Fantasy: Which RB handcuffs should you target?
Get ready for your season with theScore's 2018 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.
At the rate injuries strike the running back position, knowing who's next in line for carries is critical for fantasy owners.
Not all backups are created equal, however, and while players like Tevin Coleman and Latavius Murray carry clear league-winning potential, there are many handcuffs who aren't getting the respect they deserve in fantasy drafts.
Here's a look at some of the handcuffs you should be targeting, with emphasis on the upside they would bring to your lineup if their team's starter is sidelined:
Falcons| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Devonta Freeman | Tevin Coleman |
Coleman is the rare handcuff that offers Week 1 value as a potential low-end RB2 or flex play. That's where he's finished in fantasy the last two seasons, and on the rare occasions when Freeman missed time, Coleman delivered RB1 production.
Vikings| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Dalvin Cook | Latavius Murray |
After Cook tore his ACL in Week 4, Murray emerged as a top-15 back while splitting touches with Jerick McKinnon. With McKinnon gone, Murray would be the lone beneficiary if Cook goes down again.
Packers| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Jamaal Williams | Aaron Jones |
Jones flashed his elite upside during the four 2017 contests when he saw double-digit touches, posting the sixth-most fantasy points among running backs during that stretch. Unlike many of the other names on this list, he has a chance to steal the starting job once he returns from his two-game suspension.
Bengals| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Joe Mixon | Giovani Bernard |
Bernard has always answered the bell when the Bengals' starter is on the shelf. Mixon is a prime breakout candidate, but if an injury strikes - like it did last season - Bernard would vault into a borderline RB1 ranking.
Chiefs| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Kareem Hunt | Spencer Ware |
Hunt led the league in rushing after Ware missed the season due to injury. If the tables were turned, Ware has nearly the same level of upside in what projects to be an explosive Chiefs offense.
49ers| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Jerick McKinnon | Matt Breida |
Both McKinnon and Breida missed the majority of the preseason due to calf and shoulder ailments, respectively. The good news is they're expected to be ready for Week 1. Alfred Morris, who was added due to the injuries, will likely be No. 3 on the depth chart, and could be a factor here.
Panthers| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Christian McCaffrey | C.J. Anderson |
If we learned anything in the preseason, it's that the Panthers are actually going to give McCaffrey a monster workload. That hurts Anderson's immediate value but helps his long-term outlook, since the chances of McCaffrey getting injured or wearing down are far greater now.
Steelers| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Le'Veon Bell | James Conner |
Bell is expected to end his holdout leading into Week 1, which is how the same situation unfolded last season. In his absence, Conner looked like a back capable of carrying the team's rushing attack. Jaylen Samuels is also intriguing due to his TE eligibility in many fantasy leagues, but Conner is the handcuff to own in Pittsburgh.
Chargers| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Melvin Gordon | Austin Ekeler |
Ekeler flashed explosive skills in 2017 despite frustrating his coaches with ball-security issues. In the preseason, he was as dynamic as ever, locking down his spot as the Chargers' change-of-pace weapon, as well as Gordon's handcuff.
Rams| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Todd Gurley | John Kelly |
If you take a single thing away from this article, it should be that Kelly is one of the highest-upside handcuffs in 2018. His path to fantasy stardom would require a Gurley injury, but if that occurs, he would be launched into RB1 range playing on a team built to dominate games. If you want to get excited about his potential, go back and watch Kelly beast in the preseason.
Eagles| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Jay Ajayi | Corey Clement |
Ajayi has an opportunity to dominate the Eagles' backfield touches, but he's already been banged up in the preseason. If he's forced to miss time this year, Clement has an all-around skill set and a nose for the end zone.
Browns| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Carlos Hyde | Nick Chubb |
The training camp battle between Hyde and Chubb never materialized, as the veteran quickly distanced himself from the rookie. Hyde will enter the year as the unquestioned lead back, but his injury history could turn Chubb into a late-season league winner.
