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    Ten yards on 5 touches for Gainwell

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    Kenny Gainwell had three rushes for -4 yards in the Bucs’ Week 3 loss to the Vikings, adding two catches for 14 yards.

    Gainwell was once again inefficient with his limited opportunities. He operated as the team’s lead back, however, when Bucky Irving exited with a lower body injury. If Irving misses any time, Gainwell would profile as a top-24 PPR option, even if he loses touches to Sean Tucker. Tampa could be without Baker Mayfield (thumb) for a while. That would dampen the prospects of everyone in the offense.
Warm takes: 2026 is the year of the backup QB
Paul Pabst and Andrew Perloff deliver their warm sports takes on Not So Fast, including highlighting the NFL's backup quarterback boom after standout performances from Case Keenum, Marcus Mariota and more.

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  • TB Running Back #7
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    Irving was spotted on the sideline for the majority of the fourth quarter. It’s possible that Irving just did something that irked Bowles rather than actually suffering an injury, but given how Irving’s injuries quickly manifested last season, we’re going to want to see that on the official injury report on Wednesday before we dial the status down to “unconcerned.” This news does seem to leave Kenny Gainwell as a lower-priority waiver claim.
  • TB Running Back #7
    Irving was on the sideline for much of the fourth quarter with a potential injury, though it was unclear when or how to picked up the ailment. He accounted for 15 of 18 Bucs running back carries on the day, maintaining his role as the clear No. 1 back in the Tampa backfield. He saw four targets while Kenny Gainwell caught two of his five targets. Much of Gainwell’s involvement came after the Bucs fell behind the Vikings. Irving would have a sweet matchup in Week 4 against a vulnerable Green Bay defensive line if he can suit up.
  • TB Running Back #1
    Gainwell saw some pass-catching involvement once the Bucs fell behind Cleveland, but it was once again Bucky Irving who worked as Tampa’s clear No. 1 back, seeing 19 touches, including most of the early-down opportunities. Irving’s domination of the Bucs backfield through two weeks means Gainwell is nothing more than a bench stash in 12-team formats for now.
  • TB Running Back #7
    Irving for a second straight week functioned as the unquestioned No. 1 backfield option ahead of Kenneth Gainwell, who had two rushes and three receptions on the day. Irving had a few solid runs in the first half before the Browns put the clamps on the Tampa rushing attack and forced Baker Mayfield to beat them. (He did not.) While somewhat surprising, Irving’s early domination of the Bucs backfield means he’ll be a high-floor weekly running back option until proven otherwise. He gets a tough matchup in Week 2 against the Vikings.
  • TB Running Back #44
    Tucker was out last week with the hamstring issue. His return to the Tampa lineup could take a few touches away from Bucky Irving and/or Kenneth Gainwell. Last week against the Bengals, Irving out-carried Gainwell 8-5 and led the backfield with a 59 percent route share. Bucs declared CB Jacob Parrish, CB Ayden Garnes, DL Elijah Simmons, DL DeMonta Capehart, OL Billy Schrauth, and OL Luke Haggard inactive for Week 2.
  • TB Running Back #1
    Shockingly, Gainwell got out-targeted 7-1 by Bucky Irving, though Pro Football Focus did chart Irving’s snaps advantage at a far more modest 35-26. Gainwell was out there. He simply wasn’t a focal point when it came to getting the ball. It was a bizarre contest with sacks and fumbles derailing the Bucs’ offense, but we would have thought this kind of comeback game script would have led to far more Gainwell receptions. Maybe it was just a fluke, but Irving is a safe RB2 heading into Week 2 while Gainwell is now a more uncertain FLEX.
  • TB Running Back #7
    Irving’s eight carries look bad on paper, but they were a function of the Bucs falling behind 21-3 midway through the second quarter thanks to a deluge of turnovers. That includes a lost Irving fumble where he entered a scrum one-handing the ball. Not good, though he was not punished for the mistake. He ended up tying a career high with his seven receptions, with supposed pass-catching back Kenneth Gainwell catching the ball only one time. Nothing went the way the Bucs drew it up this afternoon, so we would not count on that usage simply carrying over to Week 2, but it is certainly a good start from a usage perspective for those who took the plunge on Irving as their RB2. It is worth nothing that PFF charted Irving as out-snapping Gainwell just 35-26. There’s a long way to go here, but we will have Irving in the top 24 for Week 2 against the Browns.
  • TB Running Back #44
    Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said earlier this week that Tucker will be a game-time decision for Week 1 against the Bengals. His continued absence from practice is discouraging, but it bodes well for RB Bucky Irving and RB Kenneth Gainwell. Tucker is not expected to be a high-volume offensive contributor at this point, but adding even a couple of touches to each player’s workload is helpful
  • TB Running Back #44
    Second-year Buccaneers RB Josh Williams has played extensively, and even ahead of RB Sean Tucker, in the preseason thus far. Coach Todd Bowles has avoided answering questions about Tucker’s status directly, instead saying Williams is playing well and the staff wanted to see Williams play against better defenders early in preseason games. While this might not seem like a big deal, it could be for RB Bucky Irving. Tucker has been discussed as the team’s short-yardage and goal-line specialist this season. He is also set to make the second-highest salary in the backfield this year, yet none of it is guaranteed. Releasing him would save the team cash and potentially free up red zone duties for Irving to reclaim. Keep an eye on this position battle tonight.
  • TB Running Back #7
    The starting offense played two series consisting of eight plays before giving way to the second unit, wherein Irving saw a carry on the first three plays from scrimmage before Gainwell entered the game. Gainwell received his lone carry on the following play, with neither back seeing another opportunity before departing. Previous talk surrounding this backfield hinted at more of a “1A-1B” situation than what was seen in their first preseason action, widening the range of outcomes of Irving in a fantasy setting for the coming season. That leaves potential room for upside considering Irving’s No. 55 overall aggregate ADP across all platforms, particularly considering how much the coaching staff has talked up his receiving chops this offseason. Consider Irving an interesting upside bet in the fifth round.

