Who Should I Start? Kenneth Gainwell or LeQuint Allen Jr.

Sunday, February 1, 6:17 AM

According to Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com, "it seems more likely" that Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell will sign with a new team during free agency. He had an impressive one-year stint in Pittsburgh, totaling 537 rushing yards, 73 catches, 486 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns. He finished as the overall RB16 in full-PPR leagues, which was the best mark of his career. Gainwell's strong campaign in Pittsburgh raised his anticipated market value this offseason. While the Steelers would presumably be open to bringing him back, he's expected to fetch a decent-sized contract in free agency. "The Steelers haven't typically given big contracts to running backs," Pryor writes. She also notes that the vision for the backfield could look different with head coach Mike McCarthy replacing ex-offensive coordinator Arthur Smith as the team's play-caller. All signs point to Gainwell playing somewhere else in 2026.

Tuesday, December 16, 11:15 AM

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back LeQuint Allen Jr. hasn't played a significant role this season behind Travis Etienne Jr. and fellow rookie Bhayshul Tuten, but he is likely to see an uptick in snaps with Tuten set to miss a few weeks with a finger injury that will require surgery. Allen handled five touches for 16 yards in the Week 15 blowout win over the New York Jets, his most since Week 11. The rookie seventh-rounder will step into the RB2 role behind Etienne and becomes an interesting deep-league option heading into the Week 16 game against the Denver Broncos on the road. His appeal is limited to deep leagues only, but he could have some standalone value with more touches likely coming his way.