Who Should I Start? Nyheim Hines or Israel Abanikanda

Sunday, August 10, 9:31 PM

Los Angeles Chargers running back Nyheim Hines looked rusty in the team's 27-13 preseason win against the Saints. The 28-year-old returned to the league, signing a contract with the Chargers in July after a two-year absence following a jet-ski accident. Hines muffed two punt returns and fumbled one away. He also added 10 yards on four carries, busting out an impressive juke on one run. However, he appeared out of sync most of the game. Despite having flashed on special teams in the past, Hines will have to do a lot more to make the team in an extremely crowded backfield.

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.