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  • CHI Quarterback #11
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    Bears coach Ben Johnson said “we’ll see how it plays out all week” when asked about who would start at quarterback in Week 4.

    It’s worth noting that Brad Biggs quotes Johnson as saying “We’ll have a discussion as a coaching staff and we’ll see where we need to go from here ... But I said it last week, and I’ll say it again, there was a reason why Tyson [Bagent] ended training camp as our No. 2 quarterback” in the post-game scrum. It seems wild that a backup quarterback could play as well as Case Keenum did on Monday Night and not start in Week 4 on account of another backup quarterback, but it does feel like the winds are leaning there as things stand on Tuesday.
  • TEN Quarterback #1
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    Titans coach Robert Saleh said “no” when asked if he’d consider sitting QB Cam Ward.

    Ward’s gotten off to a slow start in 2026, completing 62.5 percent of his passes for a meager 504 yards and two touchdowns in three games. He has improved his sack rate quite a bit, cutting it from 9.2 percent in 2025 to 5.38 percent so far this year. The Titans backup is Mitch Trubisky. It is probably too soon to give up on Ward, but it doesn’t bode well for his future that Saleh is already being asked the question. Ward will be one of the bottom five quarterbacks in the Week 4 fantasy rankings against the Ravens.
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    ESPN’s Adam Schefter said it “sounds like” Jayden Daniels (elbow) is going to need surgery after the season and he’s put it off so he can play with his team now.

    Schefter added that he doesn’t think Daniels will play this week but that he may play “sooner rather than later.” Dan Quinn said Daniels will practice in “some capacity this week,” but they may just be trying to understand where Daniels is at physically in these practices. This update does not augur particularly well for Daniels’ chances of staying active if the Commanders go into a tailspin or if he reaggravates the injury; it seems like he’s simply trying to play through the injury to help his team if he can.
  • HOU Quarterback #7
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    Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said he is open to leaning more into the passing game.

    “The thing for me about offensive football is you have to make sure you move the ball and try to score as many points as possible,” Ryans is quoted as saying by the Houston Chronicle. “How that looks to me, it really doesn’t matter. You can think or want to be a certain thing. But if you’re shown that that’s not the case and it’s not getting done, then you have to adjust. That’s where we are.” The Texans already abandoned the run against the Bengals in Week 2, throwing the ball 55 times. Perhaps Nico Collins’ return this week will raise all ships, but if it was as simple as the Texans needing to throw more, they probably would have scored more than six points against the Bengals. C.J. Stroud has a streamable matchup against the Cowboys this week if it all comes together.
  • FA Wide Receiver #13
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    Giants released Odell Beckham, Jr.

