Kenneth Gainwell

Gainwell has the trust of Philadelphia's coaching staff on passing downs despite his mostly poor results as a receiver (career 5.2 YPT), and one would think something has to give there -- either he'll improve or the playing time will come up for review. In any case, Gainwell's playing time was already up for review once the Eagles signed Saquon Barkley in free agency, as Barkley is one of the very best passing-down backs in the league. Gainwell and rookie fourth-round pick Will Shipley are the leading candidates for depth roles behind the Eagles' new workhorse back, with any potential fantasy value dependent on Barkley missing time.

Although he's valuable depth to the Eagles, Gainwell might need a change of scenery to flourish. His primary selling point is his receiving ability, and the Eagles offense hasn't shown much room for its running backs to draw targets -- the ball tends to go deep rather than underneath, and would-be short targets often turn into Jalen Hurts carries instead. As a pure runner, Gainwell can't compete with newcomers Rashaad Penny or D'Andre Swift, likely leaving him to compete with Boston Scott for the RB3 distinction. Penny and Swift might be the most fragile one-two punch in the league, but even if one, or both, miss time, Gainwell presumably will split reps with Boston Scott.

Gainwell showed occasional flashes of productivity as a rookie fifth-round pick last season but never established a consistent role in the Philadelphia backfield. He topped 80 scrimmage yards on three occasions, Weeks 4, 13 and 18, which accounted for nearly half his yardage for the season. Gainwell mostly saw playing time on passing downs, but he was arguably more effective as a runner, with 4.3 YPC and five TDs on only 68 carries, while he managed only 5.1 YPT and dropped five passes. His role for Year 2 is uncertain, as Philadelphia doesn't seem to view Miles Sanders as a true No. 1 running back, which could open the door. Gainwell’s skill set is similar to that of his former Memphis teammate Tony Pollard, including the sub-4.5 speed, only Gainwell doesn't have someone with the pedigree or massive contract of Ezekiel Elliott ahead of him on the depth chart.

The latest product of the Memphis running back factory, Gainwell follows Antonio Gibson, Tony Pollard and Darrell Henderson to the NFL, and while he may not be quite as fast as those guys, a 4.44 40-yard time at his pro day suggests Gainwell can also scoot. He showed impressive elusiveness, balance and vision in college, and despite being a bit undersized for a running back, he was more than willing to lower his pads and try to grind out yards between the tackles when asked to. That approach won't necessarily work against stronger defenders in the NFL, but with only one season of significant touches at Memphis on his resume after he opted out of the 2020 campaign, accumulated wear and tear is not a concern. Gainwell also has the receiving and pass-protection skills to carve out a role on third downs, giving him a path to less physically demanding touches, while also providing some early down production. Unfortunately, after being taken in the fifth round by the Eagles, he lands in a crowded backfield that has Miles Sanders in the top spot and an experienced backup in Boston Scott - not to mention QB Jalen Hurts - competing for carries and touches. The path to playing time is precarious, and the Eagles offense won't necessarily be a hotbed of RB production.