Who Should I Start? Israel Abanikanda or Ronnie Rivers

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, January 18, 9:52 AM

Los Angeles Rams running back Ronnie Rivers stepped in as the primary backup for Kyren Williams last week in the Rams' first game of the playoffs. He replaced rookie Blake Corum (forearm) on the depth chart but had a similarly minimal workload. Rivers wasn't targeted and gained eight rushing yards on his three carries. He'll probably get a few touches again this week against the Eagles, but he hasn't had enough of a role to deserve much fantasy attention yet. In Week 18, he did have four catches for 34 yards and 12 carries for 48 yards while Williams was resting, so if there's an injury and he has to step up, there is some potential upside to consider if you're looking for a DFS punt play.