RB · TB · GWTTKB

Kenneth Gainwell — fantasy football 2026

Every game, every stat category, and what the board says. 13.02 points per game in 2025, an ADP of 112.5, usage worth 12.2.

Updated 2026-08-16 · free, no account, no paywall
Every figure below comes from our database. Where a stat is not held, the row is absent rather than zero.
ADP 112.5
Consensus across 4 books, standard deviation 9.3, 22 picks between cheapest and priciest. Cheapest on espn, priciest on cbs.
SLEEPER109.9
ESPN123.2
YAHOO115.7
UNDERDOG109
CBS101.2
FFA96

Draft-room facts

Goes aroundRound 10, pick 5 in a 12-team draft
Positional rankRB36
ADP standard deviation9.3 picks

What we project for 2026

Our board has him at 155.3 points, 9.7 per game — 443 rushing yards, 2.7 rushing TDs, 44.6 catches. That is RB5, 96 overall.

The range runs from a floor of 6.5 points per game to a ceiling of 14, with the median at 9.7. Boom rate 44%, bust rate 33%. The spread is the actual bet, not the middle number.

He goes at 112.5 on consensus and our board has him 96. We rank him 16.5 picks better than the room drafts him, so the market is underpricing him — that is the disagreement worth acting on.

The offense he plays in, 2026

Tampa Bay Buccaneers returns 4 of 6 continuity slots, replacing wr1, oc. Baker Mayfield at quarterback, Todd Bowles as head coach, Zac Robinson calling it. The offense projects to 33.1 pass attempts a game at medium confidence and 27.2 rushes.

In: Ted Hurst (wr5), David Sills V (wr7), Kenneth Gainwell (rb2). Out: Mike Evans (wr1), Rachaad White (rb2), Ko Kieft (te2).

The projected carry split across the offense:

Bucky Irving57.6%
Kenneth Gainwell 23.9%
Sean Tucker13.6%
Josh Williams5%

Our written view on this offense in 2026

What the offense looks like: Baker Mayfield is likely the QB of the future for Tampa & they are actively working to extend him. At its peak, it is a high powered offense that you want to own pieces of. This WR room has a void to fill with the departure of future HOF WR Mike Evans. Godwin is aging, & Egbuka COULD become a true WR1. OR McMillan, Johnson, or Hurst could break out and establish themselves as low end WR2/WR3 types. All of them can't win, but someone will. This RB room is confusing and Tampa has recently run a committee. Unclear if that is because Bucky was hurt in 2025 but he didnt have a single carry inside the 5 yard line the entire season. This makes me think Kenneth Gainwell will see significantly more playing time than many people realize. Sean Tucker MAY end up keeping the goalline role as well. We will find out.

Key additions: RB Kenneth Gainwell signed 2 year deal following IMPRESSIVE season in Pittsburgh as their RB2. Drafted WR Ted Hurst in the 3rd round. Extended TE Cade Otton. Hired new OC Zac Robinson from ATL.

Key departures: WR Mike Evans left to 49ers in free agency after entire career with Bucs. RB Rachaad White left to Commanders in free agency (RB2 and filled in when Irving was injured).

Notes: Emeka Egbuka is primed for a MASSIVE breakout if Baker Mayfield has strong 2026 season. Mike Evans left team in free agency for 49ers, opening up opportunity for Jalen McMillan & Tez Johnson & Ted Hurst 3rd round draft pick (young & productive WR). Chris Godwin aging & struggles to produce but could have decent low end WR2/WR3 role over next few years. Bucs signed Kenneth Gainwell in free agency who was HIGHLY productive in Pittsburgh. Strong concern for Bucky Irving owners. We will have to see how the RB split carries. Will get a better idea through the summer and camp. Worth note, if the Bucs do not perform well in 2026, Todd Bowles is going to get fired. Expect his best product or he's done.

How the volume number was reached: Same QB Baker Mayfield returning — anchor to 2025 actuals (32.8 att/g); Regressed 42% toward league mean 33.5, floored at 30 → 33.1 att/g; New OC Zac Robinson — pass rate and tempo may shift.

How the carry projection was built

Projected carry share23.9%
Projected carries per game5.3
Projected carries, full season91
Last season, carries per game6.7

That is a reduction of 1.3 carries a game against last season, inside a team projection of 27.2 rushing attempts a game.

