Who Should I Start? Kenneth Gainwell or Bijan Robinson

Wednesday, December 17, 10:01 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell had a monster game in Week 15, as he totaled 126 all-purpose yards (80 on the ground, 46 through the air), played 52 percent of the snaps, and was much more efficient as a runner than backfield mate Jaylen Warren. That being said, Warren was playing with an illness leading up to the game; however, this has been trending towards an actual backfield split for about six to seven weeks now. Additionally, in PPR formats, Gainwell is seeing all of the running back receiving work; he has 31 receptions over the past five weeks (6.2 receptions per game). At the same time, Warren is seeing two, maybe three targets per game during that same stretch. On the season, Warren is RB19 while Gainwell is RB23. Given the Steelers' Week 16 matchup with the Detroit Lions, who are stout against the run (allowing the third fewest points to the running back position), it appears likely the Steelers might be in a shootout or from behind, meaning it's setting up to be a game where Gainwell sees a ton of volume in the receiving game, giving him low-end RB2/flex value in Week 16.

Friday, December 12, 12:06 AM

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson had 19 carries, 93 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown during Thursday's Week 15 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also caught eight of his 11 targets for an additional 82 receiving yards. The lone blemish on Robinson's final stat line was a fumble in the third quarter. Outside of the turnover, the former first-round pick had an enormous showing on Thursday Night Football, playing a major role in the Falcons' comeback victory. He was efficient on the ground, heavily involved and productive as a receiver, and contributed to the scoring with a nifty rushing touchdown. Unlike in some previous weeks, Robinson was able to fend off Tyler Allgeier from having much of a role in Week 15. Robinson played 90.1% of the snaps with 27 total touches, whereas Allgeier played just 16.9% of the snaps with two touches. Allgeier's 16.9% snap share was his second-lowest mark of the season, trailing only Week 3 when he played fewer than 10%. Long story short, Robinson remains the undisputed workhorse here, and he's going to play a massive role in helping managers pursue a fantasy championship over the next few weeks. He should continue to feast against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16.