Who Should I Start? Ty Johnson or Kenneth Gainwell

Tuesday, March 11, 7:01 PM

The Buffalo Bills have re-signed running back Ty Johnson on a two-year deal. The amount of the contract is undisclosed. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported the news. The Maryland product tied his career high with four total touchdowns last season and was a valuable asset on third downs for the team. Johnson played the second-most snaps of all Bills' RBs in 2024 and will likely again slot in as a change-of-pace option and third-down specialist behind incumbent starter James Cook. However, he'll still have second-year back Ray Davis to compete with for touches, and Davis out-carried Johnson 113-41 in just his rookie season. Despite what this means for the team on the field, it's unlikely to make an impact regarding fantasy. The 27-year-old presents as nothing more than a potential low-end handcuff.

Friday, September 5, 11:01 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell is set to make his regular-season debut for the team in a Week 1 contest against the New York Jets. Gainwell, who spent the first four years of his career in Philadelphia, is listed as Pittsburgh's RB2 to open the campaign and should mix in behind Jaylen Warren. While rookie RB Kaleb Johnson is expected to eventually carve out a significant role, it may take some time before he earns snaps over the proven veterans. Still, it's unlikely that Gainwell offers much fantasy value, especially in this matchup. The Jets were solid against opposing backs last season, and Sunday's contest isn't projected to be high-scoring. Fantasy managers can keep an eye on his usage, but Gainwell can be left on waiver wires for the time being.