The handcuff running back to embrace, avoid

Some people like handcuffs. Other don’t. Some only prefer them in the bedroom, but that is for a different forum. 

Handcuffing running backs in fantasy football is a popular strategy. The idea is: If you like the running game for a particular team, regardless of who the RB might be, you should grab the starter earlier in the draft then snap up his backup later. 

That way, if the starter gets hurt at some point, or loses his job for poor performance, you have the substitute already waiting on your bench. No sweating out the waiver wire, no spending big FAAB coin, all you do is perform a lineup change. 

The Madman prefers to draft five RBs who we feel could be worthy to start any given week, so an injury or two doesn’t cripple our team, rather than handcuff RBs. But there are times when cuffing makes sense. But there is criteria that must be met: 

1. The primary RB must be good enough to justify using as a starter in any given week. 

2. The backup must be easily identifiable. No need wasting a pick on a cuff who isn’t guaranteed to get a healthy workload if the starter goes down. 

3. They must be on a team that is expected to have at least a somewhat productive ground game. One RB on a bad run offense is too many, so definitely don’t draft two. 

Let’s go team-by-team and see how each scenario stacks up: 

Buffalo Bills 

Starter: James Cook: 

Cuff: Unclear. 

Cuff status: Too murky. We’re not confident one guy — between rookie Ray Davis, Ty Johnson or Darrynton Evans — will absorb the bulk of the work, nor are we confident any could produce in the same ballpark as Cook. 

Miami Dolphins

Starter: Raheem Mostert-De’Von Achane 

Cuff: Mostert-Achane, Jaylen Wright 

Cuff status: Doable. This is a weird one, since Mostert and Achane are expected to be in a timeshare, which normally should undermine both. However, the Dolphins’ run game was so productive last season that those worries are nullified. Plus, you would think the defending leader in rushing TDs would be an expensive draft pick, but Mostert isn’t. Instead, Achane is a tad overpriced. So if you are willing to pay the premium for Achane, the discount for Mostert makes up for that expense. 

New England Patriots

Starter: Rhamondre Stevenson 

Cuff: Antonio Gibson 

Cuff status: Sure, it’s fine. Gibson was never impressive in Washington, and there is nothing about the Pats offense that makes us think anything will be different, other than potential volume if Stevenson goes down. 

New York Jets 

Starter: Breece Hall 

Cuff: Unclear 

Cuff status: Between a couple of rookies and some others who have yet to make a ripple in the NFL, so wait for some clarity, then grab a cuff on waivers a couple of weeks into the season. 

Baltimore Ravens

Starter: Derrick Henry 

Cuff: Justice Hill 

Cuff status: Not worth it. We don’t think anyone behind Henry will get the same type of use — particularly at the goal line. Though keep an eye out later in the season for Keaton Mitchell, who will miss at least the first four games. When he returns, he has the potential for Achane-type upside with his explosiveness, even if he isn’t likely to have a traditional feature-type cuff role if Henry goes down. 

Cincinnati Bengals

Starter: Zack Moss 

Cuff: Chase Brown 

Cuff status: Definite. Both are inexpensive. Plus, Moss has a history of injury and has already missed time in camp. In fact, if you miss Moss in the draft, you can still snag Brown. He could have value independent of a Moss injury. 

Cleveland Browns

Starter: Jerome Ford* 

Cuff: Pierre Strong Jr.* 

Cuff status: Too much to deal with. The big asterisk* here is Nick Chubb. Once he returns, Ford is the only useful RB behind him, but we fear a timeshare for a spell at least. In the meantime, Ford will be the go-to guy, and if he goes down before Chubb comes back, expect Strong to step in. But there is a limited shelf-life on that cuff, thus not worthy of a roster spot. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

Starter: Najee Harris-Jaylen Warren 

Cuff: Harris-Warren 

Cuff status: Committee chaos. The costs isn’t too high to nab both, but the problem is neither will be a true lead unless the other goes down. And even then, with Arthur Smith as the offensive coordinator, who knows? 

Houston Texans 

Starter: Joe Mixon 

Cuff: Dameon Pierce 

Cuff status: Pass. So many weapons on this offense, we even have some worry about Mixon. Pierce was a big disappointment last season, so no reason to believe a rebound is coming — and based on their offseason, the Texans don’t expect one either. 

Indianapolis Colts

Starter: Jonathan Taylor 

Cuff: Trey Sermon 

Cuff status: Too murky. Sermon has been a dud throughout his career so far, so we’re concerned he won’t be a simple plug-and-play. Wait a few games to see how the workload behind Taylor shakes out first, then snag off waivers if a clear-cut leader emerges. 

Jacksonville Jaguars

Starter: Travis Etienne Jr. 

Cuff: Tank Bigsby 

Cuff status: Definite. Probably our favorite handcuff situation. Easy plug-and-play. 

Tennessee Titans

Starter: Tony Pollard 

Cuff: Tyjae Spears 

Cuff status: Committee chaos. We don’t like the Titans’ offense a whole lot in general, and we expect Pollard and Spears both will get enough work to undermine the production of the other, but not enough to elevate either to a reliable weekly producer. 

Denver Broncos

Starter: Javonte Williams 

Cuff: Jaleel McLaughlin 

Cuff status: Too murky. McLaughlin likely will be mostly a passing-down option rather than absorb a full workload if Williams goes down. 

Kansas City Chiefs

Starter: Isiah Pacheco 

Cuff: Clyde Edwards-Helaire 

Cuff status: Definite. CEH is virtually free. And he presumably would get the bulk of the work on one of the league’s best offense if something happens to Pacheco. 

