X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

To Handcuff, or Not To Handcuff in 2017?

In fantasy football, everyone needs a backup plan. It’s typically tough to predict how and when an injury will cause a player to miss time, making it essential to have some form of insurance policy to keep your lineup afloat. For the running back position, that can entail drafting your starter’s backup and ensuring that there is at least a form of safety net to reduce the falloff in production. However, not all backups are valued alike.

In this article, I’ll be explaining a useful draft philosophy to have when assessing how important it is to draft a backup and applying it to several cases.

Keep in mind that this list doesn’t discuss drafting breakout candidates at the running back position, a subject that should deserve its own article to talk about. Rather, I’ll be zeroing in on what you should consider when deciding whether to take a handcuff as an insurance policy, not a stash for betting on future production.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

How to Decide Which Handcuffs to Draft

The first piece of advice that must precede everything I am about to say is this: don’t go into your fantasy draft with the idea that a handcuff guarantees an adequate replacement for the starting player you would lose. Very rarely do we see a backup step into the first-string spot and perform at a similar level or greater than the starter except in exceptional cases (i.e.: Jordan Howard usurping Jeremy Langford in 2016). Drafting a handcuff for every single starting back on your roster will inevitably set you behind compared to everyone else who opted to select better replacement-level players. You are not in a fantasy league to get second or third, so it doesn’t make much sense to limit your upside with several insurance policies taking up bench space.

History has made clear that not all handcuffs are created equal, so how do you assess the value of a backup and whether you should be drafting them?

To be a handcuff worth drafting, said running back must have standalone value. Standalone value is quite straightforward; ask yourself if you would be able to put the backup in your starting lineup Week 1 and get a decent level of production even if the starter was still playing. That point alone should already demolish most of the No. 2 running backs on the acceptable handcuff list, as it’s uncommon that you get two starting-calibre running backs in fantasy football from the same backfield. The reasoning behind this way of thinking is that even though I may need to pay a steeper cost on draft day, my range of outcomes for the backup involves a solid flex play at worst and an above average replacement due to injury. In PPR, there are many spell-backs that can occupy such a role.

Perhaps the most important takeaway from this philosophy is that the decision to draft a valuable handcuff is one that comes with a significant cost. It’s never worthwhile to take a handcuff that would likely not perform generate fantasy points over a starter on another team, while it also makes little sense to overinvest in getting handcuffs for all your starters.

 

Good Examples of Valuable Handcuffs

Tevin Coleman (ATL, RB)

The combination of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman combined to produce 2,502 yards from scrimmage last season, rushing for 1,599 yards and 19 touchdowns along with catching 85 passes for 833 yards and five touchdowns. The shifty Coleman was a nightmare mismatch for linebackers and incredibly productive as a receiver. In fact, he led all running backs with an average of 2.44 yards per route run.

Coleman is ultimately a perfect example of a valuable handcuff under the above definition, especially in PPR. He is guaranteed to get work alongside Freeman and offers a relatively high floor due to his reception upside and ability to generate yardage. He carries an eighth round price, but Freeman has been dealing with a nagging concussion since before the team’s second preseason game. Even if he isn’t your handcuff, he’s worth that price.

Derrick Henry (TEN, RB)

DeMarco Murray is entrenched as the lead runner, but that doesn’t mean former-Alabama stud Derrick Henry is a useless fantasy asset. He managed 110 carries for 490 yards and five touchdowns in 2016, equating to a healthy 4.5 yards per carry with 1.8 after initial contact. He also showed some impressive receiving skills after catching all but one of his 14 targets for 137 yards.

The 6-2, 242 lb back is in-line for a larger share of the carry distribution heading into next season, meaning he will carry his own value as a running back who should get at least five carries per game. He is in the RB1 mix if Murray goes down, though he warned that he carries a seventh to eighth round price tag.

Theo Riddick (DET, RB)

Although Theo Riddick had surgery on both of his wrists this last offseason, he looks to be returning back to full health after making his preseason debut last Friday. Riddick’s value primarily comes in PPR scoring formats, as he averaged 7 yards per reception in 2016.

However, the best part about Riddick as that he carries a fairly cheap price for a safe reception floor. Falling as low as the thirteenth round, it’s very conceivable that you could nab him as an asset to play by the matchups and get a consistent amount of fantasy points. Even still, he is a great handcuff to whoever is listed as the Detroit Lions’ starter come Week 1.

 

Bad Examples of Valuable Handcuffs

Branden Oliver (LAC, RB)

Melvin Gordon’s knee has been a significant issue for him since entering the league in 2015, causing him to miss three games last season. There is a better chance than not that he will miss at least some portion of time in 2017, but you would be remiss to take Branden Oliver as a handcuff for him.

This year’s Chargers offense looks lethal, but it’s fair to say that Branden Oliver offers very little in terms of upside as a runner even if he starts two or three games. He is himself coming off of an ACL injury and is simply not a great insurance policy for a Gordon injury. Take a shot on a more valuable handcuff or breakout runner instead.

Damien Williams/Kenyan Drake (MIA, RBs)

Jay Ajayi is the bell-cow in Miami. Simply put, an injury to him would likely mean a committee approach for Damien Williams and Kenyan Drake, both of which have little value as fantasy assets on their own. Timeshare backfields should undoubtedly be avoided when it comes to taking an acceptable handcuff, making the Dolphin’s running-back-by-committee backup approach a must-avoid.

