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Many fantasy football managers continue to fade the top options at running back in the early rounds, instead opting to deploy strategies including Zero-RB, where you punt the position for at least four rounds or through the top 20 or so options at average draft position (ADP).
Regardless of whether you’re trying Zero-RB, Hero RB (one major RB drafted in the first half of the draft), or Robust RB (old-school approach of going heavy on the position), knowing the backups to chase and stash in your draft and on the waiver wire is a necessary step.
Enter the fantasy RB handcuff grid, where we track depth chart movement among every NFL backfield and itemize how it influences each team’s fantasy football backfield picture during the season.
Keep scrolling to see where every NFL running back group stands. We will update this every week throughout the season.
Fantasy Football RB Handcuffs Depth Chart
Here’s the key for symbols used in the fantasy NFL RB handcuffs grid:
- Fantasy RB1: The top back in name for that team’s backfield
- Top Handcuff: The likely next in line should an injury or coach’s decision remove the RB1. Though it’s not always a direct replacement of the role, this column lists the best bet to have more volume in place of the established RB1.
- Sleepers & Role Players: The first name(s) listed are the most intriguing dart throws in the backfield if you need to dig deeper.
- (co): Committee
- WW: Waiver-wire pickup this week
- 🏥: Injured
Updated Nov. 25:
| NFL Team | Fantasy RB1 | Top Handcuff | Sleepers & Role Players |
| Arizona Cardinals | Bam Knight (co) | Michael Carter (co) | Emari Demercado 🏥, Trey Benson 🏥 IR |
| Atlanta Falcons | Bijan Robinson | Tyler Allgeier | Nathan Carter |
| Baltimore Ravens | Derrick Henry | Justice Hill | Keaton Mitchell |
| Buffalo Bills | James Cook | Ray Davis | Ty Johnson |
| Carolina Panthers | Rico Dowdle | Chuba Hubbard | Trevor Etienne, Jonathon Brooks 🏥 PUP-R |
| Chicago Bears | D’Andre Swift | Kyle Monangai | Roschon Johnson |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Chase Brown | Samaje Perine | Tahj Brooks |
| Cleveland Browns | Quinshon Judkins | Dylan Sampson | Jerome Ford, Raheim Sanders |
| Dallas Cowboys | Javonte Williams | Jaydon Blue | Hunter Luepke, Phil Mafah 🏥 IR |
| Denver Broncos | R.J. Harvey | Jaleel McLaughlin | Tyler Badie, J.K. Dobbins IR 🏥 |
| Detroit Lions | Jahmyr Gibbs | David Montgomery | Craig Reynolds, Sione Vaki |
| Green Bay Packers | Josh Jacobs 🏥 | Emanuel Wilson | Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd 🏥 IR-R |
| Houston Texans | Woody Marks (co) | Nick Chubb (co) | Dare Ogunbowale, Dameon Pierce, Joe Mixon 🏥 NFI |
| Indianapolis Colts | Jonathan Taylor | DJ Giddens | Tyler Goodson |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Travis Etienne | Bhayshul Tuten | LeQuint Allen |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Isiah Pacheco (co) | Kareem Hunt (co) | Brashard Smith, Elijah Mitchell |
| Las Vegas Raiders | Ashton Jeanty 🏥 | Raheem Mostert | Dylan Laube, Zamir White |
| Los Angeles Chargers | Kimani Vidal | Trayveon Williams | Omarion Hampton 🏥 IR, Hassan Haskins 🏥 |
| Los Angeles Rams | Kyren Williams | Blake Corum | Jarquez Hunter |
| Miami Dolphins | De’Von Achane | Ollie Gordon II | Jaylen Wright |
| Minnesota Vikings | Aaron Jones | Jordan Mason | Zavier Scott, Cam Akers, Ty Chandler 🏥, |
| New England Patriots | Rhamondre Stevenson (co) | TreVeyon Henderson (co) | Antonio Gibson 🏥 |
| New Orleans Saints | Alvin Kamara 🏥 | Devin Neal | Velus Jones Jr., Kendre Miller 🏥 IR |
| New York Giants | Tyrone Tracy | Devin Singletary | Cam Skattebo 🏥 IR |
| New York Jets | Breece Hall | Isaiah Davis | Braelon Allen 🏥 IR-R, Kene Nwangwu |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Saquon Barkley | Tank Bigsby | A.J. Dillon, Will Shipley |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Jaylen Warren | Kenneth Gainwell | Kaleb Johnson, Trey Sermon |
| San Francisco 49ers | Christian McCaffrey | Brian Robinson Jr. | Isaac Guerendo, Sincere McCormick, Jordan James 🏥 |
| Seattle Seahawks | Zach Charbonnet (co) | Kenneth Walker III (co) | George Holani |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Bucky Irving 🏥 | Rachaad White | Sean Tucker, Josh Williams |
| Tennessee Titans | Tony Pollard (co) | Tyjae Spears (co) | Julius Chestnut, Kalel Mullings 🏥 IR-R, |
| Washington Commanders | Jacory Croskey-Merritt | Chris Rodriguez | Jeremy McNichols |
2025 RB handcuff rankings: Top 50 backs to add or stash
This Top 50 list of the best backup running backs to draft may include some overlap from ongoing RB competitions, but this ideally would be a list of direct backups to draft or pick up off the waiver wire.
