Best RB Handcuffs For The Fantasy Football Playoffs: Week 15 Update
Geoff Ulrich breaks down how to prioritize all of the RB handcuff options ahead of the first round of the fantasy playoffs, including options to stash for both short- and long-term upside.
It's win-or-go-home time in fantasy football, and Geoff is here to help with the Best RB Handcuffs for the fantasy football playoffs:
We are deep into the fantasy season, with the fantasy playoffs starting this week for most leagues.
At this point, every roster move you make can have drastic consequences from a results perspective so it’s important to know which players have the most value and upside from a stash perspective.
That’s why as the playoffs start, we’re focusing on handcuffs, specifically RBs who aren’t starters (yet) but may have some intrinsic or future value depending on things like their schedule, who they are playing behind (depth chart), and their team’s current W/L record.
Fantasy Football Handcuff Strategy For The Fantasy Playoffs
We’re into the fantasy playoffs now so I am not going to give you a full team-by-team report, but I will do a full ranking with my top handcuff options and beyond, giving you as much insight into the main handcuff options you need to watch out for as you traverse your playoff schedule.
I focused on the following four key categories when putting together the below tiers:
- Likelihood of a featured role: Essentially … what are the chances of receiving a bump in workload? Does the team have an incentive to play the backup? Is the starter regressing or injured?
- Theoretical three-down ability: The upside of the handcuff. Even if the RB in question gets an opportunity, is he going to be able to produce in that role?
- Playoff schedule and offensive upside: Will the RB be in a fertile fantasy environment down the stretch? Will the offense support him with I5 carries and does he have soft matchups we want to target?
- Standalone value: Could the handcuff be usable in some way in the playoffs on his own? Does he have ppr upside or otherwise?
The Best Fantasy Football RB Handcuffs - Tier 1 Options
These are mostly players who would just step into big roles right off the bat. Most are pretty heavily owned in all season-long leagues (and pretty obvious handcuffs).
There wasn’t much movement in this Tier, although obviously Zach Charbonnet got a massive bump after his stellar performance. Like Kaylen Warren, Charbonnet is likely already owned in your league so if you have him, great, if you don’t, better luck next season.
Blake Corum (Rams)
- Starter: Kyren Williams
- Yahoo Roster percentage: 16%
The thing I find so interesting about Corum is that he’s so obviously the main backup to a high-usage, early-down RB in Kyren Williams, yet is owned in under 20% of the leagues on Yahoo. Corum is already getting worked in every game (8 carries in each of his last two starts) so it’s not like we would have to guess what would happen if Williams went down with an injury.
He’s really a player who should be rostered in all 12-team leagues right now given the upside he would have for Weeks 16 and 17 should something happen to Kyren Williams on TNF this week.
Secondary RB Handcuffs For The Fantasy Football Playoffs - Tier 2 Options
This is where things get interesting. A lot of the players in Tier 2 haven’t necessarily seen a ton of playing time – or are that well known to the casual player – but they either have a ton of upside from a talent perspective (potentially) or are behind weak starters/on teams who have nothing to lose by giving them playing time down the stretch.
This list is also important for any sickos who have their final in Week 18.
For Week 15 there are a bunch of movers in this range. There are a couple of players with big-time fantasy potential that may even be viable starts this week if you are in a deeper league or need a Hail Mary type of play.
I wrote up the four most interesting names of this Tier this week below.
- Kendre Miller
- Ray Davis
- Braelon Allen
- Cam Akers
- Justice Hill
- Sean Tucker
- Kimani Vidal
- Tyjae Spears
- Trey Benson
- Starter: Alvin Kamara
- Yahoo Roster percentage: 5%
Miller could be a name that becomes vitally important over the last two weeks of the playoffs. He only played on 26% of the snaps last week but had a high carry rate (10 touches) and even got a red zone carry which he converted for a TD.
The second-year RB looks like an Alvin Kamara clone and with him fully healthy for perhaps the first time in his career, it behooves the Saints to give him more work and rest Kamara going into next season.
This is a read-the-tea-leaves situation, but given how banged up Kamara has been all year, it wouldn’t be overly shocking if they decided to simply rest him in Week 16 or 17, just to give Miller more work and insulate their lead RB from a major injury.
Either way, he’s a name you need to go out and pick up if you have space.
- Starter: Bucky Irving/Rachaad White
- Yahoo Roster percentage: 3%
I took Rachaad White off the handcuff report altogether since he’s rostered in so many leagues and is really the defacto starter. The real handcuff in Tampa Bay is now Sean Tucker, who would instantly see plenty of early down carries if Bucky Irving (or White) were to get ruled out in one of the next couple of games.
When Irving left early last week, Tucker played on 11 snaps and blasted off 47 yards on just three carries. With Irving injured and Tucker playing so well, the lean here is that the Buccaneers decide to rest their rookie back and give Tucker some run this week.