Chris Johnson (ARI, RB) and the Other Arizona Backups

Having a safety net for your stud in David Johnson makes logical sense. After all, you likely had to spend a high draft pick on him and may be lacking in your RB2 spot after making your next pick at the back of the second round.

However, Chris Johnson and the other Arizona backups are never going to be your answer in that scenario. The range of outcomes in the case of a David Johnson injury becomes a running-back-by-committee approach at worst (the more likely scenario) or a 31-year old starter with a low ceiling being in your starting lineup. Neither is helpful in any sense.

 

Conclusions: Making an Effective Draft Strategy

At the end of the day, it becomes clear that drafting a valuable handcuff requires a steep cost on draft day. The conclusion to draw from my previous analysis is that it most often isn’t worthwhile to draft a handcuff to your starter. If you are willing to pay the price for a Tevin Coleman or Derrick Henry, both of which offer standalone value, you might have to make sacrifices at other spots in your lineup. That being said, if a valuable handcuff does slip in the draft, it’s an easy decision to go out and get him over other less capable starting running backs.

 

More 2017 Fantasy Football & ADP Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Griffin Conine

To Have Shoulder Surgery On Tuesday
Luke Keaschall

Twins Prospect Luke Keaschall Suffers Broken Forearm
Logan Gilbert

Leaves Friday's Start With Forearm Tightness

Vikings Select Tai Felton To Finish Day 2

Seahawks Select Quarterback Jalen Milroe With The 92nd Pick Overall

Browns Select Dillon Gabriel 94th Overall

Packers Pick Savion Williams At No. 87 overall

Steelers Snag Kaleb Johnson In Round 3

Broncos Select Wide Receiver Pat Bryant With The 74th Overall Pick

Texans Select Jaylin Noel With 79th Pick

Lions Select Wide Receiver Isaac TeSlaa With The 70th Overall Pick
Jack Leiter

To Start On Sunday

Patriots Add Wide Receiver Kyle Williams In Round 3

Browns Draft Harold Fannin Jr. With 67th Pick
Garrett Mitchell

Makes Early Exit
Luke Keaschall

Removed Early On Friday
Blake Snell

Likely Avoids Major Injury
Cole Ragans

Dealing With Mild Groin Strain

Broncos Add RJ Harvey To Backfield With 60th Pick

Raiders Select Jack Bech With 58th Pick

Chargers Add Wide Receiver Tre Harris In Round 2
Detroit Lions

Lions Acquire 57th Pick From Broncos

Seahawks Draft Elijah Arroyo 50th Overall
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Acquire 51st Pick From Broncos
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Snag Will Johnson At No. 47

Jets Add A Pass-Catcher With Mason Taylor At No. 42

Rams Select Terrance Ferguson With 46th Pick
Houston Texans

Texans Acquire 48th Pick From Raiders, Draft Aireontae Ersery

Saints Snag Tyler Shough At No. 40
Brenton Doyle

Out For Personal Reasons On Friday
Brandin Podziemski

Not On Injury Report For Game 3
Jimmy Butler III

Warriors Optimistic About Jimmy Butler III Playing Saturday
Jae'Sean Tate

To Remain Out Saturday
Jock Landale

Unavailable For Game 3
Terry Rozier

Out On Saturday
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Orlando
Kevin Love

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Available For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Magic
Gary Payton II

Iffy For Saturday's Action
Jayson Tatum

Officially Available On Friday For Game 3 Against Magic
Will Smith

Back From Injury On Friday
Luke Kennard

Questionable For Game 4 On Saturday
Darius Garland

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Ja Morant

To Miss Game 4 On Saturday
Rui Hachimura

Available For Game 3 In Minnesota
Aaron Ekblad

Available To Return Saturday
Erik Swanson

Ryan Burr Progressing
Daulton Varsho

To Return On Tuesday At The Latest
Max Scherzer

Takes Positive Step On Friday
Aleksander Barkov

Questionable For Saturday
Gabriel Landeskog

Set For Larger Role In Game 4
Calvin Pickard

To Start Game 3 For Oilers
Randy Arozarena

Resting For First Time This Year
Jonas Siegenthaler

To Play Limited Minutes In Game 3
MLB

Red Sox-Guardians Game Postponed On Friday
Luke Hughes

Remains Out On Friday
MLB

Tigers-Orioles Postponed On Friday
Patrik Laine

A Game-Time Decision Friday
Yainer Diaz

Out On Friday Against Royals
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Hopes To Start Rehab Assignment Next Week
Salvador Perez

Sitting Out For First Time This Season
Jaylen Brown

Questionable For Game 3 On Friday
Brendan Donovan

Back In Action On Friday
Jimmy Butler III

Could Miss Game 3 On Saturday
Coby Mayo

Getting On A Roll At Triple-A
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Cade Cunningham

Collects Double-Double In Loss
Jalen Brunson

Drops 30 Points In Game 3
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Victory
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Nicolas Dalby

An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
Randy Brown

A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Set To Open Up UFC Kansas City Main Card
Ikram Aliskerov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Sergei Bobrovsky

Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
Cam Fowler

Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
Robert Thomas

Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
Pavel Buchnevich

Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
Dylan DeMelo

Battling An Illness
Marcus Johansson

Exits Early Thursday
Aleksander Barkov

Hurt In Game 2
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF