Israel Abanikanda – 2023 Fantasy Football Outlook
Running Back – Pittsburgh
5’10” 216 lbs
5th Round – 8th Pick (143rd Overall) – New York Jets
Running back Israel Abanikanda from the University of Pittsburgh has generated significant attention in the NFL scouting community. Measuring 5’10” and 216 pounds, Abanikanda demonstrated his athletic prowess at his pro day. There, he ran a 4.45 40-yard dash with a 41″ vertical and a 10’8″ broad jump. These results earned him a Relative Athletic Score of 9.63, which places him in the elite category among NFL running back prospects.
In addition to his impressive physical abilities, Abanikanda has a number of strengths on the field. He is a one-cut back, capable of escaping tight pockets with ease, and he has instant acceleration. Furthermore, his great spin move and breakaway speed, which stem from his previous experience as a sprinter, make him an especially difficult player to stop. These skills allowed him to achieve a great deal of success on the field during his senior year at Pittsburgh. During that time, in only 11 games played he racked up 1,431 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns with an average of 6.0 YPC.
Despite these impressive strengths, there are some areas where Abanikanda has room for improvement. For example, he has a tendency to rush his runs. At times, he doesn’t allow his blocks to develop as effectively. Additionally, he doesn’t always manipulate the defense as well as he could. Finally, his pass protection skills could benefit from further development.
However, despite these areas of potential improvement, Abanikanda’s abilities were enough to earn him a spot on the New York Jets roster. In the 2023 NFL Draft, he was selected in the 5th round, 143rd overall.
Overall, Abanikanda’s impressive athletic abilities and his demonstrated on-field success make him a prospect to watch as he begins his NFL career. With the right coaching and training, he has the potential to become a formidable force in the league.
Fantasy Football Outlook
Unfortunately, Abanikanda’s draft position was not as high as many fantasy owners had hoped for. Although there were hopes that he would be chosen in the third round or sooner, he ultimately fell to the fifth round. Adding to this disappointment is the fact that he ended up in a challenging landing spot, as the Jets already have an established star running back in Breece Hall, who they drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Hall looked like the real deal and should absolutely be leading this backfield moving forward. As soon as he’s healthy, that is.
Overall, it seems that the only way Abanikanda will have success in the 2023 season is if Hall is unable to fully recover from the torn ACL he suffered in the previous season. Under such circumstances, Abanikanda would have a chance to earn some touches in a backfield that would be in need of assistance. Finally, this is not an ideal spot for fantasy football purposes.
Dynasty Outlook
Similar to redraft leagues, the outlook for Abanikanda in dynasty fantasy football leagues is not promising either. While his talent is undeniable and he may be able to secure a role with the right opportunity, at this stage he is best considered as a late-round pick in rookie drafts. In the end, he will likely be stashed on your taxi squads.
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