Kenny Gainwell firmly established his elite receiving floor last season, finishing fourth among all running backs with 73 receptions, trailing only Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs. While his former quarterback Aaron Rodgers certainly deserves a lot of the credit for fueling that high-volume production, his new offensive environment is quietly perfectly suited to maintain it and there is role upside should Bucky Irving’s 2026 mirror his 2025 and not his 2024.
Should I Draft Kenny Gainwell in Fantasy Football?
Last season, Baker Mayfield struggled with consistency when throwing downfield at all, ranking 25th in passer rating on balls thrown over five yards down the field. However, Mayfield excelled underneath, ranking fifth in the NFL in passer rating on throws traveling fewer than five yards. That striking efficiency split strongly suggests he could heavily rely on checkdowns, giving a player like Gainwell an immediate path to return similar value as he did a season ago.
As an added bonus, he proved last year that he is not only a third-down receiving specialist. Gainwell averaged 5.1 yards per carry on first downs, producing highly efficient numbers when defenses are typically expecting the run. That mark ranked 11th among all running backs, placing him ahead of star rushers like Jahmyr Gibbs and Jonathan Taylor.
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That efficiency on the ground makes him an intriguing asset when you look at the rest of the Tampa Bay depth chart. While Irving seems to be fully recovered from the shoulder injury that plagued him last season, by any metric you look at, he was one of the five worst rushers in the league in 2025 following a promising rookie campaign.
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Backup Sean Tucker did manage to run for seven scores last year, but with him logging just 151 total carries over three professional seasons, it doesn’t exactly seem like the coaching staff views him as a reliable bellcow option should Irving miss time or continue to struggle.
Ultimately, Gainwell offers a decent weekly PPR floor with the sneaky three-down upside to completely take over this backfield if Irving falters, doesn’t look healthy, or a combination of the two.
Kyle Soppe’s RB Fantasy Rankings 2026
- Bijan Robinson | ATL
- Jahmyr Gibbs | DET
- James Cook III | BUF
- Ashton Jeanty | LV
- Jonathan Taylor | IND
- Christian McCaffrey | SF
- De’Von Achane | MIA
- Saquon Barkley | PHI
- Chase Brown | CIN
- Derrick Henry | BAL
- Javonte Williams | DAL
- Kenneth Walker III | KC
- Jeremiyah Love | ARI
- Omarion Hampton | LAC
- D’Andre Swift | CHI
- Travis Etienne Jr. | NO
- Breece Hall | NYJ
- Kyren Williams | LAR
- Josh Jacobs | GB
- David Montgomery | HOU
- Cam Skattebo | NYG
- Bhayshul Tuten | JAX
- TreVeyon Henderson | NE
- Bucky Irving | TB
- Chuba Hubbard | CAR
- Jaylen Warren | PIT
- Jordan Mason | MIN
- Jadarian Price | SEA
- Quinshon Judkins | CLE
- Jacory Croskey-Merritt | WAS
- Kenny Gainwell | TB
- Rhamondre Stevenson | NE
- Tony Pollard | TEN
- RJ Harvey | DEN
- Zach Charbonnet | SEA
- Rico Dowdle | PIT
- Blake Corum | LAR
- Kyle Monangai | CHI
- Chris Rodriguez Jr. | JAX
- Tyler Allgeier | ARI
- Rachaad White | WAS
- Aaron Jones Sr. | MIN
- J.K. Dobbins | DEN
- Isiah Pacheco | DET
- Nick Singleton | TEN
- James Conner | ARI
- Kimani Vidal | LAC
- Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG
- Jaylen Wright | MIA
- Woody Marks | HOU
