Who Should I Start? Kenneth Gainwell or Ricky Pearsall


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
9.9 31.8 0.3 2.7 18.7 0.1

Kenneth Gainwell News

Kenneth Gainwell Signing Two-Year Deal With Buccaneers

Monday, March 9, 9:26 AM

Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell is signing a two-year, $14 million deal that includes $10 million guaranteed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Gainwell was the Steelers' MVP last year, totaling 1,023 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns as a dual-threat RB. The 26-year-old was a perfect fit for the Steelers' checkdown offense last year, as he ran for 537 yards and a career-high five touchdowns on 114 carries, adding a career-best 73 receptions for 486 yards and three more TDs on 85 targets in 17 regular-season games. In Tampa, the former fifth-rounder in 2021 out of Memphis will serve as a change-of-pace option behind starter Bucky Irving, effectively replacing Rachaad White in the team's backfield. Gainwell's fantasy needle is pointing up, although his 73-catch season in 2025 will probably end up being an outlier.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
16.2 0.0 0.0 6.7 69.2 0.4

Ricky Pearsall News

Ricky Pearsall Could Be Stuck in the WR2 Role in San Francisco

Thursday, March 12, 7:01 AM

A first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall has missed 14 games due to injury over the first two years of his NFL career. When healthy, Pearsall's production has been more solid than spectacular. Across nine games played in 2025, the 25-year-old hauled in 36 receptions for 528 yards and zero touchdowns on 53 targets. The 49ers made one of the biggest splashes of the early portion of free agency by signing veteran wide receiver Mike Evans to a three-year deal. While the 32-year-old Evans may no longer be the player he once was at his peak, he still projects as San Francisco's top outside wideout and could push Pearsall to the WR2 role. On the bright side for Pearsall's production outlook, the 49ers could be losing wide receiver Jauan Jennings to free agency and will likely be without star tight end George Kittle (Achilles) for a chunk of 2026 as Kittle recovers from a torn Achilles tendon. Still, the signing of Evans could signal that San Francisco does not view Pearsall as a number-one wide receiver option going forward and may be bad news for his long-term dynasty outlook.


Kenneth Gainwell vs. Ricky Pearsall

Still trying to decide between Gainwell and Pearsall? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Kenneth Gainwell is projected to score 9.9 points this week while Ricky Pearsall is projected to score 16.2 points.