Basis: prior usage blend. Carry share is the strongest forward predictor we have measured at the position, so this number carries more weight than any efficiency figure on this page.

Offensive environment: TB rates 23 against a league average of 23, exactly at it on opponent-adjusted least squares (multi-capture merge).

2026 schedule

Opponent-adjusted run defense faced, against 2025 ratings. Positive is an easier slate.

Full season-0.4 · neutral
Weeks 1–6+2.9 · easier
Weeks 12–17-2.7 · harder
Fantasy playoffs (15–17)-5.3 · harder

Read this narrowly. Our own testing found that season-long strength of schedule does not survive as a draft input — defensive quality is among the least stable team properties year to year, and a preseason slate is built on last year's identities. The playoff-weeks column is the only one we would let break a tie, and even then it is a tiebreaker rather than a reason. The finding.

Read the full Kenneth Gainwell study →

Dynasty context not redraft

Everything in this section is about his dynasty trade value — what he is worth as a long-term asset in the trade market. It is not a forecast of his 2026 fantasy scoring. A player can be a fine redraft pick while his dynasty value falls, and the reverse. The redraft read is above; this is a different question with a different answer.

Where he sits in the dynasty value cycle

His dynasty value has moved +148.6% over the last twelve months. The market cycle classifies him as post-spike. The base rate that applies: after a +30% spike, RBs crash the following year 59% of the time (hold 41%). That puts the measured risk of his dynasty value falling sharply over the next year at 59% — a probability drawn from comparable historical seasons, not a prediction, and not a statement about his 2026 scoring.

For context on how long this lasts at the position: the average career at his position produces 1.7 elite seasons and 2.4 startable seasons.

The five most similar seasons, and what their dynasty value did next

Matched on production profile — production-driven (pedigree ignored). The last column is how that player’s dynasty value moved the following year — a market outcome, not a scoring one.

PlayerSeasonTheir PPGSimilarityNext year
Jerick McKinnon202211.539%-28.8%
Justice Hill20248.538%-18.2%
Rhamondre Stevenson202411.737%+11.4%
Rachaad White202413.336%0%
Jaylen Warren20248.335%+30.8%

Of the 5 with a following season on record, 2 gained value, 2 lost it and 1 held roughly flat.

Four years of dynasty value

02,0004,00020222023202420252026
Monthly superflex value, 2021-04 to 2026-07. Down 20% across the series, peaking at 3,707.

The player

Draft capital and athletic profile

Drafted2021, round 5, pick 150 by PHI
CollegeMemphis
Age at draft22
Weight201 lb
40-yard dash4.42s

Availability and volatility

Career PPR per game7.4
Week-to-week variation1
Boom rate14.7%
Bust rate36.8%
Games missed per season0.2
Injury historyRibs
Correlation between his posted line and his actual score0.86

That correlation is how closely the books’ posted line tracked what he actually scored, week to week. A higher number means the market has him figured out and there is less to exploit; a lower one means his weeks are harder to price.

Injury type matters more than games missed. Measured across our injury database, knee and foot returns stay below a player’s pre-injury baseline for all three of the first games back, while hamstring returns over-recover by the third.

The record, season by season

2025 · PIT · 17 games

His best game was Week 4 against MIN — 31.4 PPR on 25 touches and a 27.3% target share, in a game that finished 24-21. His worst was Week 10 against LAC at 2.4, on 3 touches, final score 10-25. Across 17 games he cleared 20 points 4 times and came in under 8 points 8 times. In the 10 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 14.4; in the 7 decided by more, 11.1. He scored more when the game was live.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 12.2 points per game. He scored 13.02, 4.5% above it. The engine classified the season as neutral. On receiving touchdowns specifically he finished 2 against 3.6 expected, a gap of -1.6.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsCarRushTDTgt%Snap%
1NYJ34-325.3344719013.8%54%
2SEA17-316.63516520016.1%42%
3NE21-149.6111041614.5%26%
4MIN24-2131.466351999227.3%77%
6CLE23-99.66614622020.7%34%
7CIN31-333.522131406.1%39%
8GB25-353.522453106.3%38%
9IND27-207.445353-1014.3%37%
10LAC10-252.423400010.7%52%
11CIN34-1229.57881924227.6%63%
12CHI28-3118.266301092019.4%51%
13BUF7-266.52325520013.6%42%
14BAL27-2216.26727415121.2%48%
15MIA28-1519.677461380025.9%52%
16DET29-2423.85778950118.4%54%
17CLE6-136.83412726010.8%68%
18BAL26-2421.48964510120.5%67%

