Who Should I Start? Israel Abanikanda or Malik Davis

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.

Thursday, December 4, 11:34 AM

Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis has steadily accounted for a larger share of the backfield touches over the previous few weeks, supplanting rookie rusher Jaydon Blue as the handcuff to own behind starter Javonte Williams. Davis didn't get his first snaps with the team until Week 7's win over the Commanders, although he's since been an effective runner. While he hasn't eclipsed four touches in a given outing, the 27-year-old's efficiency has improved each week. If he can continue boasting more work, Davis may present some standalone fantasy value down the stretch. However, fantasy managers can't trust him as such just yet, considering Williams has dominated backfield opportunities for the entirety of 2025. Davis is a nice speculative stash in deep leagues, and a must-own for those carrying Williams this late in the campaign.