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Should I drop Kenny Gainwell for fantasy football Week 2? Is Kenny Gainwell a safe player to cut? Read the fantasy football waivers outlook.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell played well in 2024 as a mostly pass-catching running back. He totaled 73 catches on 85 targets for 486 yards and three touchdowns, and played solidly as a pass-protector. He was expected to have a non-trivial passing-down role with the Bucs in 2026.
Unfortunately, that doesn't appear likely. Gainwell played 46 percent of Tampa Bay's offensive snaps, but carried the ball just five times for 15 yards and no touchdowns. He was only targeted once by quarterback Baker Mayfield and picked up three yards.
It was RB Bucky Irving dominating usage through the air, with seven catches on his seven targets for 48 yards and a touchdown. Irving rushed just eight times, though he did pick up 45 yards and a score, and the Bucs were forced to lean pass-heavy once they were down multiple scores. So should you drop Gainwell? Let's dive in.
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Should I Drop Kenny Gainwell in Fantasy Football?
Gainwell is the clear handcuff to Irving and could yet provide some standalone value if Irving were to go down. It doesn't appear that he has much of a role right now, though. With Irving playing well as a pass-catcher, the Buccaneers don't have much reason to feed targets to Gainwell.
That said, Irving isn't a good pass protector, and a shoulder injury last season kept him out for a lot of time. It might not be the best idea to give him a major role on passing downs. Gainwell is a bit bigger, which helps him block for Mayfield.
KENNETH GAINWELL HOW
TD STEELERS 😱
PITvsDET on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/sZg9uFqkMF
— NFL (@NFL) December 21, 2025
There's also still a chance he's more involved as a receiver moving forward. He is genuinely a good pass-catching RB. He's not as elusive as Irving is in the open field, though, which could explain why the target disparity was so stark.
He had just three fewer carries than Irving, which was interesting. Perhaps the difference will be a little starker in more competitive games, but it's at least somewhat encouraging. In closer games, Gainwell should at least have more opportunities than he had in Week 1.
Who Should I Pickup for Fantasy Football?
The running back position is often the most difficult to find on the waiver wire, as nearly all full-time starters are rostered, leaving managers with many backup or committee backs to choose from. But you could grab San Francisco 49ers RB Kaelon Black for Week 2.
He proved that he's the clear RB2 and handcuff behind RB Christian McCaffrey, who had just 10 carries in Week 1. Don't expect that to last long, but Black would presumably step into a huge role if CMC gets hurt.
You should generally be chasing players that have massive upside in case of an injury to the team's RB1. It's just so rare that two RBs on the same team can be worth starting in fantasy football, though it does happen. The RB2s in those offenses are extremely prone to poor games, though.
One such backup with upside is Kansas City Chiefs tailback Emmett Johnson. He looked impressive in limited action against the Denver Broncos on Monday. Obviously, RB Kenneth Walker III dominated in that game, but he has a long injury history, and continued health for a full season in a workhorse role isn't guaranteed.
Emmett Johnson with 2 awesome plays pic.twitter.com/TWggxXnRBq
— jeremiah🐦⬛ (@NewEraMiah) September 15, 2026
Johnson would be the starter and handle the majority of the touches in case Walker goes down.
Who Should I Pickup Tool
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Who Should I Pickup? Some common 2026 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Kaelon Black, Emmett Johnson. But not to worry, we are here to help make these waiver wire decisions and build winning teams in 2026. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups in 2026. Our free Who Should I Pickup? tool will help make your fantasy football waiver wire decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to pickup... all free! Make the right decisions.
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