Handcuff running backs: Players who are *one* injury away from skyrocketing up the fantasy ranks and landing on the cover of waiver wire articles across the industry.

Sure, a wild Puka Nacua or Jauan Jennings appears every once in a while, but no position produces more randomly fantasy-relevant options than RB. This is largely thanks to the reality that you don't necessarily have to be an elite talent at RB in order to rack up volume the same way you do as a receiver.

Seriously: Tyjae Spears and Ameer Abdullah were top-7 PPR RBs during the fantasy playoffs last season! They outscored guys like Saquon Barkley, Bucky Irving, and Chase Brown! That happened–and it's stretches like this that serve as good reminders that we really don't know sh*t about f*ck when it comes to making predictions about football, a sport that basically consists of consecutive car crashes for 60 minutes while using a ball that isn't even round. Accordingly, embracing the volatile and at-times random nature of this game can ultimately help separate the contenders from the pretenders in fantasy football land.

Presenting: My fantasy football handcuff rankings and tiers ahead of the 2025 season. Note that the myriad of factors at hand and loose definition of a handcuff makes this a bit more of an art than science. Example: I just focused on the RB2s in terms of fantasy average draft position (ADP), so there will be a few examples of a potential "starter" being listed as the handcuff (Jaylen Warren, Rhamondre Stevenson, J.K. Dobbins etc.).

I'll also be making an effort to update this list throughout the year in my weekly in-season Thursday "10 Things" column. While all of this cool writing is #free, I invite you to check out Fantasy Life's full suite of rankings and tools with a FantasyLife+ subscription–code "IAN" will get you 20% off!

As always: It's a great day to be great.

Running Back Handcuffs for Fantasy Football 2025

Tier 1: The Top-5 RB handcuffs

• Lions RB David Montgomery
• Seahawks RB Zach Charbonnet
• Falcons RB Tyler Allgeier
• Vikings RB Jordan Mason
• Broncos RB J.K. Dobbins

These backs would instantly become must-start RB1-worthy fantasy options thanks to the likelihood that they would immediately push for 20+ opportunities per game in the event of their team's starter missing time …

David Montgomery: The reigning RB16 in PPR points per game probably shouldn't even really be considered a "handcuff" in the first place. Still, many are quick to point out Jahmyr Gibbs' elite contingent overall RB1 upside should D-Mont miss any time, but the inverse is also close to being true as well: Monty posted RB2 and RB5 finishes on the back of 59 combined carries and targets in his only two games without Gibbs back in 2023.

Zach Charbonnet: Has racked up 19.3 carries and targets in nine career games with Kenneth Walker III sidelined, leading to seven top-20 PPR finishes. Throw in a seemingly improved Seahawks offensive line—Seattle RBs led the NFL in preseason rush yards before contact per carry—and it's reasonable to think that we'd basically just cross out KWIII's name on the RB1 borderline and replace it with Charb should an injury occur. This reality makes Charbonnet one of Fantasy Life's favorite RB sleepers.

Tyler Allgeier: Mr. Consistency has 586 combined carries and targets in his three-year career and *zero* fumbles or drops (I just knocked on wood, don't worry). While Bijan Robinson claims that this backfield will be "1A, 1B," that's simply Bijan being a good teammate and lying to the media. Ultimately, Allgeier has a legit three-down skill set on a depth chart with *zero* proven options behind him—he'd be on the cover of every waiver wire article in the industry if Robinson was ever forced to miss any time.

Jordan Mason: All Mason did with Christian McCaffrey sidelined for the first eight weeks of 2024 was rack up more rushing yards than anyone not named Saquon Barkley or Derrick Henry. The absence of Aaron Jones would open up a similar three-down role inside an offense that made some serious improvements to its interior offensive line this offseason. Mason is one of "My Guys" who I've tried to leave every draft with thanks to this sky-high handcuff upside *and* potentially sneaky-solid standalone value as this offense's likely lead early-down/goal-line back.

