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Philadelphia Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell operated as the clear lead back for the team in the Week 1 win over the New England Patriots. Gainwell handled 18 touches, while D'Andre Swift and Boston Scott combined for four touches and Rashaad Penny was a healthy inactive.
Needless to say, Gainwell's fantasy value took an uptick after Week 1. However, the Memphis product is dealing with an injury heading into the Thursday Night Football contest against the Minnesota Vikings.
Is Gainwell playing on Thursday night? Should you start Swift against the Vikings? Let's dive in.
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Is Kenneth Gainwell Playing In Week 2 Against the Vikings?
The Philadelphia Eagles ruled out running back Kenneth Gainwell (ribs) for the Week 2 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night.
Gainwell picked up a rib injury in the Week 1 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday while operating surprisingly as the team's lead back. He was unable to practice all week. Gainwell is still worth a pickup in leagues where he's still available, but he'll have to wait until Week 3 to make an impact.
Should I Start D'Andre Swift on Thursday Night?
Swift should be next in line to handle a healthy workload for the high-powered Eagles offense, but unfortunately, that's not a guarantee. The explosive ball carrier and pass-catcher was a sleeper heading into the 2023 campaign, but his Week 1 usage raises plenty of red flags.
That said, he might be worth rolling the dice on in Week 2. Minnesota had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last year and the Eagles' offensive line will likely manhandle its front seven at the line of scrimmage.
Swift has been efficient throughout his NFL career, so if he at least sees double-digit touches, he should pay off for fantasy managers in an RB3/FLEX spot. It wouldn't be surprising if Scott or Penny see more touches than him though. This sets up to be one of the first boom-or-bust running back decisions of the year. Swift is most desirable in PPR setups.
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