Production

Receptions73
Targets85
Receiving yards486
Carries114
Rushing yards537
Touchdowns8
Points per game13.02
Yards per target5.72
Catch rate85.88%
Yards per carry4.71

Role

Snap share49.65%
Target share16.31%
Air-yards share-1.44%
WOPR0.234
RACR-8.323

Efficiency

Average depth of target-0.2
Yards after catch per reception7.2
Yards before catch per reception-0.6
Total YAC528
Broken tackles5
Drop rate0%
Passer rating when targeted102.3
Rushing yards over expected0
Receiving EPA per game0.23
Rushing EPA per game-0.04

Scoring position

Red-zone targets17
Red-zone target share22.1%
End-zone target share7.1%
Red-zone carry share28.4%
Goal-line carry share31%
Expected receiving TDs3.6
Actual receiving TDs2
Receiving TD luck-1.6
Expected rushing TDs4.81

Where that ranked

Against everyone in the 100+ carries pool that season:

Points per game20 of 49
Yards per target29 of 49
Target share4 of 49
Air-yards share36 of 49

Who else ate

The offense threw it 550 times. He took 16.35% of the targets. 1 team-mate cleared the competing-target threshold.

DK Metcalf19.04%
Kenneth Gainwell 16.35%
Calvin Austin III10.58%
Jonnu Smith10.38%
Pat Freiermuth10.38%
Jaylen Warren8.65%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 2 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Aaron Rodgers157111.575.2815.35%
Mason Rudolph21423.857.9323.5%

Blowouts against close games

2 of his 17 games were blowouts, 16.3% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 18 in those and 14.36 in close games — a meaningful share of his scoring came with the game already decided.

2024 · PHI · 17 games

His best game was Week 15 against PIT — 9 PPR on 10 touches and a 9.7% target share, in a game that finished 27-13. His worst was Week 13 against BAL at 0, on 0 touches, final score 24-19. Across 17 games he cleared 20 points 0 times and came in under 8 points 15 times. In the 10 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 2.8; in the 7 decided by more, 4.9. He scored more when the game was not close.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 4.8 points per game. He scored 3.68, 24.3% below it. The engine classified the season as unlucky.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsCarRushTDTgt%Snap%
1GB34-292.211101203.4%20%
2ATL21-220.60002600%10%
3NO15-123.223120008.3%19%
4TB16-330.90102903.4%44%
6CLE20-162.301032304.2%21%
7NYG28-37.71111135607.1%36%
8CIN37-171.901051905.3%15%
9JAX28-2321115904.3%28%
10DAL34-64.911973005%32%
11WAS26-185.911644304%18%
12LA37-208.200052210%32%
13BAL24-1900000000%13%
14CAR22-165.3227326010.5%24%
15PIT27-139334072009.7%39%
16WAS33-362.31164704%19%
17DAL41-71.91153405.6%23%
18NYG20-134.3249111409.8%49%

Production

Receptions16
Targets22
Receiving yards116
Carries75
Rushing yards290
Touchdowns1
Points per game3.68
Yards per target5.27
Catch rate72.73%
Yards per carry3.87

Role

Snap share26%
Target share4.98%
Air-yards share0.63%
WOPR0.08
RACR0.288

Efficiency

Average depth of target1
Yards after catch per reception6.8
Yards before catch per reception0.5
Total YAC108
Broken tackles4
Drop rate0%
Passer rating when targeted84.7
Rushing yards over expected0
Receiving EPA per game0.14
Rushing EPA per game-0.68

Scoring position

Red-zone targets3
Red-zone target share4.5%
End-zone target share0%
Red-zone carry share15.7%
Goal-line carry share6%
Expected receiving TDs0.42
Actual receiving TDs0
Receiving TD luck-0.42
Expected rushing TDs2.62

Who else ate

The offense threw it 448 times. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

A.J. Brown23.26%
DeVonta Smith21.34%
Dallas Goedert12.47%
Saquon Barkley10.31%
Jahan Dotson7.91%
Grant Calcaterra7.19%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 3 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Jalen Hurts14163.8664.66%
Kenny Pickett222.15.54.8%
Tanner McKee144.32.259.8%

Blowouts against close games

6 of his 17 games were blowouts, 40.7% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 4.25 in those and 2.81 in close games — a meaningful share of his scoring came with the game already decided.

