Who Should I Start? Kenneth Gainwell or Julius Chestnut

Tuesday, January 13, 11:32 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell had 10 touches for 46 scrimmage yards in Monday night's 30-6 loss in the Wild-Card round to the visiting Houston Texans. He also added 100 yards on four kickoff returns. The 26-year-old carried the ball six times for 20 yards and caught four of his six targets for 26 yards. Gainwell's performance didn't stand out on offense, but it was a career year for him in 2025 in his first season in Pittsburgh, as he finished with a career-high 537 rushing yards and five touchdowns on a career-high 114 carries in 17 regular-season games. He added a career-best 73 receptions on 85 targets for 486 yards and three touchdowns. The Steelers will most likely be interested in re-signing Gainwell, who will be an unrestricted free agent in March. Gainwell's 2026 fantasy value could change drastically if he's not in Pittsburgh.

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.