Who Should I Start? Jeremy McNichols or Israel Abanikanda

Friday, November 28, 7:50 PM

Washington Commanders running back Jeremy McNichols has maintained his role as the team's primary back on pass downs for the majority of this season. McNichols has totaled 26 carries for 181 yards and a touchdown to go along with 15 receptions for 149 yards on 20 targets as a receiver. The veteran has two games with double-digit PPR points this season, with the first coming in Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders when he broke off a career-long 60-yard touchdown run, and the second in Week 8 versus the Kansas City Chiefs when he racked up five receptions for 64 yards. McNichols' season high for touches is only six as he remains behind Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Jacory Croskey-Merritt, so the weekly floor for fantasy is still low, keeping him relevant primarily in deeper leagues.

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.