Who Should I Start? Pierre Strong Jr. or Israel Abanikanda

Saturday, December 13, 2:27 PM

The Green Bay Packers have elevated running back Pierre Strong Jr. from their practice squad to the active roster ahead of the team's Week 15 matchup against the Denver Broncos. With top Green Bay running backs Josh Jacobs (knee) and Emanuel Wilson (illness) both questionable for Sunday, the Packers could be forced to turn to Strong Jr. and Chris Brooks in the backfield. The 27-year-old Strong Jr. has yet to appear in a game so far in 2025. Across 14 games with the Cleveland Browns in 2024, he recorded 212 scrimmage yards on 40 touches. Brooks has just 66 total carries across 37 career NFL games, so it's unclear who Green Bay would turn to as the lead back if both Jacobs and Wilson are out. Fantasy managers may want to stash Strong Jr. off the waiver wire just in case he finds himself in a prominent role come game time on Sunday.

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.