Who Should I Start? Jordan Mason or Israel Abanikanda

Saturday, December 7, 12:22 PM

San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason (ankle), who still hasn't been placed on Injured Reserve, was officially ruled out for the Week 14 game against the Chicago Bears this Sunday after missing practice all week. Mason suffered a high-ankle sprain in last Sunday night's loss to the Buffalo Bills and is expected to eventually land on IR, which would require him to miss at least four games. The 25-year-old will likely go on IR before the deadline on Saturday, which will make him eligible to return for the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Arizona Cardinals. With fantasy championships typically coming in Week 17, Mason should have already been dropped in redraft leagues. With Christian McCaffrey (knee) also done for the season, rookie Isaac Guerendo is now the 49ers' lead back, and he'll have immediate RB2 upside in his first NFL start this Sunday versus Chicago.

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.