Kenny Gainwell Fantasy Stats

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell was brought in to be additional depth in the backfield this upcoming season. The Bucs have Bucky Irving as their lead back, but that doesn't mean that Gainwell won't be involved. Gainwell received a two-year, $14 million deal from the Bucs this past offseason. He'll likely fill the pass-catching role in the backfield similar to what Rachaad White did the past few years. Given the injuries the Bucs are facing right now, Gainwell might be asked to do more than expected early in the season. Both Emeka Egbuka (toe) and Jalen McMillan (knee) are banged up heading into the Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bucs could lean on Gainwell more as a receiving option if the Bucs are limited early in the year. The 27-year-old is looking like an intriguing PPR option heading into Week 1.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell could lead the team in all-purpose yards this season, according to Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report. That sounds like a bold call with Bucky Irving still expected to lead the backfield, but Gainwell did exactly that for Pittsburgh last year. He finished 2025 with 1,656 all-purpose yards, piling up 537 on the ground, 486 as a receiver and another 633 on kickoff returns. Gainwell has carried that versatility into Tampa Bay. He has been used heavily as a receiver during camp, including in two-back packages with Irving, and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has praised his ability to handle just about anything the offense asks of him. Irving should still get most of the carries, and Tampa Bay has not named Gainwell its primary kick returner. Reynolds' projection is aggressive, but Gainwell's receiving role and history of producing yards in several different ways give him a real path to making it happen.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell enters his first year with the team in 2026 after signing a two-year, $14 million deal with the team in free agency. The 27-year-old saw career highs across the board last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, carrying the ball 114 times for 537 yards and five touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. What was most surprising, though, were his 73 receptions on 85 targets for 486 yards and three more scores as a pass-catcher. Gainwell will essentially be replacing Rachaad White in Tampa as a pass-catching specialist, albeit in a completely new offense under coordinator Zac Robinson. The speculation that third-string RB Sean Tucker will be cut before the start of the regular season could boost Gainwell's fantasy ceiling and his floor, with the vast majority of backfield touches going to Gainwell and Bucky Irving. And if Irving were to miss more time with an injury in 2026, Gainwell would have the highest ceiling of his NFL career as the Bucs' primary back. Tucker potentially being waived makes Gainwell an even more attractive RB3/flex with upside in PPR fantasy formats.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell had an excellent training camp and is set up for a big role in the team's offense. Gainwell could even lead the team in receptions, according to Greg Auman, since he has been working so well as a receiving back out of the backfield this preseason. Gainwell will be working in a timeshare with Bucky Irving, with both backs as effective options as pass-catchers in space. Gainwell had 73 catches for 486 yards and three scores in 2025 with the Steelers, but he could be even more involved in Tampa, depending on how the timeshare shakes out. Right now, Gainwell is the RB38 in RotoBaller's rankings, but he could be a great RB3 or flex option if he gets more work in the offense, especially near the goal line. Gainwell and Irving are both volatile options with lots of upside to consider in fantasy drafts, since their roles are unclear despite obvious upside from each side of the timeshare.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell has emerged as a potential sleeper to draft in fantasy football this year, and now, quarterback Baker Mayfield is singing his praises. "He's much more than a gadget guy," Mayfield said about Gainwell, who signed with the Bucs this offseason after a year in Pittsburgh. "I've just been completely overwhelmed with the amount of talent that he has." The veteran quarterback also made a point to shout out Gainwell for his versatility on offense, where he contributes as both a receiver and ball-carrier. The stats back up that claim, too, as Gainwell caught 73 passes for 486 receiving yards in Pittsburgh last season. The Bucs signed Gainwell to join a backfield that also features Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker. While Irving is the clear No. 1 running back here, we expect to see Gainwell get plenty of volume, similar to his role with the Steelers in 2025. In Pittsburgh, he handled 114 carries and 73 receptions (187 touches) while teammate Jaylen Warren had 211 carries and 40 catches (254 touches). When all was said and done, the two backs combined for 441 touches, but Warren only had 67 more than Gainwell. Don't be surprised if we see Gainwell support Irving in the same way he did with Warren, which could allow him to rank as a top-24 running back in fantasy football once again. For now, he ranks as the RB37 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football draft rankings.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell has the potential to be a value pick at his current ADP of 88.9. He's being selected in the eighth round of fantasy drafts as the 32nd running back off the board. The Bucs signed Gainwell to join a backfield that also features Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker. While Irving is the clear No. 1 running back here, we expect to see Gainwell get plenty of volume, similar to his role with the Steelers in 2025. In Pittsburgh, he handled 114 carries and 73 receptions (187 touches) while teammate Jaylen Warren had 211 carries and 40 catches (254 touches). When all was said and done, the two backs combined for 441 touches, but Warren only had 67 more than Gainwell. It doesn't seem like the Bucs signed Gainwell to be solely a third-down back. Yes, he'll fetch plenty of targets, but he'll also get some early-down and goal-line work to offer a change of scenery and keep Irving fresh. In this type of role last year, Gainwell ranked as the RB16 in PPR leagues. He's the RB37 in RotoBaller's redraft rankings for 2026, but we wouldn't be shocked to see him finish as a top-24 fantasy back in PPR leagues for the second year in a row.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell is not practicing on Friday, as indicated by Pewter Report. Gainwell has drawn praise from the local beat as a training camp standout, with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson recently telling reporters, "He is super versatile, and he is great with the ball in his hands," adding, "we will continue to find out where we can put him in the best spots." Gainwell's 73 receptions were the fourth most by a running back in 2025, and assuming his absence is not a prolonged one, he could step seamlessly into Rachaad White's vacated pass-catching role that has allowed for at least 50 receptions in three of the last four seasons. How much additional work he sees on the ground remains to be seen, but at RotoBaller's RB36, Gainwell is a potential late-round sleeper who could thrive in Robinson's wide zone offense.

