Who Should I Start? Kenneth Gainwell or Elijah Mitchell

Monday, November 17, 12:14 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell had nine rushing attempts for 24 yards in the Week 11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, adding a season-high seven receptions on eight targets for 81 yards and receiving touchdowns. The 26-year-old played 63% of the offensive snaps, his second-highest mark of the year, but it coincided with lead back Jaylen Warren (ankle) getting injured in the third quarter and never returning. Warren said after Sunday's win that he could have retaken the field, but the decision to sit out the rest of the game "was part of being smart." It looks like Warren has avoided a serious injury, but fantasy managers with Warren rostered or who need RB depth should consider Gainwell a speculative pickup going into Week 12 against the Chicago Bears. Gainwell is only rostered in 32% of Yahoo leagues.

Friday, September 5, 7:20 PM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Elijah Mitchell is a healthy inactive for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Friday night in Brazil against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN. It's bad news for Mitchell heading into his first year with the Chiefs, as it looks like he's the RB4 to open the year, behind starter Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt and rookie Brashard Smith. The 27-year-old was getting some first-team reps early in training camp, but that was a long time ago in late July. Mitchell signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with KC in the offseason after spending his first three NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. In his three years in the Bay Area, the former sixth-rounder in 2021 out of Louisiana averaged 4.7 yards per tote on 327 rush attempts for 1,523 yards and nine touchdowns (five in his rookie season).