Top Running Back Handcuffs
This page houses my ordered list of the top RB handcuffs at this point of the season! This list will differ from the ROS rankings because I’m taking ceiling much more into account here. The idea is that many of these players will do absolutely nothing for the rest of the season…but all are one injury away from being players we’re starting in the fantasy playoffs. At this point of the season it’s time to start shifting the focus of our final bench pieces to these potential league winners. You’re not dropping guys you need to mix in and out of your FLEX spot, but if you’ve got players at the end of your bench that are never going to do anything, consider stashing one of these players instead!
Tier 1:
Zach Charbonnet (SEA)
In the 3 weeks that Walker missed this season, Charbonnet was featured. Since then, Walker has been the clear featured RB. Zach will mix in from time to time, but it’s clear that Walker is the better RB and is the one they prefer using. Zach is a RB 1 in any week that Walker misses.
Jerome Ford (CLE)
Ford is the clear backup to Nick Chubb, but he has the same issue as Cam Akers. If Chubb got hurt then Ford would still split with Foreman. So his ceiling isn’t as high as some of the RB’s in the tiers above. He’d likely be someone we can start, but not someone that would turn into a league winner. He is starting to mix in more with Chubb healthy, but not to the point where you can use him without an injury.
Update: Nick Chubb broke his foot. Ford is a RB 2 ROS.
Tyjae Spears (TEN)
Spears falls outside of tier 1 because he’s on the Titans. He’d have a massive role if Pollard got injured, but the TD ceiling would be capped on the Tennessee offense. He headlines tier 2 though because his projected target share would be really strong, and he’s also a player I think is really talented. He’s had a tough time with injuries this season, but I still believe in his underlying talent. And he’s certainty better than Julius Chestnut.
Kendre Miller (NO)
A lot of people will be surprised by this one but hear me out. Dennis Allen HATES Kendre Miller. I don’t know what Kendre did to Allen, but it must have been horrific. It got so bad that Kendre is currently on the IR even though he’s fully healthy and the current staff wants to play him. There have been reports that once Kendre is eligible to come off the IR (week 13) that they’re going to see what they have in him and give him a lot of touches. Which makes sense! The Saints are not making the playoffs, so every play they run for Kamara is a waste IMO. You know he’s not in the teams plans long term, but Kendre could be! At least see if you want to use him long term instead of feeding Kamara 30 times a game. IDK, maybe I’m wrong here. But I feel like Kendre has the upside to be a RB 2 in the fantasy playoffs. Maybe it’s a longshot, but most of the players on this list are longshots to see any sort of volume this season.
Update: Kendre did in fact return in week 14, scoring a TD and getting 11 opportunities. Carr is also done for the season and the Saints are not making playoffs. There’s a very real chance this longshot hits.
Tyler Allgeier (ATL)
Like with Allen, we haven’t seen the Falcons offense operate without Bijan this season. We do know with a high level of confidence that Allgeier would assume a massive role though. He’d be in line for virtually all of the RB carries and would be a staple in the red zone. The reception ceiling would be much lower than Bijan’s, but he’d still likely project as a low end RB 1 in any week Bijan missed.
Kimani Vidal (LAC)
I never understood the fascination with Vidal this summer. Sure he was a potential starting RB on a good team, but he was the clear third string RB and people were falling over themselves to draft him! Thus far he hasn’t really shown that he’s any good, but I suppose Dobbins and Gus have a hard time staying healthy. So if they both get hurt then maybe Vidal has a path to a strong workload.
Update: Vidal rises to tier 3 after the Dobbins injury.
Update #2: Vidal is now the 1A in the LAC backfield. That only lead to 6 opportunities, but it’s still better to be the 1A than the 1B.
Blake Corum (LAR)
Corum’s role is to keep Kyren fresh. They drafted him because they love Kyren and they wanted someone capable of mixing in to keep him healthy. If Kyren went down, the expectation is that Corum would be featured. There’s risk because we don’t know that for sure though, so he can’t be at the top of tier 1.
Braelon Allen (NYJ)
We got our first look at the Jets without Hall yesterday and it wasn’t ideal. Allen was in a split with Isaiah Davis and did not operate as even close to a featured back. Allen has a lot less upside than we thought he would have without Hall in the lineup.
Trey Benson (ARI)
Trey Benson has been getting more and more work recently. Conner is still the lead back though and that’s not changing unless there’s an injury. I also don’t think Benson will be featured if Conner went down. I’d assume Emari Demercado would mix in on passing downs and as a change of pace RB. Even still, Benson is clearly talented and would be a must start as a RB 2 in any weeks Conner missed. And if he keeps mixing in for work while Conner is healthy then it does give him a small amount more value as a desperation play in the meantime.
