Who Should I Start? Trayveon Williams or Israel Abanikanda

Sunday, December 21, 4:38 PM

Cleveland Browns running back Trayveon Williams came in after rookie running back Quinshon Judkins (ankle, leg) exited early with a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula during Sunday's Week 16 loss against the Buffalo Bills. The veteran back caught all four of his targets for 38 yards and ran the ball three times for 17 yards, but saw fewer rush attempts than rookie running back Raheim Sanders. The Cleveland Browns will host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17, who are a tough matchup for opposing running backs. With rookie running back Dylan Sampson (hand) still managing an injury and Judkins almost certainly missing the rest of the season, Williams should profile as the primary passing-down back in the upcoming gritty AFC North matchup.

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.