Who Should I Start? Israel Abanikanda or Sean Tucker

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, December 29, 6:36 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker surprisingly saw his usage increase during Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. Tucker hasn't seen much of the field lately, but he was able to make an impact in Week 17. He rushed the ball eight times for 39 yards and hauled in his lone target for five yards in the win. The eight carries from Tucker are the most from him since his 136-yard outing in Week 6. It looks like Tucker and Rachaad White are going to be fighting for scraps with Bucky Irving running away with the lead back job. Tucker is worth holding in some dynasty formats, but he's unlikely going to have weekly success as the third option in the backfield.