Even if Irving plays, Tucker is a great stash as he’s only 3% owned across Yahoo, and the Bucceners would certainly promote him to a serious role if Irving goes down again. He’s also got a fantastic matchup with the Panthers on tap for Week 17.
Like Miller, he feels like a name that may be about to decide several leagues.
- Starter: Aaron Jones
- Yahoo Roster percentage: 15%
Akers took a big step up last week in terms of his fantasy value. Ty Chandler played on zero snaps vs Atlanta, while Akers played on 19 and took pivotal carries down the stretch for Minnesota as they were closing out the game. He also looked very good doing so, snapping off a few big gains which assuredly got him some locker room clout with his teammates.
Akers now has a clear stranglehold on the backup position and has gained the trust of his coaches, so if Aaron Jones does miss a game (and he’s been close to doing so of late), it would be all systems go for a potential 20-plus-touch game for Akers.
Many Jones owners have caught on to Akers, but he’s still under 20% owned across Yahoo leagues, making him a good stash for those looking to upgrade their benches.
- Starter: Gus Edwards
- Yahoo Roster percentage: 13%
He only scored 3.4 fantasy points vs the Chiefs but saw a big increase in role that makes him a player you need to keep an eye on during the fantasy playoffs, and potentially get out in front of if you’re in a deeper league—or need RB help.
The Chargers had Gus Edwards start the game but mixed in Vidal regularly after the first couple of drives. The rookie ended the day with just two fewer carries than Edwards (8 compared to Edwards’ 10) and played on more snaps than Edwards (53% to 44%, via our Utilization Report) which showcases his overall versatility compared to the one-dimensional Edwards.
It was also noteworthy that the Chargers trusted Vidal enough to have him out there on the final drive of the game taking handoffs, and that he was the only RB who saw a target in the passing game.
With Hassan Haskins (healthy scratch) out of the mix, this is now a more manageable situation for fantasy purposes and one where Vidal should continue to get opportunities. If Edwards stumbles or gets injured, it’s possible Vidal may even end up in a bellcow role before the fantasy season ends, making him a high-end stash/handcuff over the next three weeks.
Deep RB Handcuffs For The Fantasy Football Playoffs - Tier 3 Options
There wasn’t a ton of movement in Tier 3 this week.
Obviously, we are pretty late in the season for these names to have an impact but there are still a few names worth watching that I wrote up below, including one newcomer who is only one injury away from having an entire backfield to himself in Week 16 or 17.
- Emanuel Wilson
- Khalil Herbert
- Israel Abanikanda
- Raheem Blackshear
- Antonio Gibson
- Chris Rodriguez
- Roschon Johnson
- Tyler Goodson
- Devin Singletary
- Dare Ogunbowale
- Audric Estime
- Starter: Chase Brown
- Yahoo Roster percentage: 8%
Again, it’s hard to gauge how much upside Herbert has as a player right now, just given how few touches he’s had this season but anyone getting a lot of touches in this Bengals offense has value.
With the Bengals all but eliminated, if there is any injury issue with Chase Brown, we’ll almost certainly see the Bengals air on the side of caution and sit him for a game.
- Starter: Brian Robinson
- Yahoo Roster percentage: 2%
I’m just going to leave what I wrote here about Rodriguez last week, who I believe is being overlooked as a potential stash play.
“Could be a very sneaky handcuff given the injury issues Washington has in the backfield. Rodriguez is a big back and a very underrated early-down rusher, so he would take the Brian Robinson role and potentially have some great upside in standard leagues.
Either way, if Robinson goes down or sits out for a week, Rodriguez would be my bet to benefit the most and soak up the most fantasy upside.”
- Starter: Josh Jacobs
- Yahoo Roster percentage: 2%
Part of this is just me liking Emanuel Wilson the prospect, so I figured I’d give him a shoutout this week as I do think he’d be the Green Bay back to roster if Jacobs went down. He’s massive, looks faster than advertised, and has shown some versatility as a pass-catcher.
He’s likely available on the waivers in all leagues so if everyone else has snatched up the more viable stashes, I wouldn’t hesitate to pluck up Wilson.
- Starter: Chuba Hubbard
- Yahoo Roster percentage: 2%
Blackshear has some value all of a sudden thanks to all of the injury issues currently affecting the Panthers backfield. The second-year back has now inherited lead backup duties thanks to the injury suffered by Jonathon Brooks last week (ACL) and the fact veteran Miles Sanders is on IR.
The Panthers have no reason to rush Sanders back so if Hubbard goes down, Blackshear is it. He is questionable himself after suffering a contusion last week but will remain in the mix for carries regardless of whether he suits up against the Cowboys or not.