2023 · PHI · 16 games

His best game was Week 1 against NE — 11.4 PPR on 18 touches and a 13.3% target share, in a game that finished 25-20. His worst was Week 11 against KC at 1.5, on 2 touches, final score 21-17. Across 16 games he cleared 20 points 0 times and came in under 8 points 12 times. In the 10 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 6.2; in the 6 decided by more, 5.9. He scored more when the game was live.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 6.5 points per game. He scored 6.09, 9.2% below it. The engine classified the season as neutral.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsCarRushTDTgt%Snap%
1NE25-2011.444201454013.3%62%
3TB25-115.8125144305.7%46%
4WAS34-316.122741405.9%38%
5LA23-143.412771705.9%38%
6NYJ14-202.712421304.7%41%
7MIA31-177.600081610%32%
8WAS38-315.655302-4014.3%30%
9DAL28-239.311132214.8%37%
11KC21-171.51141104.8%30%
12BUF37-345.62310226010.7%35%
13SF19-429.7564225014.3%54%
14DAL13-332.800042800%45%
15SEA17-202.101062103.3%41%
16NYG33-2510.9333864108.3%40%
17ARI31-356.68441525017.4%53%
18NYG10-276.201076203%38%

Production

Receptions30
Targets37
Receiving yards183
Carries84
Rushing yards364
Touchdowns2
Points per game6.09
Yards per target4.95
Catch rate81.08%
Yards per carry4.33

Role

Snap share41.25%
Target share7.27%
Air-yards share1.38%
WOPR0.118
RACR-2.465

Efficiency

Average depth of target1.9
Yards after catch per reception5.8
Yards before catch per reception0.3
Total YAC175
Broken tackles2
Drop rate0%
Passer rating when targeted87.3
Rushing yards over expected0
Receiving EPA per game0.16
Rushing EPA per game-0.73

Scoring position

Red-zone targets0
Red-zone target share0%
End-zone target share0%
Red-zone carry share22.6%
Goal-line carry share8.8%
Expected receiving TDs0
Actual receiving TDs0
Receiving TD luck0
Expected rushing TDs2.79

Who else ate

The offense threw it 562 times. He took 7.05% of the targets. 3 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

A.J. Brown30.1%
DeVonta Smith21.33%
Dallas Goedert15.81%
D'Andre Swift9.33%
Kenneth Gainwell 7.05%
Quez Watkins4%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 2 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Jalen Hurts15366.085.087.56%
Marcus Mariota116.203%

Blowouts against close games

3 of his 16 games were blowouts, 19.2% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 6.23 in those and 6.19 in close games — a meaningful share of his scoring came with the game already decided.

2022 · PHI · 17 games

His best game was Week 9 against HOU — 12.8 PPR on 7 touches and a 12% target share, in a game that finished 29-17. His worst was Week 11 against IND at 0, on 1 touches, final score 17-16. Across 17 games he cleared 20 points 0 times and came in under 8 points 11 times. In the 8 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 6.5; in the 9 decided by more, 4. He scored more when the game was live.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 5.5 points per game. He scored 5.17, 12.6% above it. The engine classified the season as lucky. On receiving touchdowns specifically he finished 0 against 1.9 expected, a gap of -1.9.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsCarRushTDTgt%Snap%
1DET38-3511.22412520113.8%30%
2MIN24-72.812112706.5%26%
3WAS24-80.60003600%31%
4JAX29-218.712-251918.3%27%
5ARI20-17200032000%22%
6DAL26-172.500052500%24%
8PIT35-132.11181303.3%25%
9HOU29-1712.83316422112%28%
10WAS21-322.21251708%32%
11IND17-1600001000%16%
12GB40-3311.611783914%34%
13TEN35-108.33438315010.5%27%
14NYG48-2211100003.2%18%
15CHI25-203.42293505.4%40%
16DAL34-409.84441417011.8%42%
17NO10-203.722170006.3%27%
18NYG22-165.211753503.2%27%