Cardinals| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| David Johnson | Chase Edmonds |
When Johnson was lost for the year in 2017, Arizona struggled to find a consistent starter to replace him. Now, the team appears to have found an answer with Edmonds, who could be a star in the making.
Cowboys| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Ezekiel Elliott | Rod Smith |
Smith is facing little competition for backup duties in Dallas, though the injuries to the Cowboys' offensive line are worrisome for the running game regardless of who's starting in the backfield.
Raiders| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Marshawn Lynch | Doug Martin |
It's hard to trust Martin as a fantasy option, but the reports out of Oakland suggest the coaching staff has been impressed by him. Lynch is 32 years old, which increases the odds of him wearing down deep into the season.
Giants| Starter | Handcuff |
|---|---|
| Saquon Barkley | Wayne Gallman |
Jonathan Stewart doesn't appear to have much left in the tank. He's been passed by Wayne Gallman as the handcuff to own behind Saquon Barkley. It's worth noting Barkley dealt with a hamstring injury during the preseason.
Handcuff Notes- Saints - Mark Ingram will miss the first four games due to a suspension, but when active last season, he was more of a co-starter with Alvin Kamara. That trend should continue, with Kamara likely seeing a slight edge in volume like he did over the final three games last year. Jonathan Williams is expected to fill the Ingram role over the first month.
- Patriots - It's unclear how the Patriots plan on deploying their stable of backs, so it's difficult to label anyone in New England as a handcuff. Rex Burkhead and Sony Michel will form a Kamara-Ingram-style duo, with both players taking the lead depending on the week.
- Titans - Dion Lewis and Derrick Henry will be another tandem backfield, with both backs flirting with RB2 value, making them ineligible for this list.
- Lions - The Lions are shaping up to be a three-back committee with LeGarrette Blount, Kerryon Johnson, and Theo Riddick all involved. Johnson remains the back to own in Detroit and should see his touch total rise as the season moves on. Tough to view anyone here as a handcuff.
- Redskins - Neither Chris Thompson or Adrian Peterson profile as a handcuff in Washington. Both players will be used in different ways. If the 33-year-old Peterson gets hurt, Rob Kelley would be next in line for early-down work.
- Seahawks - Once he gets healthy and up to speed in the offense, Rashaad Penny should work his way into a timeshare with Chris Carson. It's tough to be a handcuff when you're a first-round pick.
- Bears - Tarik Cohen is a difficult case to analyze, since he isn't built like a sustaining back, and therefore probably wouldn't see a significant uptick in carries if Jordan Howard were sidelined. Cohen is a back you should be excited to own, just not because of his handcuff status.
- Jets - Bilal Powell and Isaiah Crowell will rotate weeks as the Jets' top ball-carrier, eliminating them from the true handcuff discussion.
- Broncos - Devontae Booker is technically the starter in Denver, though it's only a matter of time before the Broncos' coaching staff gives that role to rookie Royce Freeman. Once that happens, Booker will be the handcuff, but he's yet to show he can capitalize when given opportunities as a pro.
- Texans - D'Onta Foreman would be the back to own behind Lamar Miller, but the sophomore is heading to the PUP list, so we won't see him for the first six weeks. Unless you have an IR spot to stash Foreman, that's a long time to wait with no guarantees he'll regain his pre-Achilles injury form.
- Bills - We haven't heard much about LeSean McCoy's off-field situation recently, but even if McCoy ends up suspended or injured, the Bills' offense line will render Chris Ivory useless for fantasy.
- Dolphins - At 35 years old, Frank Gore can't be a relevant fantasy backup, right? No one wants to bet against the veteran, but based on ADP, it doesn't seem like anyone wants to draft him either.
- Buccaneers - Anyone who thinks Ronald Jones II is a quality handcuff should know Jacquizz Rodgers may actually be the Bucs' back to own behind Peyton Barber. Jones has been that disappointing so far.
Copyright (C) 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.