Start Kyle Monangai or Kenny Gainwell? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Kenny Gainwell over Kyle Monangai in Week 1.

Kyle Monangai is priced by the books at 2.2 projected points and Kenny Gainwell is not priced at all, so we are leaning on where drafters take them. Drafters take Kenny Gainwell at ADP 100 and Kyle Monangai at 106.

What the books imply

No sportsbook posted a player market for Kenny Gainwell in Week 1.

Player prop markets imply 2.2 fantasy points for Kyle Monangai, with 33 percent of the markets a RB needs posted.

Week 1 matchups

Kenny Gainwell and TB visit CIN.

CIN allowed 23.1 fantasy points to RBs in its one game this season, the 16th most in the league.

Running backs ran for 60 yards and a touchdown against CIN and caught passes for 51 more yards.

Kyle Monangai and CHI visit CAR on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CAR allowed 52.8 fantasy points to RBs in its one game this season, the most in the league.

Running backs ran for 224 yards and 4 touchdowns against CAR and caught passes for 34 more yards.

By points allowed to the position, Kyle Monangai has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Kenny Gainwell was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Kyle Monangai was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Kenny Gainwell played 17 games for PIT and scored 222.3 PPR points, 13.1 a game, finishing RB16.

He ran 114 times for 537 yards and 5 touchdowns, and caught 73 of 85 targets for 486 yards.

He was on the field for 49 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Kenny Gainwell, Week 18 of 2025 against BAL: 5 carries for 10 yards, 9 targets and 8 catches for 64 yards, 1 touchdown, 21.4 PPR points.

Kenny Gainwell, Week 17 of 2025 against CLE: 45 of 66 snaps, 7 carries for 26 yards, 4 targets and 3 catches for 12 yards, 6.8 PPR points.

Kenny Gainwell, Week 16 of 2025 against DET: 40 of 74 snaps, 9 carries for 50 yards, 7 targets and 5 catches for 78 yards, 1 touchdown, 23.8 PPR points.

In 2025, Kyle Monangai played 17 games for CHI and scored 146.7 PPR points, 8.6 a game, finishing RB30.

He ran 169 times for 783 yards and 5 touchdowns, and caught 18 of 30 targets for 164 yards.

He was on the field for 41 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Kyle Monangai, Week 18 of 2025 against DET: 6 carries for 14 yards, 1 target and 1 catch for 15 yards, 5.9 PPR points.

Kyle Monangai, Week 17 of 2025 against SF: 27 of 66 snaps, 8 carries for 38 yards, 4 targets and 3 catches for 9 yards, 7.7 PPR points.

Kyle Monangai, Week 16 of 2025 against GB: 29 of 64 snaps, 9 carries for 50 yards, 4 targets and 3 catches for 43 yards, 12.3 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Kenny Gainwell scored 2.8 PPR points and Kyle Monangai scored 20.4.

The call was wrong: Kyle Monangai outscored Kenny Gainwell by 17.6.

Kenny Gainwell, Week 1 against CIN: 26 of 57 snaps, 5 carries for 15 yards, 1 target and 1 catch for 3 yards, 2.8 PPR points.

Kenny Gainwell finished as the week's RB61 in PPR scoring.

Kyle Monangai finished 18.2 points above the 2.2 the props implied.

Kyle Monangai, Week 1 against CAR: 32 of 75 snaps, 10 carries for 100 yards, 2 targets and 2 catches for 24 yards, 1 touchdown, 20.4 PPR points.

Kyle Monangai finished as the week's RB11 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start Aaron Jones Sr. over Kenny Gainwell.
• Start Aaron Jones Sr. over Kenny Gainwell.
• Start Chuba Hubbard over Kenny Gainwell.
• Start Aaron Jones Sr. over Kyle Monangai.
• Start Aaron Jones Sr. over Kyle Monangai.
• Start Kyle Monangai over Blake Corum.