If you’re like me, Jaylen Warren’s unexpected absence in the Steelers-Vikings matchup abroad cost you in fantasy football. His last-minute absence left him in many fantasy lineups (thanks Adam Schefter). That thrust backup running back Kenneth Gainwell into starting duties, and he indeed seized the day. Gainwell looked like a surefire RB1 on Sunday, which makes us wonder if he’s making inroads on the starting RB job in Pittsburgh over Jaylen Warren.
So, did Warren get usurped, or will things go back to normal after the Steelers’ bye week?
Analysis
It’s jarring to see the degree to which Gainwell dominated the backfield snaps in Warren’s absence. Despite the presence of Kaleb Johnson, a rookie many expected to be involved early on, Gainwell took on 77% of the snaps in Week 4 to Johnson’s 21%. Gainwell also took 19 of the 25 total carries while drawing six of the seven targets thrown at running backs. It was a complete and utter takeover by Kenny G.
But Warren will be back sooner than later. He was questionable right up until kickoff, and the assumption is he will return for Week 6 after the bye. It’s unclear whether he will return to the starting job. We have to go back to when the two shared the field to get a better idea.
The two operated in a committee of sorts in Week 1 as Warren out-carried Gainwell 11 to seven while Gainwell saw more passing usage. In Week 2, Warren saw a bit more work as a rusher and passing-down back, but it was still a split. In Week 3, Warren out-carried Gainwell 18 to four and out-targeted him six to one. His snap share was a whopping 80% to Gainwell’s 26%. It went from a committee to a true RB1 and backup situation. This is crucial context when considering Gainwell’s standing in Week 6 and beyond.
The verdict
Perhaps Gainwell has thrust himself back into the committee conversation and earned more touches. He still sees usage as a goal-line back and has some return duties. But it would be a stunning turn of events to see him out-touch and out-snap a healthy Warren next week.
He’s indeed received a boost as a handcuff option and should be in fantasy lineups if Warren were to miss another week after the bye. However, given that he’ll have three whole weeks to heal, that seems unlikely. Make sure Gainwell is picked up off waivers in all formats, but don’t count on him to be a starter if Warren is back in the lineup.