J.K. Dobbins: Another favorite late-round sleeper from team Fantasy Life thanks to the reality that Sean Payton knows a thing or two about enabling multiple fantasy-friendly RBs. Look, RJ Harvey is going to be plenty involved, but don't sleep on Dobbins (the projected starter) siphoning away 12-15 opportunities per game inside the league's reigning 10th-ranked scoring offense. The 26-year-old talent was low-key one of the bigger winners of the preseason.

Tier 2: My next six priority pure late-round handcuffs

• Bills RB Ray Davis
• Cardinals RB Trey Benson
• 49ers RB Brian Robinson
• Jaguars RB Bhayshul Tuten
• Eagles RB Will Shipley
• Giants RB Cam Skattebo

You can argue these Tier 2 handcuffs have less standalone value than our Tier 3 options, but man, it's tough to deny the upside here should the involved starters at hand miss any time. While there's a bit more competition at hand relative to the Tier 1 backs, these are the sorts of RBs you should be targeting in the later rounds of drafts …

Ray Davis: Earned 23 of 27 (85%) backfield carries and targets in his one game without Cook last season. Ty Johnson will always cap the receiving upside, but Davis looked good with his opportunities, and would offer at worst RB2 upside without Cook inside the Bills' perennial top-5 scoring offense.

Trey Benson: I *think* Benson has the same sort of handcuff upside as Ray Davis, meaning he'll inherit the bulk of James Conner's early-down work while Emari Demercado (Ty Johnson redux) basically plays the same role regardless. It's not for certain, but Benson does boast the sort of theoretical explosive three-down ability that is worth throwing a late-round dart at. The man is truly an exceptional athlete.

Brian Robinson: Kyle Shanahan clarified that B-Rob was brought to town to be the team's No. 2 back. This seems more clear than ever with Isaac Guerendo (shoulder) sidelined. The roller coaster of possibilities for Robinson has sure been something to see over the last month, but suddenly he profiles as the fairly clear next-man-up behind CMC–a role which has produced some serious fantasy BOOMS over the years.

Bhayshul Tuten: The fourth-rounder is your favorite fantasy analyst's favorite late-round dart thanks to a borderline erotic speed score and 50 receptions during the last two seasons. Throw in a weak depth chart and Liam Coen's voodoo magic, and the rookie does profile as the sort of late-round dart worth throwing.

Will Shipley: Preseason usage suggested Shipley is the next-man-up behind Saquon, although Quadzilla A.J. Dillon could complicate things. Still, Shipley's explosive pass-catching archetype earns him the benefit of the doubt behind anyone's idea of the league's best offensive line. Not a bad combo to target late in drafts!

Cam Skattebo: Seemingly set to start the season behind Tyrone Tracy, but there's better eventual takeover potential here than for most in this tier. The Arizona State product possesses legit three-down upside: Skattebo joins McCaffrey and something named I'Tavius Mathers as the only three FBS RBs to rack up 1,500-plus rush yards and 500-plus receiving yards in the same season since 2015.

Tier 3: FLEX With Benefits

• Steelers RB Jaylen Warren
• Commanders RB Austin Ekeler
• Browns RB Dylan Sampson and Jerome Ford
• Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson
• Chargers RB Najee Harris
• Dolphins RB Ollie Gordon
• Titans RB Tyjae Spears

These backs offer existing good, not great, standalone value AND simultaneously have the potential to zoom up the fantasy ranks in the event of their backfield mate missing time. Other RBs might have superior pure handcuff upside, but not the same sort of weekly floor. Not a bad later-round archetype to target …

Jaylen Warren: Like Dobbins, Warren should be the Steeler RB on the field for the first snap of at least Week 1. This should help him push for 15+ opportunities per game, a potentially fantasy-friendly role considering how efficient he's been since entering the league back in 2022.

I do question if even an injury to Kaleb Johnson would result in Warren receiving a true three-down role due to the presence of Kenneth Gainwell/Arthur Smith's shenanigans, but still: There's potential here for an Ekeler-esque workload consisting of around 150-200 rushes and 50+ targets inside an offense that doesn't exactly have a clear-cut No. 2 pass-game option.

