Kenny Gainwell or Pat Freiermuth: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 3 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Freiermuth’s steadier role beats Gainwell’s better team outlook
Start Freiermuth: his TE1 pass-catching role gives you a more dependable path to involvement than Gainwell’s change-of-pace job. Gainwell’s receiving ability and slightly better team scoring outlook are real positives, but the favorable-looking matchup is based on a low-confidence two-game sample, while CBS Sports 2026-09-20 reports his passing-down role has shrunk behind Bucky Irving. The projections are nearly level, so this is a narrow edge—not a reason to treat Gainwell as unusable—but Freiermuth’s stronger current workload separates them.
What flips it: Gainwell regaining the passing-down role.
Sources: CBS Sports · Sep 20, 2026
AI editor
Kenny Gainwell
5.36.47.6 Projected Points
Pat Freiermuth
4.66.58.3 Projected Points
Kenny Gainwell’s market
Pat Freiermuth’s market
Why Kenny Gainwell
SitRB2 and primary kick returner. Change-of-pace back with heavy passing-down usage and receiving production out of the backfield.
Sit — RB30 consensus, projects RB44 this week: MIN is the 9th-toughest matchup vs RBs, 8% target share.
- His receiving skill offers a path back to PPR value if Tampa Bay restores his passing-down work.
- The slightly better team scoring outlook gives him some chance to benefit from a productive game script.
Latest on Gainwell
Gainwell managed only two carries for 10 yards and three catches for five yards on four targets in Week 2, a far cry from his prior pass-catching role in Pittsburgh; Bucky Irving out-carried him 17-to-2 and out-targeted him 11-to-5 through two games.
CBS Sports · Sep 20, 2026Gabriel Kahaian joins Brianna Dix and Scott Smith this season in their weekly competition of predicting who the Bucs' brightest star will prove to be in the upcoming game, and two of three picks are players new to the roster in 2026
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Pat Freiermuth
StartTE1 in pass-catching role. Reliable chain-mover with red-zone size and dependable hands.
Start — TE24 consensus, projects TE20 this week: 14% target share, 8.3 PPR projected vs CIN.
- As Pittsburgh’s TE1 and chain-mover, he can stay involved without relying on deep targets.
- His red-zone size gives him a scoring route that Gainwell’s change-of-pace role may not provide.
Latest on Freiermuth
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Kenny Gainwell | Pat Freiermuth |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 5.36.47.6 | 4.66.58.3 |
| Consensus rank | RB30 | TE24 |
| Opponent vs position | MIN · 9 of 322-game sample | CIN · 19 of 322-game sample |
| Rushing Yards | 13 of 32 | — |
| Rushing TDs | 1 of 32 | — |
| Rushing Attempts | 18 of 32 | — |
| Receptions | 6 of 32 | 32 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 17 of 32 | 32 of 32 |
| Anytime TD | 1 of 32 | 1 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | — | 1 of 32 |
| Targets | — | 30 of 32 |
| Target share | 8% | 14% |
| Reception share | 9% | 19% |
| Implied total · spread | 23.0-1.5 | 22.5+1.5 |
| Depth chart | RB2 | TE1 |
| Snap share | 41% | 70% |
| Start/Sit record | 0–0+1 toss-up | — |
Recent form
Kenny Gainwell — last 2 weeks
| Week 2 | vs CLE | 1.53.04.5 |
| Week 1 | vs CIN | 1.82.32.8 |
Pat Freiermuth — last 2 weeks
| Week 2 | vs NE | 3.45.47.4 |
| Week 1 | vs ATL | 10.613.115.6 |
Signal breakdown
- 7.6 vs 8.3 projected PPR pointsPat Freiermuth +
- Rank 30 vs 24Pat Freiermuth +
- Opponent DvP rank 9 vs 19 (32 = softest)even
- Implied 23.0 vs 22.5 team pointsKenny Gainwell +
- No injury designationseven
- 41% vs 70% snap sharePat Freiermuth +
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