Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Friday that Abanikanda likely will be promoted from the practice squad to replace Tyler Goodson (knee) as the No. 2 running back ahead of Sunday's matchup with San Francisco, Joe Hoyt of The Dallas Morning News reports.
A 2024 fifth-round pick, Abanikanda has six regular-season appearances and 29 career touches -- all back in 2023 for the Jets. He offers sub-4.5 speed at 215-plus pounds, but he won't necessarily have the same role as Goodson, who earned the team's trust with solid performances after latching on earlier this fall. With Abanikanda as the No. 2 back, Javonte Williams may be tasked with even larger workloads than before.