Who Should I Start? Kenneth Gainwell or Troy Franklin

Monday, January 5, 10:49 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell continued to function as one of his team's most trusted offensive weapons in Week 18, recording 74 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 13 touches in a win over the Baltimore Ravens. While Gainwell scored his touchdown as a rusher, he did most of his work as a receiver, hauling in eight catches for 64 yards on nine targets. The 26-year-old finishes his 2025 season with 1,023 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns on 187 touches across 17 games played. He earned at least seven targets from Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in four out of the team's final five games. Gainwell will be a free agent once Pittsburgh's 2025 playoff run ends, so he's uncertain to be back with the Steelers next season. However, he could be a valuable PPR option for fantasy managers in 2026, particularly if he ends up playing alongside Rodgers in Pittsburgh for a second straight year.

Friday, December 26, 3:15 PM

Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin saw another dropoff in snap share during the 20-13 win against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17. After posting an uptrend in snaps with 50% in Week 15 and 64% in Week 16, Franklin was only on the field for 38% of snaps in Week 17 despite not having to compete with rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant (concussion) for snaps. Franklin still caught all four of his targets for a modest 17 yards and no touchdowns. The Broncos will host the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18, and Franklin will seemingly remain a volatile option until otherwise noted.