Who Should I Start? Kenneth Gainwell or Phil Mafah

Friday, April 17, 5:15 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell was one of the league's biggest surprises in 2025, with his career-high 73 receptions trailing only Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs at the position. After keeping such elite company, he leveraged his receiving success into a two-year, $14 million deal with the Buccaneers, where he joins a team and a new offensive coordinator with prior histories of involving running backs in the passing game. Zac Robinson raised eyebrows when he initially stated his intent to deploy Bucky Irving similarly to the way he used Robinson in Atlanta, but the signing of Gainwell on the first day of free agency would suggest the bulk of the running back targets could go elsewhere. Last season, while Gainwell was nearly doubling his career receiving production in Pittsburgh, an injury-slowed Irving was splitting time with, and ceding much of the passing game work to, Rachaad White. While both backs bring versatility to what will be a new look Buccaneers offense in 2026, the safe bet will be for Gainwell to find most of his fantasy success as the dedicated passing back, as his 114 carries in 2025 also marked a career high, but were easily surpassed by Irving in only 10 games.