Who is the best handcuff at the running back position? Why? Are there even any worth taking this season?
Jeff Pasquino: To answer this question, I would have to define "best handcuff". I attempted to do just that in my earlier handcuff articles (link them if you want), but I want someone who is cheap and likely to be a stud starter if the top guy goes down. Chris Polk immediately comes to mind for Philadelphia, as Chip Kelly loves to run the ball. If LeSean McCoy goes down, Polk would get 15-20 touches a game and be poised to be a RB2 at worst. Considering his cheap acquisition price of a very late pick, I love his value and upside.
Heath Cummings: I'll use the same answer I did for my rookie running back and say Carlos Hyde. Hyde can be had in the 12th round and is virtually guaranteed 20 touches a game if Frank Gore goes down. Behind that offensive line in Jim Harbaugh's system, Hyde could be a RB2 or better if he gets the opportunity.
Jason Wood: I HATE the idea of handcuffing. It makes no sense to me because generally the clear cut 'handcuffs' are running backs who get drafted too early for their lack of production (barring an injury). Not to mention many backups simply aren't as skilled as the starters and simply having a role isn't a guarantee. To my mind, the way you win fantasy leagues is by drafting explosive talent for your bench. I would rather have a back who might be elite if he somehow gets on the field than I would someone who is middling but we know will play a part of a committee.
To that end, I think this year is a bumper crop of young backs to target. Atop the list has to be Devonta Freeman. Steven Jackson is washed up and Freeman not only has a complete skill set as a runner, he is also an able receiver and showed a true ability to pass block -- something few collegiate backs do well. I agree with Heath's mention of Carlos Hyde. Certainly the loss of Kendall Hunter and the continuing health issues with Marcus Lattimore enhance Hyde's appeal. I'll throw another endorsement to Ka'Deem Carey. Trestman's offense relies so heavily on Forte and I believe Carey has the talent and skill set to step right into a major role.
Phil Alexander: James Starks is the best handcuff at the running back position for four reasons:
- Low cost to acquire - According to our ADP data, Starks is being selected as the 66th RB off the board, outside the top 200 overall. In standard 12 team leagues that makes him available for free. I see the upside in guys like Hyde, Williams, and Freeman (though my hunch is the latter would end up in a timeshare in the event of a Steven Jackson injury), but to take them at their current ADPs you’d have to pass on guys like Rueben Randle and Kelvin Benjamin (to name a few), who stand to play significant roles, and possess the tools to have breakout seasons.
- He’s really good - It kind of got lost in Eddie Lacy’s outstanding rookie year, but Starks was one of the best backup RBs in football last season. Starks averaged a robust 5.5 YPA on his 89 rushes, displaying both toughness and explosiveness. He forced the fourth highest percentage of missed tackles per rush among RBs with at least 80 carries, and had the third highest percentage of 15+ yard rushes per carry.
- He’s tied to Aaron Rodgers - The top running back handcuff has to be part of a high powered offense, and the Packers - with Rodgers at the helm - certainly fit the bill. When Rodgers is healthy, the Packers are a mortal lock to finish as a top five scoring team. If something were to happen to Lacy, Starks would benefit from soft defensive fronts and a high volume of red zone trips.
4. Eddie Lacy’s injury history - I won’t pretend I can predict injuries, but it’s worth noting Lacy is a bruising runner whose style of play lends itself to getting nicked up. Lacy battled an ankle injury for pretty much the entire season, and dealt with both a severe case of turf toe and a hamstring strain while at Alabama. I’m not saying Lacy is more likely to suffer an injury than any other team’s starter, but when lower body maladies start piling up on guys who run for a living, I’m at least taking notice.
Matt Waldman: Love Phil's and Jason's answers here. Starks is slightly more off-putting than Carey because of DuJuan Harris returning to the fold, but I like the thinking. Carey's talent, the Bears' offense, and his late-round value as the No.2 to Forte are all appealing.
While I'm with Wood when it comes to the dangers of picking high-round handcuffs, it all depends on your strategy with a draft. I'm not talking about that catch-all version of the word "strategy," which could mean some smooth-talking, horse manure that you throw at the side of a barn and see if it sticks.
If you're using an approach to draft non-RBs for the first 4-6 rounds, then I'm more liberal about taking a high-end handcuff in that 8-12 range because you've already de-emphasized the importance of RB into your early-round strategy. But if you're taking the best available player at each round and trying to fit position holes as you go, the idea of taking a high-end handcuff during a range of the draft were you can get an actual starter with some upside does become more questionable.