Austin Ekeler: Speaking of that Ekeler guy, the decision to trade Brian Robinson assuredly impacts the fantasy upside of Jacory Croskey-Merritt (aka Bill) more than anyone, but don't sleep on Ekeler emerging as the most fantasy-friendly RB in Washington thanks to his demonstrated high-end pass-catching ability. He also played north of 70% of the offense's snaps on multiple occasions with B-Rob sidelined last season.

Dylan Sampson and Jerome Ford: Sampson seems like a decent candidate to be on the cover of Week 2 waiver wire articles considering his potential to start in the absence of Quinshon Judkins, who remains unsigned and could seemingly still face a suspension. Of course, Ford doesn't figure to take a complete back seat, but there's still FLEX upside here for both inside a fairly evenly split two-back committee.

Rhamondre Stevenson: Yes, TreVeyon Henderson is the man. Also yes, Josh McDaniels has made a habit of enabling multiple fantasy-friendly RBs over the years, producing 18 top-36 RBs in 12 years leading the Patriots and Raiders offenses from 2012 to 2023. Similar to Warren, it's possible that RB3 Antonio Gibson limits the total handcuff upside involved, but Mondre still has a quality floor/ceiling combo that can be had for cheap in fantasy land.

Najee Harris: In a very similar position as Stevenson with his team's electric rookie RB fully expected to lead the way, but hey, double-digit weekly touches are still possible, and there's enough proven three-down ability here to believe in something close to high-end RB2 treatment in the event of an injury. Of course, we still do need to clarify that Najee has two eyes and will be playing football this season (avoiding the NFI list is a good start). This ranking will look low if we get truly good news on the latter point ahead of Week 1.

Ollie Gordon: Another big preseason winner with the entire Dolphin backfield dropping like flies due to injury, Gordon suddenly profiles as the team's RB2, and hell, potential Week 1 starter depending on the actual severity of De'Von Achane's ongoing calf injury. There's potential here for Gordon to seize the team's early-down/short-yardage work with Jaylen Wright (lower body) considered week-to-week.

Tyjae Spears: The intro pointed out the absurd reality that Spears racked up the fifth-most PPR points during the fantasy playoffs last season with Tony Pollard playing through injury and missing a game due to an illness. Unfortunately, Spears will miss at least the first four games of the season while continuing to deal with a high-ankle sprain, but when healthy he's a 1.B backfield mate with quality pass-catching-induced upside should Pollard miss any action. 

Tier 4: Making a leap of faith, but we're saying there's a chance

• Saints RB Kendre Miller
• Rams RB Blake Corum
• Panthers RB Rico Dowdle
• Jets RB Braelon Allen

Kendre Miller: The clear No. 2 RB in New Orleans behind Mr. Alvin Kamara. There's some sneaky standalone potential if the Saints look to cut back some of Kamara's early-down work, but I struggle to be fully confident in that considering the new offense/potential for this group to be quite bad overall. Still, Miller flashed down the stretch of 2024 and has very little meaningful competition behind him on the depth chart.

Blake Corum: Looks like the next-man-up behind Kyren Williams based on preseason usage, although Jarquez Hunter could be involved as well. That said: Sean McVay has proven more willing than pretty much anyone to leave one RB on the field, and the head ball coach is on the record talking about how much Corum reminds him of Williams.

Rico Dowdle: Has been referred to as a "war daddy" by head coach Dave Canales … which seems good? Now, Chuba Hubbard is THE RB1 in Carolina, and fourth-rounder Trevor Etienne could have something to say about backup touches as well, but give Dowdle credit for totaling 1,328 total yards in Dallas last season. He looks like the favorite for pass-down duties and would likely see double-digit carries per week should Chuba miss time as well.

Braelon Allen: The training camp hype train is rolling full steam ahead, although Allen's status as a likely early-down grinder in an offense not exactly expected to light up the scoreboard has me wary of expecting too high of highs. Don't sleep on Isaiah Davis turning this into more of an evenly split committee than expected in the event of Breece Hall missing time. Still, this is one where I am most skeptical of myself being a big, fat phony and incorrect.

