Is Michael Carter, Zonovan Knight, or Israel Abanikanda the Jets’ RB2 Behind Breece Hall? Fantasy Football Outlook

New York Jets second-year running back Breece Hall tore his ACL in his rookie season after a flashy start to his NFL career. While it is unknown if Hall will be ready to go fully by Week 1, he is expected to return early on in the 2023 season and to regain his status as the bellcow running back for New York.

Behind Hall, the backfield is up for grabs. Michael Carter and Zonovan Knight held it down after Hall’s injury last season, but the Jets added to the backfield in the form of fifth-round rookie Israel Abanikanda.

Who is the direct handcuff to Breece Hall heading into 2023?

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The Case For Michael Carter

Carter was the top running back in New York at times in his rookie season in 2021 when he finished top-30 at the position for fantasy, but ceded his role in 2022 with the arrival of the more electric Hall.

He has the most experience of any running back in this youth-ridden room, which could give him an upper-hand in the battle for Gang Green’s RB2, but struggled down the stretch last season in relief of an injured Hall and took a backseat to undrafted free agent Zonovan Knight in the running back pecking order.

While Carter was viewed as the future of the running back position for the Jets just two seasons ago, there is a real chance that he is the odd man out this time around.

The Case For Zonovan Knight

Zonovan “Bam” Knight shocked the NFL world in his debut, in which he took 14 carries for 69 yards and added three receptions for 34 yards against the Chicago Bears in Week 12 last season. An undrafted free agent out of North Carolina State, Knight was handed the keys to the Jets’ backfield over the back end of the 2022 season.

Knight came out on fire, averaging 99.3 yards from scrimmage per game over his first three career NFL games. However he significantly cooled off over the last four, averaging just 25.5 yards from scrimmage per game.

Knight overtook Carter last season, so it is possible that he still has the upper hand in the backfield but his late-season performance prompted the Jets to bring in competition at the running back position.

The Case For Israel Abanikanda

Enter Izzy Abanikanda. The rookie out of Pitt is just 20 years old but has dazzling components to his game. He is big for a running back at 5-11, 215 pounds and also reportedly ran between a 4.26-4.32 40-yard-dash at Pitt’s Pro Day.

Abanikanda ran for 1,431 yards and a whopping 20 touchdowns as a junior last season at Pitt.

People within the Jets’ organization have already noted that they believe the talented rookie can immediately contribute.

While the Jets’ backfield is messy behind starter Breece Hall, Abanikanda is the most physically gifted option. He faces an uphill battle given Carter and Knight’s NFL experience, but the opportunity certainly exists for him to work his way into a meaningful role in year 1.

Which Jets Running Back Should I Draft?

If you are looking for Izzy Abanikanda propaganda, you came to the right place. Abanikanda offers the most upside out of all of the running backs behind Breece Hall and the early hype mixed with underwhelming production from Carter and Knight last season indicates that he will have an opportunity to emerge.

Abanikanda is again the guy to target in dynasty amongst these three players. He is the youngest and most explosive, giving him a stronger opportunity to eventually emerge into a fantasy-relevant role.

While Abanikanda may be considered the top target right now, he has to actually win the position battle in order for this to be considered a good pick. The New York Jets’ backup running back position battle will be a key one to hone in on during camps and preseason, and this question will likely eventually answer itself as the Jets consolidate their backfield behind their star running back.

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