Who Should I Start? Raheem Blackshear or Israel Abanikanda

Tuesday, April 1, 2:21 PM

The Carolina Panthers are re-signing running back Raheem Blackshear to a one-year deal, according to NFL.com. After going unselected in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Virginia Tech, Blackshear spent the 2022 preseason with the Buffalo Bills before landing with the Panthers, where he has been ever since. In his three-year NFL career, the 26-year-old has totaled 52 carries for 203 yards and three touchdowns on the ground and 16 receptions for 138 yards through the air in 41 games. With Chuba Hubbard, Rico Dowdle, and potentially Jonathon Brooks (knee) in the Carolina backfield next season, it would be a surprise if Blackshear ends up on the fantasy football radar.

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.