Who Should I Start? Kyle Juszczyk or Kenneth Gainwell

Saturday, August 2, 3:58 PM

San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (undisclosed) and running back Isaac Guerendo (shoulder/arm) both left the team's Saturday practice early, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Wagoner writes that Juszczyk was "moving slowly." The 34-year-old is a key piece as a blocker and a receiver in the 49ers' offense, having racked up 2,901 yards from scrimmage over the course of his 12-year career. Juszczyk is uniquely versatile as a player, so there's not a clear replacement for him on San Francisco's roster if he were to miss time. Guerendo is expected to be the primary backup to star 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. In 16 games as a rookie in 2024, Guerendo recorded 84 carries for 420 yards and four touchdowns. It's unclear how much time (if any) Guerendo will miss, but he now joins fifth-round rookie Jordan James (knee) as 49ers backs dealing with injuries. The team signed veteran rusher Ameer Abdullah on Thursday to bolster its depth at the position. If healthy, Guerendo is a premium handcuff option for fantasy.

Sunday, August 3, 10:13 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin praised running back Kenneth Gainwell's versatility as both a rusher and a receiver, saying that Gainwell has a "well-rounded game." Mike DeFabo of The Athletic writes that Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has been deploying Gainwell "in a variety of roles, including outside at receiver." Gainwell signed a one-year contract with Pittsburgh this offseason after spending the first four years of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles. In 17 games last year with Philadelphia, he recorded 406 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown on 91 total touches. Gainwell figures to be part of a Steelers' backfield committee that also features Jaylen Warren and rookie third-rounder Kaleb Johnson. Arthur Smith has shown a preference for utilizing multiple running backs in the past, and it sounds like Gainwell's usage could cut into the fantasy production for both Warren and Johnson.