    Beckham’s reuniting with his former team lasted all of three games, during which Beckham was targeted once on 11 pass routes. An afterthought in the New York offense, OBJ will look to land in an offense that might use his diminished skills. NFL insider Jordan Schultz said both the Giants and Beckham “decided a mutual parting was best for everyone.” It’s hard to imagine who would want Beckham at this point in his fading NFL career. He has nine catches since the start of the 2024 regular season.
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    NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports Panthers G Damien Lewis (elbow) will be out “a few weeks.”

    It’s yet another significant loss for the Panthers, who saw Jaycee Horn and Jalen Coker go down with injury in Week 3 against the Browns. Carolina will be without their starting guard for a little while, including this week against the Lions. Through three weeks the Panthers rank 25th in ESPN’s pass blocking win rate and 11th in run block win rate.
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    SNY’s Connor Hughes believes the Giants could start JJ McCarthy in “the near future.”

    New York acquired McCarthy from the Vikings on Monday in exchange for a 2027 fifth round draft pick. Hughes spoke with NFL sources who said “the Giants do not give up a fifth-round pick unless they plan to play McCarthy in the near future.” Head coach John Harbaugh and the team’s coaching staff, per Hughes, see McCarthy as a starting-caliber quarterback despite his immense struggles in Minnesota last season. “The Giants welcomed the chance to add a player they view as a competitor, gritty, mobile, and who has all the tools to be a plus passer in the NFL,” Hughes said. With Jameis Winston playing worse than any QB in recent memory, McCarthy could be just a couple weeks away from taking over as New York’s starter. He would be a mild upgrade for Malik Nabers and the rest of the Giants pass catchers.
  • PIT Running Back #30
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    The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo believes Jaylen Warren will continue as a workhorse back in Week 4.

    Warren operated as an every-down back in Week 3 against the Bengals, running for 127 yards on 17 carries and catching three passes for 49 yards in a victory. DeFabo suggested Warren had established himself as the team’s clear lead back option against the Bengals with Rico Dowdle (toe) sidelined. “I’ve always had respect for him, playing against him, and then being his teammate now for a little more than a season,” Aaron Rodgers said of Warren. “He is one of the toughest guys I’ve ever played with, and I just can’t say enough about his energy and the way he runs the football and the way he cares about his teammates.” Warren’s pass game involvement spiked in Week 3, as he ran a route on 70 percent of Pittsburgh’s drop backs. Dowdle, meanwhile, did not practice Monday ahead of the Steelers’ Thursday game against the Browns. Warren should remain in all lineups this week.
  • Loveland_Colston_800_1080-9a141e0b04eaf38a.jpg

    Colston Loveland

    CHI Tight End #84
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    Colston Loveland caught all four targets for 31 yards in the Bears’ Week 3 win over the Eagles.

    Loveland matched his to-date season total of one reception on the second play from scrimmage and narrowly missed his first touchdown of the young season after replay assist ruled him down inside the one at the start of the second quarter. The offense would turn the ball over on downs four plays later after failing to punch it in, allowing the Eagles to remain in the game for longer than they otherwise should have been. Either way, it’s a step in the right direction for the talented youngster, although the absence of Caleb Williams could further dent his fantasy upside in the immediate future. Loveland continues to be a TE1 in fantasy circles despite the slow start, which holds for when the Bears play host to the Jets in Week 4.
  • CHI Wide Receiver #15
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    Rome Odunze caught 3-of-6 targets for 44 yards in the Bears’ Week 3 win over the Eagles.

    Odunze continues to function as the deep threat in Ben Johnson’s offense, which spells trouble for his fantasy value in the immediate future considering the absence of Caleb Williams. Case Keenum got the start under center against the Eagles, and while he kept the offense on track through veteran savvy, his general lack of arm strength limited the offense to hefty rates of attacking the short-to-intermediate areas of the field. It is unclear whether Keenum or Tyson Bagent will draw the start in Week 4, but the decision could dictate whether Odunze can be inserted into fantasy rosters against the Jets.