Who Should I Start? Kenneth Gainwell or Julius Chestnut

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.

Saturday, October 4, 12:57 AM

Tennessee Titans running back Julius Chestnut could be headed for a reduced workload in Week 5 despite a favorable matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Chestnut has operated as a backup to Tony Pollard through the first four weeks of the season. While his usage has been relatively modest given that Pollard leads all NFL running backs in snap share, Chestnut has still been his backup and did see the field in every game, logging five total carries. That marginal usage could drop to no usage as soon as Tyjae Spears (ankle) returns to game action. Spears is currently on injured reserve but has been designated to return and is questionable for Week 5. Chestnut's already limited opportunity share would surely disappear entirely as soon as another reliable, proven player like Spears is added to the backfield. If Spears plays Sunday, Chestnut, 24, might not touch the ball. Even if he remains on IR, though, the Sacred Heart product is due for just a couple of touches and remains off the fantasy radar.