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Scoring
#1 Start

Sanders

RB · CLE vs PIT

Thu 8:15 PM

Proj pts

7pts

market

Mod Conf
Bench

Gainwell

RB · TB vs GB

Sun 1:00 PM

Proj pts

6.4pts

opportunity

Mod Conf

Kenny Gainwell or Raheim Sanders: who should I start in Week 4?

Toss-up: lean Raheim Sanders over Kenny Gainwell by 0.6. Raheim Sanders leads at 7.0. Kenny Gainwell is the first one out, 0.5 short.

Availability & news

  • Raheim Sanders

    Sanders caught his sole target for seven yards, had two rushes for four yards and returned two kickoffs for 50 yards in Sunday's 23-19 win over the Buccaneers.(rotowire, Sep 22, 2026)

  • Kenny Gainwell

    Gainwell turned three carries into minus-4 yards and added two catches (on five targets) for 14 yards in Sunday's 23-16 loss to the Vikings. He also returned six kickoffs for 160 yards and added a tackle.(rotowire, Sep 28, 2026)

Highlights

Raheim SandersStart
RB · CLE vs PIT

Pros

  • Goal-line back1.0 GL carries/g
  • Reliable86% consistency

Cons

  • Committee back4% of touches
  • Low team total18.0 team total
Kenny GainwellBench
RB · TB vs GB

Pros

  • Pass-game role5.0 targets/g
  • Spike upside20.8 ceiling

Cons

  • Committee back24% of touches
  • Low team total18.0 team total

Some recent form, opportunity and matchup figures still lean on the 2025 season (not enough games played this season yet).

SandersStart
GainwellBench
Projection7.06.4
Floor4.65.9
Ceiling7.020.8
Touch share4%24%
Opportunity score5.811.4
Matchup grade(recency weighted)DC+
Implied team total18.018.0

Week 4 · Updated Tue 29 Sep, 6:00 AM ET

The widest gap between them, in proportion, is touch share: Sanders 4%, Gainwell 24%.

Sanders: “Sanders caught his sole target for seven yards, had two rushes for four yards and returned two kickoffs for 50 yards in Sunday's 23-19 win over the Buccaneers.” — RotoWire, Sep 22, 2026.

Gainwell: “Gainwell turned three carries into minus-4 yards and added two catches (on five targets) for 14 yards in Sunday's 23-16 loss to the Vikings. He also returned six kickoffs for 160 yards and added a tackle.” — RotoWire, Sep 28, 2026.

Latest game on the card: Sanders 9.1, Gainwell 3 (PPR points).

Why Raheim Sanders

Start Raheim Sanders — projects 7.0, a tough matchup vs PIT.

Raheim Sanders projects 7.0 points on a 4.6–7.0 range. The matchup grades as tough against PIT. Usage: carries / game at 6.8. Net: start Raheim Sanders this week.

Working for Sanders: Goal-line back (1.0 GL carries/g), Reliable (86% consistency).

Working against Sanders: Committee back (4% of touches), Low team total (18.0 team total).

Where Sanders leads the head-to-head: Projection (7.0 vs 6.4); Last 3 avg (5.6 vs 3.4); vs season (-0.3 vs -4.6); Consistency (86% vs 34%); Bust rate (0% vs 29%); Carries / game (6.8 vs 6.7).

Why Kenny Gainwell

Sit Kenny Gainwell — projects 6.4, an even matchup vs GB, but the role is cooling.

Kenny Gainwell projects 6.4 points on a 5.9–20.8 range. The matchup grades as neutral against GB. Usage: carries / game at 6.7. Net: bench Kenny Gainwell this week.

Working for Gainwell: Pass-game role (5.0 targets/g), Spike upside (20.8 ceiling).

Working against Gainwell: Committee back (24% of touches), Low team total (18.0 team total).

Where Gainwell leads the head-to-head: Floor (5.9 vs 4.6); Ceiling (20.8 vs 7.0); Touch share (24% vs 4%); Opportunity score (11.4 vs 5.8); Matchup grade (recency weighted) (C+ vs D); Last 5 avg (7.7 vs 5.0); Boom rate (24% vs 0%); Touches / game (11.0 vs 7.5); Target share (16% vs 4%); Yards per carry (4.7 vs 3.4); Snap share (50% vs 26%); Goal line carries (9 vs 4); Red zone carries (23 vs 7).

Recent form

Raheim Sanders's last 5 games: PPR points 4.1, 4.3, 5.6, 2.1, 9.1 (oldest to newest).

Kenny Gainwell's last 5 games: PPR points 6.8, 21.4, 2.8, 4.5, 3 (oldest to newest).

Sanders has already beaten Gainwell's 6.4 projection in 1 of his 5; Gainwell has beaten Sanders's 7 in 1 of his 5.

At least 1 of these 5 games was played before the 2026 season.

Matchup

Raheim Sanders (CLE) faces PIT, kickoff Thu, Oct 1, 8:15 PM ET. The matchup is rated tough. Betting line: implied team total 18.0, spread +2.5.

Kenny Gainwell (TB) faces GB, kickoff Sun, Oct 4, 1:00 PM ET. The matchup is rated neutral. Betting line: implied team total 18.0, spread +3.5.

What flips it

Sanders's edge is 0.6 points (7 to 6.4). Gainwell's ceiling (20.8) clears Sanders's projection, so a big game from Gainwell flips it. Sanders's floor (4.6) sits under Gainwell's projection, so a quiet game from Sanders flips it too. Confidence in the call: moderate.

How to read these numbers →

More start/sit comparisons from this week's PPR projections. Open a pair for the call and the reasoning.

This week's toughest calls