Who Should I Start? Jeremy McNichols or Kenneth Gainwell

Friday, September 12, 12:23 AM

Washington Commanders running back Jeremy McNichols could be headed for an increased workload after teammate Austin Ekeler suffered a serious Achilles injury on Thursday night. Ekeler suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter and was quickly ruled out, indicating that the severity is serious. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport echoed these concerns postgame, telling the Amazon Prime broadcasters that the Commanders' front office is concerned about Ekeler's status. If the veteran running back misses extended time, McNichols could step into a much larger role. He didn't register an offensive touch Thursday night but should enter Week 3 as the Commanders' No. 2 running back behind Jacory Croskey-Merritt. With more snaps on the way, McNichols immediately becomes an intriguing waiver wire option in fantasy football.

Monday, September 15, 11:43 AM

While Kenneth Gainwell outsnapped teammate Jaylen Warren in Week 1 (30-25), the roles reversed in Week 2 with the latter leading the duo 36-26. Despite less time on the field, the 26-year-old picked up five targets -- again besting his backfield mate in that category. Warren still out-gained him in totality -- and handily, 134-36 -- but there's still a lot to like about his usage. For starters, the Steelers are throwing the ball at one of the league's highest rates (63.7%), and Gainwell still holds the edge over rookie Kaleb Johnson in the pecking order. Johnson should take over in due time, but while he's still adjusting to the pros, Gainwell carries value as the handcuff to own.