Should I Start Kenny Gainwell?

Friday, August 28, 11:14 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell could lead the team in all-purpose yards this season, according to Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report. That sounds like a bold call with Bucky Irving still expected to lead the backfield, but Gainwell did exactly that for Pittsburgh last year. He finished 2025 with 1,656 all-purpose yards, piling up 537 on the ground, 486 as a receiver and another 633 on kickoff returns. Gainwell has carried that versatility into Tampa Bay. He has been used heavily as a receiver during camp, including in two-back packages with Irving, and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has praised his ability to handle just about anything the offense asks of him. Irving should still get most of the carries, and Tampa Bay has not named Gainwell its primary kick returner. Reynolds' projection is aggressive, but Gainwell's receiving role and history of producing yards in several different ways give him a real path to making it happen.