Kenneth Gainwell Fantasy Stats

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell put together the most productive season of his career while playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025, recording 1,023 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns on 187 touches across 17 games. Gainwell emerged as a security blanket for Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the passing game, finishing the year with 73 catches for 486 yards and three touchdowns on 85 targets. The Bucs rewarded Gainwell with a two-year contract in free agency, and he now projects as the 1B option in the Tampa Bay backfield behind Bucky Irving. Gainwell may not see as many targets from Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield as he did from Rodgers, which would hurt his fantasy production. However, Gainwell should still play a role in the Tampa Bay passing game and could emerge as the team's go-to option in short-yardage and goal-line situations. Irving also has to be considered an injury risk after missing seven games with foot and shoulder injuries in 2025. Gainwell's dynasty value would have benefited more had he signed somewhere as a clear starter, but his stock is still up following his breakout 2025 season in Pittsburgh.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell was one of the league's biggest surprises in 2025, with his career-high 73 receptions trailing only Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs at the position. After keeping such elite company, he leveraged his receiving success into a two-year, $14 million deal with the Buccaneers, where he joins a team and a new offensive coordinator with prior histories of involving running backs in the passing game. Zac Robinson raised eyebrows when he initially stated his intent to deploy Bucky Irving similarly to the way he used Robinson in Atlanta, but the signing of Gainwell on the first day of free agency would suggest the bulk of the running back targets could go elsewhere. Last season, while Gainwell was nearly doubling his career receiving production in Pittsburgh, an injury-slowed Irving was splitting time with, and ceding much of the passing game work to, Rachaad White. While both backs bring versatility to what will be a new look Buccaneers offense in 2026, the safe bet will be for Gainwell to find most of his fantasy success as the dedicated passing back, as his 114 carries in 2025 also marked a career high, but were easily surpassed by Irving in only 10 games.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers new running back Kenneth Gainwell broke out in 2025 in his fifth year in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, carrying the ball 114 times for 537 yards (4.7 yards per carry) and five rushing touchdowns. But where he made his mark was in the short passing game for the Steelers, catching 73 passes (fourth-most among RBs) on 85 targets for 486 yards (fifth-most among RBs) and three additional touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. The 27-year-old signed a two-year, $14 million contract with the Buccaneers in free agency and will essentially replace Rachaad White, who is now in Washington, as the No. 2 back in Tampa behind early-down RB Bucky Irving. He's an ideal complement to Irving in the backfield, but Irving should continue to catch his fair share of passes, too, if he remains healthy. Gainwell should have a solid PPR floor in his new home as the team's pass-catching back, but fantasy managers should prepare for regression from what could very easily end up being his career year in 2025.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell is signing a two-year, $14 million deal that includes $10 million guaranteed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Gainwell was the Steelers' MVP last year, totaling 1,023 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns as a dual-threat RB. The 26-year-old was a perfect fit for the Steelers' checkdown offense last year, as he ran for 537 yards and a career-high five touchdowns on 114 carries, adding a career-best 73 receptions for 486 yards and three more TDs on 85 targets in 17 regular-season games. In Tampa, the former fifth-rounder in 2021 out of Memphis will serve as a change-of-pace option behind starter Bucky Irving, effectively replacing Rachaad White in the team's backfield. Gainwell's fantasy needle is pointing up, although his 73-catch season in 2025 will probably end up being an outlier.

Free agent running backs Rachaad White and Kenneth Gainwell "might make sense" for the Jacksonville Jaguars if they don't re-sign Travis Etienne Jr., according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. White, 27, spent his first four NFL seasons in Tampa Bay. He consistently flashed upside as a dual-threat back with the ability to score touchdowns, but he was held in check each of the last two years due to Bucky Irving's breakout. We have seen what White can do in a shared backfield (or by himself), and he could be a 1A to the 1B of Bhayshul Tuten in Jacksonville. There's real optimism that White could return to 2023 form, which included 990 rushing yards, 549 receiving yards, nine touchdowns, and an overall RB4 finish in PPR leagues. Notably, White has a connection to Jaguars head coach Liam Coen, who was previously his offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay. Gainwell, on the other hand, is coming off a breakout season in Pittsburgh. During his lone year as a Steeler, he ranked as the RB16 in PPR leagues with 537 rushing yards, 486 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns. He split the workload with Jaylen Warren in Pittsburgh, and he'd presumably do the same with Tuten in Jacksonville. Either running back would have appeal as an RB2 or RB3 option if they sign with the Jaguars.

Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan said the team has been in communication with impending free-agent running back Kenneth Gainwell and "expressed a desire to have him return," according to Alan Saunders of PGH Steelers Now. Gainwell is set to hit the free-agent market next month after winning team MVP honors in 2025 in his first season with the organization. The 26-year-old was heavily involved in Pittsburgh's offense last year, setting career-highs in carries (114), rushing yards (537), rushing touchdowns, catches (73), targets (85), receiving yards (486), and receiving touchdowns (three) in 17 regular-season games. He will never be a workhorse back in the NFL, but Gainwell proved in 2025 that he has the skills to be effective in a dual-threat role. At the very least, he should be a priority target in PPR leagues as at least an RB3/flex if he returns to the Steel City for a second season.

According to Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com, "it seems more likely" that Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell will sign with a new team during free agency. He had an impressive one-year stint in Pittsburgh, totaling 537 rushing yards, 73 catches, 486 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns. He finished as the overall RB16 in full-PPR leagues, which was the best mark of his career. Gainwell's strong campaign in Pittsburgh raised his anticipated market value this offseason. While the Steelers would presumably be open to bringing him back, he's expected to fetch a decent-sized contract in free agency. "The Steelers haven't typically given big contracts to running backs," Pryor writes. She also notes that the vision for the backfield could look different with head coach Mike McCarthy replacing ex-offensive coordinator Arthur Smith as the team's play-caller. All signs point to Gainwell playing somewhere else in 2026.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell was one of the more surprising breakout players of the 2025 season, recording 1,023 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns on 187 touches across 17 games played. Gainwell emerged as one of the favorite targets of Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, as he hauled in 73 receptions for 486 yards and three scores on 85 targets. Coming off the best season of his career, Gainwell is now set to hit unrestricted free agency. If retained by Pittsburgh, Gainwell would likely remain in a playing time split with Steelers running back Jaylen Warren. However, the Steelers have moved on from 2025 offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and may bring in a new quarterback for the 2026 season as well. As such, a return to Pittsburgh would not necessarily guarantee Gainwell the same role he enjoyed this past season. Fantasy managers should closely monitor Gainwell's free agency, as his next team will likely play a significant factor in his value going forward.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell had 10 touches for 46 scrimmage yards in Monday night's 30-6 loss in the Wild-Card round to the visiting Houston Texans. He also added 100 yards on four kickoff returns. The 26-year-old carried the ball six times for 20 yards and caught four of his six targets for 26 yards. Gainwell's performance didn't stand out on offense, but it was a career year for him in 2025 in his first season in Pittsburgh, as he finished with a career-high 537 rushing yards and five touchdowns on a career-high 114 carries in 17 regular-season games. He added a career-best 73 receptions on 85 targets for 486 yards and three touchdowns. The Steelers will most likely be interested in re-signing Gainwell, who will be an unrestricted free agent in March. Gainwell's 2026 fantasy value could change drastically if he's not in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell emerged as a surprisingly critical piece of his team's offense over the course of the 2025 season, recording 1,023 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns on 187 touches. Gainwell and the Steelers will face one of the NFL's best defenses in the Wild Card round in the Houston Texans. Houston dominated opposing rushing attacks in the regular season, allowing the fourth-fewest rushing yards (1,593) in the NFL. However, Gainwell does most of his work in the Steelers' passing game. The 26-year-old recorded 73 receptions for 486 yards and three touchdowns this season and earned at least seven targets in four out of Pittsburgh's final five games. Houston has been slightly more susceptible to running back production in the pass game this season, allowing an average of four receptions and 31 receiving yards per game to the position. Given his relatively safe receiving floor, Gainwell profiles as a solid fantasy RB2 option in PPR-scoring leagues in the Wild Card.