Tier 5: Worth a dart thanks to the offense

• Buccaneers RB Rachaad White and Sean Tucker
• Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill
• Bengals RB Tahj Brooks

Rachaad White and Sean Tucker: Most agree White isn't good at football, but that hasn't stopped him from posting RB10 and RB23 finishes in PPR points per game over the past two seasons. Meanwhile, Tucker led all RBs in explosive run rate and yards per route run last season; it's possible he'd take over the backfield in the event of a Bucky Irving injury if given a real opportunity.

Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill: I look at the Ravens similar to the Bills and Cardinals: Hill's pass-down role probably wouldn't change all that much in the event of a Derrick Henry injury. Mitchell would likely be the primary riser, although we can't say for sure. Both backs sure seem capable of taking advantage of this ever-lethal rushing attack as long as Lamar Jackson is running the show.

Tahj Brooks: More uncertainty here considering Samaje Perine's history with the Bengals, but then again Perine hasn't cleared 100 carries in a season since 2017 and could be in the same Ty Johnson/Emari Demercado/Justice Hill boat as discussed before. Enter: Brooks, who has some sharp fans (s/o Matt Waldman) and possesses the sort of size (5-foot-9, 220 pounds) and pass-catching ability (102 career receptions at Texas Tech) to make some noise with a real opportunity in the Bengals' every high-flying offense.

Tier 6: The other guys

• Packers RB MarShawn Lloyd
• Colts RB DJ Giddens
• Cowboys RB Jaydon Blue
• Texans RB Dameon Pierce and Woody Marks
• Chiefs RB Brashard Smith
• Raiders RB Raheem Mostert
• Bears RB Roschon Johnson and Kyle Monangai

MarShawn Lloyd: Possesses the sort of explosive pass-catching skill set in a great offense that we look for … but the man cannot and will not stay healthy. While we could imagine what it'd be like if he did, Lloyd is a tough bench stash as long as he actively remains on the sideline with a hamstring injury.

DJ Giddens: The front-runner for RB2 status behind Jonathan Taylor, although that role could actually belong to Tyler Goodson, whose ongoing elbow injury reportedly isn't viewed as major. I'd still place my chip on Giddens as the LATE-round handcuff, but it's tough to be super sure here.

Jaydon Blue: This Cowboys backfield is generally a tough one to figure out. Blue's potential range of outcomes includes working his way up to the starting job … or simply being the RB3 all season. His current low-ankle sprain doesn't help matters. Throw in the reality that this Cowboys offensive line hasn't made a habit of opening up big lanes in recent years, and I struggle to prioritize any of these Cowboys RBs too high.

Dameon Pierce and Woody Marks: Another wonky one considering Pierce could potentially be splitting snaps with Nick Chubb for early-down duties as long as Joe Mixon remains sidelined. Then again, Pierce hasn't been the same beast as he was back in his memorable 2022 rookie campaign, meaning Marks could pose a threat … if he can beat out Dare Ogunbowale for lead pass-down duties. The winner gets to work behind arguably the NFL's single-worst offensive line.

Chiefs RB Brashard Smith: Made some fun plays in the preseason, but looks like the probable RB3 in Kansas City behind Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt. Could Smith eventually parlay a potential gadget role into something more as the season progresses? Perhaps, although the Hunt factor can't be dismissed, and it's possible Elijah Mitchell hangs around and complicates things as well.

Raheem Mostert: The likely next-man-up behind Ashton Jeanty. Of course, the 33-year-old veteran might not be viewed as someone capable of handling anything close to a workhorse role these days, and it's possible incumbent backups like Zamir White and Sincere McCormick turn this into an ugly committee in the absence of the team's first-rounder.

Roschon Johnson and Kyle Monangai: Both have been banged up recently, limiting our ability to get a read on this depth chart. One practice report early in August noted that Monangai was the clear No. 2 RB … because Johnson was the goal-line back with the first-team offense. I'd lean toward throwing the late-round dart at Monangai, but there's enough uncertainty here for me to target other situations when possible.

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