Who Should I Start? Nick Chubb or Israel Abanikanda

Tuesday, February 25, 2:59 PM

Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb will hit the free-agent market when free agency opens on March 12, according to general manager Andrew Berry. The former second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft rushed for 996 yards as a rookie before compiling four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons from 2019 to 2022. He suffered a significant knee injury in Week 2 of the 2023 campaign, limiting him to just two games played. The 29-year-old returned to action in Week 7 last season but rushed for just 322 yards and three touchdowns in eight games before suffering a broken foot. With Chubb's future outlook uncertain and Cleveland needing to flip its roster, there's a good chance his time with the organization is over. However, the Browns could bring him back on a cheap deal if he does not draw much interest in the open market.

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.