Who Should I Start? Kenny Gainwell or Rhamondre Stevenson


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
9.5 28.1 0.2 2.8 19.8 0.1

Kenny Gainwell News

Kenny Gainwell Could See Larger Workload

Friday, September 4, 5:15 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell was brought in to be additional depth in the backfield this upcoming season. The Bucs have Bucky Irving as their lead back, but that doesn't mean that Gainwell won't be involved. Gainwell received a two-year, $14 million deal from the Bucs this past offseason. He'll likely fill the pass-catching role in the backfield similar to what Rachaad White did the past few years. Given the injuries the Bucs are facing right now, Gainwell might be asked to do more than expected early in the season. Both Emeka Egbuka (toe) and Jalen McMillan (knee) are banged up heading into the Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bucs could lean on Gainwell more as a receiving option if the Bucs are limited early in the year. The 27-year-old is looking like an intriguing PPR option heading into Week 1.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
11.0 43.4 0.4 2.1 17.3 0.1

Rhamondre Stevenson News

Rhamondre Stevenson Gaining Steam as the No. 1 RB for Patriots

Wednesday, September 2, 9:17 PM

Running back Rhamondre Stevenson appears to be poised to lead the New England Patriots' backfield in the early part of the 2026 season as fellow tailback TreVeyon Henderson remains sidelined with an ankle injury he suffered on Aug. 24. Mike Reiss of ESPN reported on Aug. 31 that Henderson had not yet been cleared for a return to full participation, and he did not practice on Sept. 1. Meanwhile, Stevenson, who has drawn praise throughout training camp, continues to practice and seems to be the front-runner for No. 1 running back duties in New England. Stevenson is carrying momentum from the 2025 postseason, where he out-carried Henderson 58-30 and out-rushed Henderson by a tally of 217 yards to 76. While Henderson could be ready for Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, Stevenson is currently in the driver's seat for a larger workload. Stevenson's current Yahoo ADP of 78.1 is good value, as he ranks as RotoBaller's No. 58 overall player and No. 23 running back in half-PPR leagues.


Kenny Gainwell vs. Rhamondre Stevenson

Still trying to decide between Gainwell and Stevenson? 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 9.5 points this week while Rhamondre Stevenson is projected to score 11.0 points.