Tier 2:
Jaylen Wright (MIA)
Jaylen Wright might have the highest ceiling on this list…but it comes through two injuries. He’ll for sure gain value if either of Achane or Mostert get hurt, but he doesn’t reach that true ceiling unless both get hurt. Because of that his path to being a league winner is a little thinner. I still like him though because of the offense. If he ever got 15-17 touches a week on the Dolphins then he’s going to dominate in fantasy! Again, he needs 2 injuries though. He has 0 receptions on the season too so there’s some risk they don’t view him as a pass catcher. As you’ll see though, every remaining player has clear caveats to their ceiling that simply don’t exist with the top tier handcuffs.
Cam Akers (MIN)
Cam Akers has passed Ty Chandler as Aaron Jones backup. That’s an extremely valuable role, not only because the Vikings have an elite offense (except when they play the Jaguars apparently) and because Aaron Jones has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. Akers jumps into tier 1 because Ty Chandler is now a non factor, and the Vikings are actually giving Akers a weekly role in order to keep Jones healthy. Akers remains one injury away from being a clear fantasy starter.
Ray Davis (BUF)
Ray Davis drops in these rankings with the emergence of Ty Johnson. Ty is doing amazing as a receiving back and we now know that Ray has no path to being featured this season
Tier 3:
Khalil Herbert (CIN)
Herbert is the direct backup to Chase Brown. With Moss done for the season he’s one injury away from being relevant. Herbert has always been a player I’ve liked and it’s been frustrating that NFL teams have refused to use him. He’s not going to do anything in the receiving game, but he’s been really good on the ground, and I do think he can be productive on this offense. Chase Brown is the clear starter right now though, so you’d need him to get hurt for Herbert to be viable. And who knows, if Brown went down this week then there’s still a chance Herbert is just too new to the team to be trusted with a large workload.
Roschon Johnson (CHI)
The Bears traded away Herbert, so Roschon is really the only backup they trust. He’s also been used at the goal line even with Swift healthy. If Swift ever got hurt then it’s likely Roschon would see a very strong role. Can’t guarantee that so I do think he belongs in tier 2, but I do think we’d be starting him at RB 2 if Swift got hurt.
Audric Estime (DEN)
Estime moves way down this week after being given just 6 carries in week 11. There was a chance he earned the #1 role, but it’s clear you won’t be able to trust these RB’s ROS. This is a hot hand RBBC and it’ll be next to impossible to predict who’s going to have the hot hand. Estime is a pure handcuff again.
Justice Hill (BAL)
Justice Hill will never be a high upside handcuff simply because he has no early down ceiling. If Derrick Henry got hurt then Keaton Mitchell would be called on to fill some of that void, but they’d also likely use a 3 RBBC, with Lamar taking more of the rushing duties, and with the team likely leaning more pass heavy. So Hill would absolutely gain value, but not as much as you might think.
Tier 4:
Sean Tucker (TB)
Sean Tucker had 192 yards and 2 TD’s in week 6. Don’t forget that. There are VERY few RB’s in the NFL who have that level of ceiling. Especially on just 17 touches. Unfortunately, he has just 10 carries and 3 receptions in the 4 games after that. White and Irving are clearly ahead of him, and he’d likely need an injury to both for him to hit his ceiling. So the ceiling is there, he’s just got a thin path getting to it.
MarShawn Lloyd (GB)
Lloyd was a prospect a lot of people were excited about, but injuries have derailed his rookie season. He can resume practicing in week 11 though and we’ll see if he can make his way onto the field. He’ll have to pass Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson on the depth chart, but I don’t think that should be too hard. The Packers don’t really use a featured back so there’s a world where he’s seeing meaningful touches by week 13. Pretty slim chance you use him, but there’s a world where he gets healthy at the same time Jacobs goes down. On this offense that would open up a massive weekly ceiling.
Keaton Mitchell (BAL)
Keaton Mitchell averaged 5.9 Y/C and 10.3 Y/R last year as a rookie…but then tore his ACL in week 15. He’s just returning to play now so we’ll see if he can carve out any sort of role for himself to close the season. Realistically, I doubt he’s relied upon for much of a role. And even if Henry got hurt, Justice Hill would still be the 1A and they might even opt for a 3 RBBC. There’s also no telling how efficient he can be coming off the injury. I understand the appeal of stashing him, but the path to a ceiling is thin and his 90th percentile ceiling still isn’t that great.