Who Should I Start? Kenny Gainwell or Jordan Mason


Week 1 Projections

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0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Kenny Gainwell News

Bucky Irving, Kenneth Gainwell to be Used Interchangeably?

Friday, June 26, 7:14 PM

The Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud doesn't think the Tampa Bay Buccaneers want to give running back Bucky Irving 15-plus carries again in 2026 due to injury concerns. When discussing newcomer Kenneth Gainwell, who was the MVP of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense last year, Stroud said, "That's not backup money. I think they will go with the hot hand." The Bucs signed Gainwell to a two-year, $14 million contract in free agency in March after the 27-year-old had a career year in 2025 in the Steel City, carrying the ball 114 times for 537 yards (4.7 yards per carry) and five touchdowns while catching 73 passes for 486 yards and three touchdowns on 85 targets as a pass-catcher in 17 regular-season games (two starts). Tampa's offense is switching to more outside zone as well, which could favor Gainwell in his new digs. It's obviously bad news for Irving and his fantasy stock going into 2026 after he played in just 10 games due to injuries in Year 2. Fantasy managers should target the 23-year-old as more of an RB3/flex than a legitimate RB2, with Gainwell gaining steam as an RB3/flex with more appeal in PPR leagues.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Jordan Mason News

Has Jordan Mason Become a Classic Post-Hype Sleeper?

Sunday, June 14, 6:01 AM

Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason ran for a disappointing 758 yards and six touchdowns in 2025 after an offseason of dynasty breakout calls following his trade from the 49ers. Even with veteran Aaron Jones Sr. missing five games with a hamstring injury, both Minnesota backs ended the year within 50 total snaps and five opportunities of one another. Jones handled the majority of the third-down and up-tempo work while Mason served as an early-down bruiser. With the most notable addition to the running back room coming in the form of the 195-pound Demond Claiborne in the sixth round of the NFL Draft, Mason's role appears largely unthreatened, and with seismic improvements expected for the Vikings offense as a whole, that role could carry considerably more weight. With efficiency becoming a hallmark of his game, Mason averaged 4.8 yards per carry in 2025, and with the opportunity to close out more games with a lead, the first 1,000-yard campaign of his career would not be out of the question. At RotoBaller's dynasty RB52, the disappointment of last season has driven his cost down, but at 27 years old, in an offense seemingly prepared to get back on track, Mason has again become a player to target for low-cost upside.


Kenny Gainwell vs. Jordan Mason

Still trying to decide between Gainwell and Mason? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Kenny Gainwell is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Jordan Mason is projected to score 0.0 points.