I'm not saying to avoid the high-end handcuff, but know that you're taking a player that you're less likely to drop early in the year because you're waiting for the potential to use him while taking up a roster spot that could be used on players that will help you in the present. If you understand this dynamic then you'll be wiser about charting what types of picks you want to take in these later rounds so you minimize the potential of sitting on too much unusable talent during the season.
Pasquino also has a nice piont with Polk, because the guy is a rugged interior runner and good pass catcher. However, Darren Sproles wasn't brought to Philadelphia to model jerseys and it does cap Polk's upside a little bit.
Andy Hicks: Most guys are going for the last couple of rounds addition eg James Starks, Kadeem Carey or Chris Polk. I'm probably going against the grain and prefer to look at situations where there may be 2 startable fantasy backs where one can be deemed the starter and the other a backup, but in reality you have 2 startable backs. Last year Reggie Bush and Joique Bell filled this criteria to a tee, but the change in coaching staff and the development of Theo Riddick means this one is likely to be over drafted and under performing.
This year I like the Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce combo. They attract a 5th/6th and 8th/9th rounder on current ADP and while both were really terrible last year, the Gary Kubiak system is very friendly to running back fantasy stats. Ray Rice was a 1st rounder last year and one of the first guys picked 2 years ago. The fact that he misses the first 2 games this year will frighten a lot of people off and it gives Bernard Pierce a 20+ touch game to start the year. Either Rice gets reduced to a backup or Pierce and Rice significantly contribute on a team that won't scare anyone with their passing game.
Another situation which can be considered a starter and handcuff/backup, but could be much more is the LeVeon Bell and LeGarrette Blount combo.
LeVeon Bell posted a stinking 3.5 yards a carry last year, worse than Trent Richardson's debut year. Backs as notable as Ron Dayne, Lawrence Phillips and Travis Henry did worse. It should be noted that Walter Payton and Ricky Williams also did worse for backs with more than 190 carries so there may be room for optimism. Bell improved as good young backs should in the 2nd half of the season and can certainly be a fantasy star this year. If for some reason he struggles, then Blount demonstrated that he can be a very impressive fantasy back with the Patriots at the tail end of last year and can be had after the 12th round in most leagues. I'm pegging Blount for at least a 100 carries and possible goal line action.
Maurile Tremblay: There are always handcuffs worth taking. If you've drafted Marshawn Lynch, Christine Michael is generally worth more to you than he is to anyone else, and he is unquestionably worth a roster spot in most leagues -- which means that he is unquestionably worth a roster spot on your team.
Christine Michael himself has a much higher ADP than most backup RBs, however, so he would not be my choice as the best handcuff when taking price into account. Devonta Freeman, KaDeem Carey, Ahmad Bradshaw, Lance Dunbar, James Starks, Knile Davis, Andre Williams, Chris Ivory, Shonn Greene, LeGarrette Blount, Tre Mason, and Carlos Hyde are all worth snagging toward the end of the draft if you also have the player ahead of him. They are very cheap insurance policies.
Who's the best? That depends largely on which starting RB will miss the most games, which is impossible to know ahead of time. But all of them are worth a handcuff pick near the end of the draft.
Mark Wimer: I agree with Maurile that there is likely to be a handcuff worth taking in your draft. As previously mentioned, James Starks is a good example of a backup SURE to see action if Eddie Lacy goes down.
Some situations aren't as clear-cut, though. If Doug Martin goes down, would it be Bobby Rainey or Mike James (Or a committee of both?) to step in for Martin? Unless I'm reasonably sure that a particular backup would be "The Man" in the event of an injury I will avoid a "maybe" handcuff in most situations. Also, rival owners LOVE to snipe prime backups late in drafts so if you are determined to handcuff Starks to Lacy be prepared to take him a round or so earlier than you think he"should" go off the board.
James Brimacombe: Two names immediately come to mind when the topic of handcuffing RB's comes up - Chris Polk and Knile Davis. I also would only rather take either Polk or Davis if I was a McCoy or Charles owner. Both Philadelphia and Kansas City have already proven that they can run the ball with the best of them and most of all they both control the line of scrimmage with their top offensive lines. If McCoy or Charles were to miss time Polk and Davis could fill in immediately and be very successful.
Roster spots are so valuable in Fantasy football and often times when you sit on a handcuff it freezes that roster spot for most of the year. I have made this mistake in years past and I have learned that playing the Waiver Wire each week gives your team much more flexibility over the long haul and allows you more wiggle room in fielding the best possible lineup each week.