Who Should I Start? Tyler Badie or Israel Abanikanda

Sunday, January 12, 11:37 AM

Denver Broncos running back Tyler Badie (back) was activated from Injured Reserve on Saturday and is officially active for the wild-card game at Orchard Park in Buffalo against the Bills on Sunday. As a result, rookie Audric Estime will be a healthy scratch. It's a pretty big surprise for Denver's backfield as they get set to play their first postseason game since winning Super Bowl 50 back in early 2016. The 24-year-old Badie has been on IR since early October but will return to provide RB depth behind Jaleel McLaughlin and Javonte Williams. Given Badie's extended absence, it would be a surprise to see him on the field all that much, which will give both McLaughlin and Williams more fantasy upside on Sunday against a Buffalo defense that has been vulnerable on the ground this year. In three games before going on IR, Badie had only 11 carries for 86 yards while adding three catches for minus-two yards.

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.