Fantasy football managers went after Kenneth Gainwell aggressively on this week’s waiver wire. It appeared as though Gainwell had completely locked up this Philadelphia Eagles backfield, but an injury sidelined him from Week 2’s contest against the Minnesota Vikings.
As a result, D’Andre Swift got the RB1 nod in this matchup and proceeded to showcase why many fantasy analysts were excited about him going into this season. Is there now a backfield controversy in Philly? Should you look to sell Gainwell now for whatever you can get?
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Should Fantasy Football Managers Trade Kenneth Gainwell?
Fantasy managers are always terrified of holding empty assets on their rosters. We affectionately call these players “busts.” While Gainwell certainly wouldn’t fall directly into that category because of where he was drafted as a nice sleeper, he has the potential to be dead weight on a fantasy roster if Swift has completely taken over Philadelphia’s backfield.
However, this coaching staff clearly liked what they saw from Gainwell in training camp and the preseason — not to mention what he had done in previous years — enough to give him the clear RB1 role in Week 1.
This means that we shouldn’t expect to see Gainwell completely fade into oblivion with Swift dominating the touches like he did against Minnesota on Thursday Night Football. There’s a strong possibility that the Eagles’ offense now becomes a committee approach versus a clear RB1 and RB2.
The good news for fantasy managers is that Philly’s offense runs the ball so much that there’s still room for both players to see enough work to be relevant for fantasy football. Boston Scott and Rashaad Penny are simply not factors on offense, so this could come down to just Gainwell and Swift.
The final verdict, though, comes down to your ROI for trading Gainwell. Can you find someone in your league who desperately wanted him on the waiver wire, but you won out with a higher FAAB bid or higher waiver priority? Or is there someone who believes this coaching staff will still want to feature Gainwell instead of Swift?
If you can find a decent return for your investment, ship Gainwell away now to avoid the potential dead weight on your fantasy roster. However, don’t send him away just for anything. There’s still the possibility of a 50/50 split in Philadelphia.
What Should Fantasy Managers Look To Acquire When Trading Gainwell?
As mentioned above, you shouldn’t just trade away Gainwell for anything. You need to be smart with the trade offers that you either receive or send out involving him.
For instance, it wouldn’t be wise to send away Gainwell for someone like Rams WR Van Jefferson in your league. However, if you can find another RB in your league that had a down Week 1 but holds a bit more upside over the course of the season, that’s the target you need to go after.
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For example, I’d go hunting after players like Jaylen Warren, Tank Bigsby, or even Antonio Gibson. These players all possess upside due to the possibility that the starter above them on the depth chart goes down with an injury. Meanwhile, they’re also going to have weeks where they provide standalone value.
With that said, every single league is different and will value players differently. That’s why you need to input Gainwell into our free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer and enter your league settings to see what’s the proper trade value for him!