Production

Receptions23
Targets29
Receiving yards169
Carries53
Rushing yards240
Touchdowns4
Points per game5.17
Yards per target5.83
Catch rate79.31%
Yards per carry4.53

Role

Snap share28%
Target share5.66%
Air-yards share0.73%
WOPR0.089
RACR2.548

Efficiency

Average depth of target1.4
Yards after catch per reception6.1
Yards before catch per reception1.2
Total YAC141
Broken tackles3
Drop rate0.1%
Passer rating when targeted76.6
Receiving EPA per game-0.32
Rushing EPA per game0.46

Scoring position

Red-zone targets7
Red-zone target share10.9%
End-zone target share0%
Red-zone carry share16.7%
Goal-line carry share14.8%
Expected receiving TDs1.9
Actual receiving TDs0
Receiving TD luck-1.9
Expected rushing TDs4.78

Who else ate

The offense threw it 536 times. He took 5.74% of the targets. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

A.J. Brown28.71%
DeVonta Smith26.93%
Dallas Goedert13.66%
Quez Watkins10.1%
Kenneth Gainwell 5.74%
Miles Sanders5.15%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 2 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Jalen Hurts15234.964.835.21%
Gardner Minshew266.759.679.05%

Blowouts against close games

4 of his 17 games were blowouts, 16.2% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 3.55 in those and 6.49 in close games — his scoring did not depend on garbage time.

2021 · PHI · 16 games

His best game was Week 4 against KC — 20.9 PPR on 11 touches and a 18.2% target share, in a game that finished 30-42. His worst was Week 15 against WAS at 0, on 1 touches, final score 27-17. Across 16 games he cleared 20 points 1 time and came in under 8 points 11 times. In the 6 games decided by 8 points or fewer he averaged 4.1; in the 10 decided by more, 9.9. He scored more when the game was not close.

Earned against scored

His usage that season was worth 7.5 points per game. He scored 7.71, 9.5% above it. The engine classified the season as neutral.

WkOppScorePPRRecTgtYdsCarRushTDTgt%Snap%
1ATL32-612.323693719.4%35%
2SF11-177.22318614012.5%33%
3DAL21-416.4343212010.5%31%
4KC30-4220.96858331118.2%39%
5CAR21-183.413821608.8%24%
6TB22-281.11210008.3%23%
7LV22-3314.14841520125.8%51%
8DET44-62.7000132700%31%
9LAC24-276.30002310%19%
10DEN30-132.41192504.5%31%
12NYG7-136.2343200013.8%16%
13NYJ33-1819.755331254122.7%38%
15WAS27-1700100003.8%8%
16NYG34-101.61160003.6%3%
17WAS20-160.40001400%13%
18DAL26-5118.74791278120.6%53%

Production

Receptions33
Targets50
Receiving yards253
Carries68
Rushing yards291
Touchdowns6
Points per game7.71
Yards per target5.06
Catch rate66%
Yards per carry4.28

Role

Snap share28%
Target share10.16%
Air-yards share1.86%
WOPR0.166
RACR2.822

Efficiency

Average depth of target1.9
Yards after catch per reception6.8
Yards before catch per reception0.8
Total YAC226
Broken tackles1
Drop rate0.1%
Passer rating when targeted84.8
Rushing yards over expected0
Receiving EPA per game0.27
Rushing EPA per game0.17

Scoring position

Red-zone targets11
Red-zone target share17.2%
End-zone target share0%
Red-zone carry share11.2%
Goal-line carry share7.3%
Expected receiving TDs1.71
Actual receiving TDs2
Receiving TD luck0.29
Expected rushing TDs2.19

Who else ate

The offense threw it 494 times. He took 10.73% of the targets. 2 team-mates cleared the competing-target threshold.

DeVonta Smith22.32%
Dallas Goedert16.31%
Quez Watkins13.3%
Jalen Reagor12.23%
Kenneth Gainwell 10.73%
Miles Sanders7.3%

By quarterback

He caught passes from 2 quarterbacks that season, and the splits are not close.

QBGamesTargetsPPGY/TTgt%
Jalen Hurts14386.075.558.51%
Gardner Minshew21219.23.521.65%

Blowouts against close games

6 of his 16 games were blowouts, 35.7% of his snaps coming in them. He averaged 7.35 in those and 4.1 in close games — a meaningful share of his scoring came with the game already decided.

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