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Should I pickup Kenneth Gainwell or Kaleb Johnson as fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 12 of 2025? Read our fantasy football waiver wire outlooks.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (ankle) has been the team's starter at his position the whole season now. But he suffered an ankle injury in Week 11 and was pulled from the game. He didn't return after that.
In his place, RBs Kenneth Gainwell and Kaleb Johnson (a rookie) handled the backfield workload. Gainwell had a huge day fantasy-wise, scoring 29.5 PPR fantasy points by rushing nine times for 24 yards and catching seven of his eight targets for 81 yards and two touchdowns.
Johnson handled five carries, which he took for 15 yards, and didn't score or log a target. Of course, in a full game without the starter, this split might look very different. So which of these two players, if any, should you pick up off the waiver wire?
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Kenneth Gainwell Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Outlook
It's clear by now that Gainwell often has a fantastic receiving role for an RB that can lead to a lot of points. He's typically worked a lot on passing downs, and he scored twice through the air. Nine targets is nothing to sniff that, and he was clearly productive with those catches.
He also had 16 total touches. And in Week 4, the only full game that Warren missed this season, he rushed 19 times for 99 yards and two touchdowns and caught all six of his targets for 35 yards. He transitions into a workhorse role when the starter isn't on the field.
Darnell Washington mowing Bengals down as a blocker, too. Big gainer late in the game to Kenneth Gainwell. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/XVLPE4ww8x
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) November 17, 2025
Of course, the Cincinnati Bengals, who the Steelers faced in Week 11, have one of the worst defenses in the NFL. They've been absolutely blasted by all manner of running backs this season, and Gainwell gashed them through the air. But he also played very well against a tough Minnesota Vikings run defense in his other starting stint.
So it makes sense that he'd be worth adding to your rosters as a handcuff. In games that Warren isn't playing, he genuinely seems to have massive upside that's worth tapping into.
Kaleb Johnson Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Outlook
The only argument you could make for adding Johnson is that rookies tend to improve as their first season in the NFL wears on. There's nothing else you can point to, other than his decent draft capital, which pales in comparison importance-wise with how he's played this year.
It's pretty clear by now that his elite production at Iowa wasn't the result of his own talent, but that of the offensive line. It's an argument I made all offseason that I regularly got smeared for on social media. But there's little doubt now that he's not even the second-best RB on his team.
Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson: 6-foot, 225 pounds
Will make his money as an elite fit in a zone running scheme: patient, decisive, plays with great vision
But also a real factor in the passing game
This 2025 RB class is loaded beyond words pic.twitter.com/VG7X8dcAne
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 23, 2025
The majority of the fantasy football analysts seemed to think that Johnson had elite potential. But his inability to break tackles, struggles in pass-protection, lack of contact balance, and poor athleticism make it tough for him to succeed at the next level. The Steelers don't have a 2024-level Philadelphia Eagles offensive line to make him look good.
And even if they did, both Warren and Gainwell would probably still be outplaying him. He was likely a waste of a draft pick. I was unconvinced that he should have been drafted by an NFL team inside the first six rounds.
Should I Pickup Kenneth Gainwell or Kaleb Johnson For Fantasy Football?
There is no reason to pick up Johnson unless he's dropped in a dynasty league and you grab him as a handcuff to a handcuff, because that's what he is. Were both Warren and Gainwell injured, I could see Johnson getting more work.
But his failures in pass protection are just too difficult to ignore. Pittsburgh has a 41-year-old QB in Aaron Rodgers that needs to be kept clean and not hit a lot if he wants to stay healthy. Having Johnson in on passing downs is very risky, and he has low upside as a runner.
Kaleb Johnson NFL debut today:
1 Carry 🔥
-2 Yards 🔥🔥
1 Fumble 🔥
0 Speed 🧊 pic.twitter.com/HVHRaBWhNM— JohnJohn Analysis (@JohnJohnalytics) September 7, 2025
Rookies make mistakes, and he has plenty of time to clean his up, but Pittsburgh is very much in playoff contention in an extremely weak AFC North division. They just beat the Bengals and are at 6-4, one game ahead of the 5-5 Baltimore Ravens, who are struggling on defense.
It's too costly to give a poorly performing rookie significant reps in this situation. Gainwell is a nice pickup to make, especially if you have Warren and want him as an insurance policy. He seems to be one of the best lottery ticket RBs available right now.
Who Should I Pickup Tool
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Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
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