Las Vegas Raiders

Starter: Zamir White 

Cuff: Alexander Mattison 

Cuff status: Not worth it. Josh Jacobs couldn’t produce in this offense last season, and he is better than either one of these options. We just don’t like this running game enough to invest at cost, and certainly not enough to warrant two spots on our roster. 

Los Angeles Chargers

Starter: Gus Edwards 

Cuff: J.K. Dobbins 

Cuff status: Pick one, not both. Both are extremely cheap, and Edwards is almost certain to get goal line carries. But if Dobbins can stay healthy — an annual question — then he could get the lion’s share of the work between the 20s, and he has better upside. 

Dallas Cowboys

Starter: Ezekiel Elliott 

Cuff: Rico Dowdle 

Cuff status: Definite. Zeke’s efficiency has been abysmal recently, so Dowdle could outright steal the job at some point. 

New York Giants

Starter: Devin Singletary 

Cuff: Unclear 

Cuff status: Not worth it. We’re snapping up Singletary late based on what we expect to be a bellcow role, at least to start the season. But should he go down, it is unclear, at least at this point, if Eric Gray or rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. would step right in, or if there would be a committee. 

Philadelphia Eagles

Starter: Saquon Barkley 

Cuff: Kenneth Gainwell 

Cuff status: Not worth it. We’re not convinced Gainwell would be the feature RB, since Philly has often used committees in the past. 

Washington Commanders

Starter: Brian Robinson Jr. 

Cuff: Austin Ekeler 

Cuff status: Sure, it’s fine. Based just on the possibility Ekeler returns to pre-injury form, but we’re not convinced he will. 

Chicago Bears

Starter: D’Andre Swift 

Cuff: Khalil Herbert 

Cuff status: Pass. This could be a timeshare from the jump, and possibly also including Roshon Johnson. We’re absolutely not drafting Swift at cost (rounds 5-7). 

Detroit Lions

Starter: Jahmyr Gibbs 

Cuff: David Montgomery 

Cuff status: Too expensive. Gibbs is going in the second and D-Mont in the sixth (and rising). That is too much to spend on one backfield. At that cost, you would need to start both every week, and we will never endorse starting two RBs from the same team — even if that strategy would have worked with the Lions and Dolphins at times last year. 

Green Bay Packers

Starter: Josh Jacobs 

Cuff: AJ Dillon 

Cuff status: Too murky. Dillon has been given chance after chance and has yet to break out. We expect rookie MarShawn Lloyd will get a good look should Jacobs go down. 

Minnesota Vikings 

Starter: Aaron Jones 

Cuff: Ty Chandler 

Cuff status: Not worth it. We’re worried about this offense in general with the departure of Kirk Cousins (and now reliant on QB Sam Darnold, which is somehow more worrisome than if rookie J.J. McCarthy had stayed healthy). Jones hasn’t had a great season on the ground since 2020. 

Atlanta Falcons 

Starter: Bijan Robinson 

Cuff: Tyler Allgeier 

Cuff status: Definite. Allgeier is cheap, and he showed last season he is at least serviceable, even if he did not deserve equal billing with Robinson. 

Betting on the NFL?

Carolina Panthers 

Starter: Chuba Hubbard 

Cuff: Jonathon Brooks 

Cuff status: Nope. Hubbard was a decent bench piece last year because he got volume. That is all he will be this season, at least until Brooks makes his debut after recovering from a November ACL tear. This is an offense we don’t like, with RBs we don’t like. Maybe next year, when Brooks is healthy and has a full workload, and maybe … maybe … the Panthers aren’t as big of a trainwreck? Maybe? 

New Orleans Saints 

Starter: Alvin Kamara 

Cuff: Unclear 

Cuff status: Avoid. Jamaal Williams is listed as the backup, but we expect Kendre Miller is going to get some work regardless of Kamara’s status. So if Kamara goes down, it could be a bona fide committee, on a bad offense. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Starter: Rachaad White 

Cuff: Unclear 

Cuff status: Wait. White had one of the dullest yet productive fantasy seasons in recent memory. There was simply nothing exciting about his game, or the Bucs’ ground game in general. But if you’re rolling the dice on another exceptionally unexciting White season, hang tight a few weeks to see who is getting the work behind him, then grab that RB off waivers, and hope the Bucs stick to their feature-back plan if White goes down. 

Arizona Cardinals 

Starter: James Conner 

Cuff: Trey Benson 

Cuff status: Definite. Conner has been injured often. This offense could be surprisingly productive, and Benson appears to be the clear understudy. 

San Francisco 49ers

Starter: Christian McCaffrey 

Cuff: Elijah Mitchell 

Cuff status: Avoid. CMC is just a different kind of talent, so no one is going to step into his role and produce remotely close to him. Making it worse: Mitchell can’t stay healthy, so he can’t be relied upon to be ready to go when called, or stay in the lineup for an extended time if called upon. 

Seattle Seahawks 

Starter: Kenneth Walker 

Cuff: Zach Charbonnet 

Cuff status: Definite. In fact, we expect if Walker goes down, Charby will produce better than Walker if he stays healthy. Because, if Walker is sidelined, there is no one behind Charby who we expect to cut into his workload to the degree we expect Charby to cut into Walker’s when Walker is healthy. 

Los Angeles Rams 

Starter: Kyren Williams 

Cuff: Blake Corum 

Cuff status: Definite: Coach Sean McVay seems to like using RBs in feature roles, and it appears the rookie Corum is next in line if Kyren goes down.