Kenneth Gainwell Shines with Two Receiving Touchdowns Amidst Increased Role in Steelers' Offense

On November 16, 2025, Kenneth Gainwell delivered a strong performance in the Steelers' 34-12 win over the Bengals, rushing nine times for 24 yards and catching seven of eight targets for 81 yards and two touchdowns. This follows an October 8th report from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler indicating he earned more touches in the Steelers' offense, having previously delivered 99 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries as the lead back in Week 4 when Jaylen Warren was sidelined. While Warren is expected to retain his starting spot, Gainwell is slated for significant involvement. His 2025 advanced stats include a 17.3% broken tackle rate and 85.3% catch rate. Earlier in November, he had two receptions for four yards against the Chargers (Nov 10) and four receptions for 35 yards against the Colts (Nov 3). In October, he recorded 31 rushing yards and four receiving yards against Green Bay (Oct 27), 14 rushing yards, one receiving yard, and 88 kickoff return yards against the Bengals (Oct 16), and 22 rushing yards with 14 receiving yards on six catches against the Browns (Oct 12). Historically, Gainwell, who signed a one-year, $1.79 million contract with the Steelers in March 2025, has been valued for his receiving ability despite inconsistent results, with a career 5.2 YPT. Maurice Jones-Drew of NFL.com also projected in July 2025 that Gainwell is set for a career year and could lead the Steelers' backfield production, especially after Najee Harris's departure to the Chargers.