kene Nwangwu News

Jets Re-Sign Kene Nwangwu

Saturday, March 14, 7:12 PM

The New York Jets re-signed running back/return man Kene Nwangwu to a one-year, $2 million deal on Saturday, a source told Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Nwangwu will receive $1 million guaranteed and can earn up to $3 million with incentives. The 28-year-old former fourth-rounder in 2021 out of Iowa State by the Minnesota Vikings didn't see a single carry in only two games with the Jets in 2024. He had a slightly bigger role last year, seeing 13 rushing attempts for 49 yards. Nwangwu only has 40 carries for 137 yards (3.4 yards per carry) and no touchdowns in his five years in the NFL, so fantasy managers shouldn't really expect much of him in 2026 behind Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis. He hasn't been much of a factor on offense, but Nwangwu had 604 yards and a touchdown on 18 kickoff returns for Gang Green in 2025. The Jets will hope he can continue to excel on special teams as a returner.


Israel Abanikanda vs. Kene Nwangwu

Still trying to decide between Abanikanda and Nwangwu? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Israel Abanikanda is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Kene Nwangwu is projected to score 0.0 points.