Kenny

Gainwell

According to Slivon, Gainwell “has not toted the rock much,” which sounds like good news for RB Bucky Irving’s rushing workload. Slivon believes OC Zac Robinson clearly trusts Gainwell “to turn those plays at or behind the line of scrimmage into bigger gains.” He could have a tough time delivering huge performances if he is only minimally involved in the run game, but in an era where the RB2/FLEX-viable receiving backs are becoming less common, Gainwell may be able to buck that trend.

This quote comes from Irving’s annual youth football camp, which he put on this weekend. The Bucs’ RB1 was still dealing with the effects of offseason shoulder surgery after he played through a shoulder injury last season. He missed some time during OTAs but was able to get on the field in some capacity, and with the pads set to come on in a few days, this is great news for Irving ahead of camp. There has been some talk about the Buccaneers possibly taking a committee approach to its running back room this season after the team added Kenneth Gainwell to the mix and still has Sean Tucker in the mix. Reports out of camp will be worth monitoring as we look to get a sense of how the touch distribution could shape up at the start of the season, but Irving being healthy and putting last season’s injury issues behind him will go a long way in helping his fantasy value this season.

Reports from mid-May indicated that the Buccaneers might use a running back committee, including Gainwell and incumbent RBs Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker. It seems as though a two-player backfield may be taking shape, with Irving slated for 1A duties ahead of Gainwell. Sources tell Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds that Gainwell “has quickly picked up” OC Zac Robinson’s playbook and is excelling as a receiver out of the backfield. A split backfield could be in play this season.

Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud describes Irving as “the chair” of what looks to be a running back by committee with Kenneth Gainwell and Sean Tucker. We’ll see what the price range settles in at for Irving, but it’s hard to imagine him as a top-40 pick based on the past week of updates. The story quotes OC Zac Robinson as saying, “Shoot, one guy might get this amount the next week. They might end up balanced, feeling the hot hand, and we’ll see where it goes.”

FOX’s Greg Auman adds that he expects Irving to be “full go” when training camp begins. This probably isn’t overly concerning just yet. It was reported that Irving had offseason shoulder surgery after playing through the issue late last year. If Irving’s absence continues to drag on as the team gets to training camp, the Kenneth Gainwell train will begin to gain steam again in 2026.

Gainwell and Irving “can kind of match each other in certain ways with what they can do in the pass game,” Robinson said during a Tuesday press conference. Robinson praised Gainwell’s veteran leadership and professionalism and said he was a key addition to the Tampa offense this offseason after he caught 73 passes for 486 yards and three touchdowns with the Steelers in 2025. Only three running backs — Christian McCaffrey, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Bijan Robinson — had more receptions than Gainwell last season. Irving has been a highly efficient pass catcher during his time with the Bucs. Last year he ranked second in yards after the catch per reception and fifth among backs in yards per catch. While Irving is widely expected to be the team’s nominal lead back, Gainwell could be relevant in PPR leagues this year.

Rachaad White is a free agent and the Bucs chose not to tender Sean Tucker, a restricted free agent, so the team entered free agency without a backup to Bucky Irving. Gainwell will take on that role and a $14 million contract suggests he could earn more than just backup duties. After catching 73 passes for 486 yards and three scores in 2025, Gainwell would be a natural replacement for White’s role as the team’s primary option on passing downs. Bucky Irving should still be in line for the bulk of the carries, but Gainwell could take the PPR floor out from under him.

It’s the first sniff of free agency buzz we’ve gotten on White, which goes to show you how few teams view him as a top-line back. However, DiRocco believes White could fit in as a great screen-pass catcher and could share the workload with incumbent Bhayshul Tuten. Gainwell could also fit into that role. Overall this is a very encouraging report for Tuten’s fantasy value, as it doesn’t seem like the Jaguars want to put a major obstacle ahead of him on the depth chart.

Gainwell doesn’t seem to be a major free-agent priority signing for anybody, but figures to do quite well for himself after putting up 73/486 through the air and amassing 1,000 yards from scrimmage. He figures to be a potential third-down back upgrade for several teams in free agency, though the Steelers remain a great fit for him as he slotted in well behind Jaylen Warren.

Gainwell enjoyed an increased role in Pittsburgh in 2025 as the primary change of pace and clear passing down option behind starter Jaylen Warren, handily setting career highs in rushing yards (537), total touchdowns (eight), receptions (73), and receiving yards (486), marking the first time in his career where he amassed more than 1,000 yards form scrimmage. He also handily returned value at a depressed ADP in fantasy drafts this offseason although his 2026 fantasy outlook remains murky after playing the 2025 season on a one-year, prove-it deal with the Steelers.