During Friday's training camp practice, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving saw most of the first-team work, with Kenny Gainwell "primarily utilized as a receiver out of the backfield," according to Adam Slivon of PewterReport.com. Gainwell was quarterback Baker Mayfield's primary checkdown option out of the backfield as well, which is where he thrived last year with the Pittsburgh Steelers and veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, catching a career-high 73 passes for 489 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 85 targets in 17 regular-season games. Rachaad White is no longer in Tampa, but the Bucs signed the 27-year-old Gainwell to a two-year, $14 million contract to help complement Irving. Irving should be Tampa's primary early-down back, but there are signs that the Buccaneers want to manage his workload after a down sophomore season in 2025 due to ankle and shoulder injuries. Gainwell is primarily a pass-catching back, but he has also averaged 4.4 yards per carry as a runner in his five NFL seasons, and he probably won't strictly be a third-down option for head coach Todd Bowles. The former fifth-rounder in 2021 by the Philadelphia Eagles is an ascending RB3/flex play (more valuable in PPR leagues) as he enters his first year in Tampa.

Veteran running back Kenny Gainwell led the Pittsburgh Steelers with 73 receptions in 2025 on his way to an RB20 finish, and in signing a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason, he inherits a role that saw Rachaad White average nearly 56 targets per year over the past four seasons. After splitting the Steelers' backfield with do-it-all back Jaylen Warren, he will now form a tandem with third-year pro Bucky Irving, another player capable of contributing both on the ground and through the air. Irving struggled through an injury-marred sophomore campaign and was not present for minicamp as he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery. The expectation is that he will return at some point during training camp, but with his timeline still not fully clear, Gainwell could have the opportunity to build an early chemistry with the first-team offense when padded practices commence at the end of the month. At RotoBaller's RB36, Gainwell's standalone receiving work will keep him in the weekly flex conversation, but if at any point he's tasked with handling a larger role, he could prove to be a steal in 2026 drafts.

The Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud doesn't think the Tampa Bay Buccaneers want to give running back Bucky Irving 15-plus carries again in 2026 due to injury concerns. When discussing newcomer Kenneth Gainwell, who was the MVP of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense last year, Stroud said, "That's not backup money. I think they will go with the hot hand." The Bucs signed Gainwell to a two-year, $14 million contract in free agency in March after the 27-year-old had a career year in 2025 in the Steel City, carrying the ball 114 times for 537 yards (4.7 yards per carry) and five touchdowns while catching 73 passes for 486 yards and three touchdowns on 85 targets as a pass-catcher in 17 regular-season games (two starts). Tampa's offense is switching to more outside zone as well, which could favor Gainwell in his new digs. It's obviously bad news for Irving and his fantasy stock going into 2026 after he played in just 10 games due to injuries in Year 2. Fantasy managers should target the 23-year-old as more of an RB3/flex than a legitimate RB2, with Gainwell gaining steam as an RB3/flex with more appeal in PPR leagues.