Who Should I Start? Kenneth Gainwell or Isiah Pacheco

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.

Saturday, September 13, 4:45 AM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco will face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. The defending Super Bowl champions defeated the Chiefs in their last matchup, and Pacheco only had seven rushing yards on three carries. The 26-year-old will have the chance to exact some revenge, but he must first overcome the timeshare he's in with Kareem Hunt. Pacheco and Hunt had the same number of opportunities in Week 1; both handled five carries and two catches on three targets. The former ultimately finished with more total yards, but it was not an impressive performance by either back. Pacheco did manage 5.0 yards per carry when given the opportunity, so maybe he can build on that efficiency with more usage. That said, the Eagles defense was one of the toughest in the league to run against last season, and that looks to be the case again this year. Pacheco will have his work cut out for him if he wants to carve out a larger role in the Kansas City backfield. Pacheco is ranked RB35 in our RotoBaller rankings this week, making him an RB3/Flex option. He'll be a tough player to trust this week.