RADIO
Kenneth Gainwell is a 2023 fantasy football draft sleeper at running back and an ADP draft value. Target Gainwell as an undervalued RB in fantasy football drafts.
BALLER MOVE: Target Around ~143 Overall
CURRENT ADP: ~190
ANALYSIS: Kenneth Gainwell spent his sophomore season competing with Miles Sanders and Boston Scott for touches in the Philadelphia backfield but made his mark in the playoffs. In those three games, he totaled the most rushing and receiving yards of the three backs, with 181 and 55, respectively. He also took over for Sanders during the Super Bowl after he went down due to injury.
Although the playoffs were where he shined, he still led the backfield in receptions and receiving yards during the regular season, despite playing an average of 28% of the offensive snaps with a season-high of 42%. It's difficult to garner too much data on Gainwell because of his limited touches. But he did average 4.5 yards per attempt and 7.3 yards per reception, demonstrating his efficiency in this offense.
Scott re-signed with the team on a one-year deal worth two million dollars. Sanders, who accounted for 259 rushing attempts and 26 targets, is headed to the Panthers. Losing Sanders opens up a lot of work for the remaining backs. In addition to bringing back Scott, Philly added Rashaad Penny on a one-year deal worth even less than Scott's. He'll receive $1.35 million with only $600,000 guaranteed. They also traded for D'Andre Swift, giving up very little in terms of capital and taking a chance that he could contribute.
We all know the situation with Penny at this point. He's talented and explosive but cannot stay healthy. Penny played in 14 of 16 games in his rookie season with Seattle. However, he's since played in 28 of a possible 66 games. He managed just five in 2022 before suffering a broken fibula. You can bet on one of two things happening in 2023: either Penny's role and workload get reduced in an attempt to keep him healthy or he plays in fewer than 17 games.
Swift's issues are similar, struggling with health. But he's also been demoted to the backup role several times throughout his career, falling out of favor with the coaching staff. He's missed 10 games across his three seasons. More importantly, he's only been denoted the starter in 16 of the 40 games he's been active.
It's fair to believe he can help the offense with a lesser role, but it will still leave room for others to play a part in an offense that will score a lot of points and lean on their rushing attack. They also have an excellent offensive line and one of the league's most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks, opening up running lanes for the backfield.
Gainwell is competing for the pass-catching role, which some beat writers for the Eagles have called him a lock for. Furthermore, he possesses plenty of upside should Swift and/or Penny miss time (which feels all but guaranteed). The cherry on top is he's undrafted in many leagues with an ADP of 190.
More Fantasy Football Values and Sleepers
Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups - Trevor Etienne, Ollie Gordon II, Kyle Monangai Fantasy Football Outlooks
Injuries and bye weeks continue to force fantasy managers to adjust their lineups on the fly in 2025. Winning a fantasy championship requires them to navigate these absences to field a competitive team week after week. That is especially true in Week 7, with the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills getting a week off. Fantasy […]
Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups - Mason Taylor, Michael Mayer, Colston Loveland Fantasy Football Outlooks
We're headed to Week 7 of the fantasy football season, and as always, fantasy managers will be looking to add valuable contributors from the waiver wire, especially at the tight end position. In this article, we will focus on Mason Taylor, Michael Mayer, and Colston Loveland. Taylor couldn't replicate his success over the previous couple […]
Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups - Tyjae Spears, Sean Tucker, Hassan Haskins Fantasy Football Outlooks
We're done with Week 6, and to say that this season has been shocking would be an understatement. Many high-profile RBs have been major disappointments in fantasy football, and finding solid contributors from the waiver wire is crucial. In this article, we will focus on Sean Tucker, Hassan Haskins, and Tyjae Spears. Tucker continued his […]
Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups - Christian Kirk, Michael Wilson, Tre' Harris Fantasy Football Outlooks
In Week 6 of the NFL season, fantasy managers saw many reserve wide receivers emerge as potential starting options in fantasy football. We're here today to take a look at three of them and to see if these WRs are viable waiver wire pickups for Week 7. Our focus will be on Christian Kirk, Michael […]
Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups - Ryan Flournoy, Jordan Whittington, Jalen Coker Fantasy Football Outlooks
Wide receiver is one of the most volatile positions from one week to another, as different options step into larger roles and post big games. Looking ahead to Week 7, there are a few long-shot receivers who can be speculative pickups. The three receivers in this post are all in changing situations, but bring lots […]
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!
