Kenny Gainwell Fantasy Stats

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.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell has been a standout in his team's offense during OTAs, per Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report. Gainwell is entering his first season in Tampa after signing a two-year, $14 million contract with the team in free agency. The 27-year-old put together a breakout season with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025, recording 1,023 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns on 187 touches across 17 games. Gainwell recorded 73 catches on 85 targets last season, and Reynolds reports that he has "excelled as a receiver out of the backfield" early on with the Bucs. Entering 2026, Gainwell appears to be carving out a 1B role alongside the 1A in the Tampa Bay backfield, Bucky Irving.

With Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (shoulder) sidelined during OTAs this offseason, newcomer Kenneth Gainwell is standing out and "making the most of his extra reps," according to Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report. Gainwell is serving as Tampa's RB1 with Irving sidelined, and not Sean Tucker. The 27-year-old has proven to be "reliable and instinctive" in all phases of the game after having a career year in 2025 in his lone season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, carrying the ball 114 times for 537 yards (4.7 yards per tote) and five touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (two starts). Gainwell added a career-best 73 receptions on 85 targets for 486 receiving yards and three receiving TDs in 2025. The former fifth-rounder by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 out of the University of Memphis has made a strong first impression with the Bucs, but with Irving expected to be fine for the start of the 2026 regular season, it's going to be tough for Gainwell to be as productive as he was a year ago. As long as both Irving and Tucker are healthy, Gainwell will be part of a crowded backfield with a new offensive coordinator at the helm in Tampa. Gainwell still carries plenty of value in PPR leagues, but fantasy managers shouldn't overspend for an RB who should be considered more of an RB3/flex every week.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell is coming off a breakout season in 2025, as he recorded 1,023 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns on 187 touches across 17 games as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tampa Bay rewarded Gainwell for his efforts, signing him to a two-year contract in free agency to form a backfield tandem with Bucky Irving (shoulder). Much of Gainwell's production in Pittsburgh came as a receiver out of the backfield, as he hauled in 73 receptions for 486 yards and three touchdowns on 85 targets. While Gainwell should still be involved in the passing game with the Buccaneers, he'll no longer have the benefit of playing with Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers targeted running backs at an extremely high rate in 2025, allowing Gainwell to rack up PPR fantasy points with consistency. Additionally, a bounce-back season from Irving could lead to a reduced role for Gainwell. Irving battled through injuries and inconsistency in 2025, but he flashed high-end upside as a rookie in 2024, averaging 5.4 yards per carry and collecting over 1,500 yards from scrimmage. In dynasty formats, managers may want to explore selling high on Gainwell after his career year.

New Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said that running backs Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell "can match each other" in terms of their similar skill sets out of the backfield, according to FOX Sports' Greg Auman. The Bucs let Rachaad White walk in free agency this offseason, but they added Gainwell to their RB room after the 27-year-old broke out with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025 with 114 carries for 537 yards and five touchdowns, adding 73 receptions (85 targets) for 486 yards and three more TDs as a pass-catcher in 17 regular-season games. Irving only played in 10 games in his second NFL season due to injuries, but the 23-year-old was efficient as a pass-catcher as well, recording 277 yards and three TDs on his 30 receptions. As long as he stays on the field, Irving is expected to be utilized as Tampa's lead back in 2026, with Gainwell serving in the third-down, pass-catching role. Both will be fantasy relevant, with Irving ranking as RotoBaller's No. 16 dynasty RB, and Gainwell checking in as the No. 45 RB. In PPR leagues, Gainwell will be much more expensive after ranking fifth among RBs in catches.

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.