Assume PPR value for these handcuffs, but the rankings can be considered universal.
Updated Nov. 25:
| Rk | RB Handcuff | TM |
| 1 | Emanuel Wilson | GB |
| 2 | Devin Neal | NO |
| 3 | TreVeyon Henderson | NE |
| 4 | David Montgomery | DET |
| 5 | Tyler Allgeier | ATL |
| 6 | Rachaad White | TB |
| 7 | Kyle Monangai | CHI |
| 8 | Bhayshul Tuten | JAX |
| 9 | Kenneth Walker III | SEA |
| 10 | Chuba Hubbard | CAR |
| 11 | Tyjae Spears | TEN |
| 12 | Isaiah Davis | NYJ |
| 13 | Nick Chubb | HOU |
| 14 | Kareem Hunt | KC |
| 15 | Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN |
| 16 | Michael Carter | ARI |
| 17 | Kenneth Gainwell | PIT |
| 18 | Devin Singletary | NYG |
| 19 | Ollie Gordon | MIA |
| 20 | Brian Robinson Jr. | SF |
| 21 | Dylan Sampson | CLE |
| 22 | Justice Hill | BAL |
| 23 | Brashard Smith | KC |
| 24 | Chris Rodriquez Jr. | WAS |
| 25 | Jerome Ford | CLE |
| 26 | DJ Giddens | IND |
| 27 | Sean Tucker | TB |
| 28 | Tank Bigsby | PHI |
| 29 | Ray Davis | BUF |
| 30 | Jeremy McNichols | WAS |
| 31 | Blake Corum | LAR |
| 32 | Raheem Mostert | LV |
| 33 | Jaydon Blue | DAL |
| 34 | Jaylen Wright | MIA |
| 35 | Isaac Guerendo | SF |
| 36 | Ty Johnson | CIN |
| 37 | Roschon Johnson | CHI |
| 38 | Tyler Badie | DEN |
| 39 | Zamir White | LV |
| 40 | A.J. Dillon | PHI |
| 41 | Jarquez Hunter | LAR |
| 42 | Trevor Etienne | CAR |
| 43 | Kaleb Johnson | PIT |
| 44 | Rasheen Ali | BAL |
| 45 | Dylan Laube | LV |
| 46 | George Holani | SEA |
| 47 | Will Shipley | PHI |
| 48 | Tahj Brooks | CIN |
| 49 | Hunter Luepke | DAL |
| 50 | Julius Chestnut | TEN |
See which RB handcuff pickups we recommend in our week 8 waiver wire.
Fantasy RB Week 13 News
- Bucky Irving is slated to practice all week, which means we might see him in action for the first time since Week 4.
- Alvin Kamara is dealing with an MCL sprain, which is projected to keep him out for Week 13. This is a fantastic spot for Devin Neal against the Miami Dolphins defense.
- Emanuel Wilson was phenomenal in his Week 12 role with no Josh Jacobs. If Jacobs misses again, Wilson is still a must-start, but it’s a daunting matchup with the Detroit Lions.
- With J.K. Dobbins set to miss the remainder of the season, RJ Harvey no longer qualifies for the handcuff label. Jaleel McLaughlin is now the top handcuff for Denver.
- With Rhamondre Stevenson returning, TreVeyon Henderson is no longer the bell cow. Despite Stevenson taking a back seat, his being active still hurts Henderson’s fantasy upside.
- Rico Dowdle has cemented himself as the RB1 in this Carolina backfield. This makes Chuba Hubbard one of the top RB handcuffs moving forward.
- While it’s not quite a committee yet, Tyler Allgeier is a thorn in the side of all Bijan Robinson owners. The Falcons seem to use Robinson in between in 20s, and Allgeier gets the more valuable goal-line work.
- While it’s still a committee, Woody Marks is taking over as the RB1. Nick Chubb continues to see his role shrink.
- While it may be strange, Kenneth Walker seems to be the backup RB in the Seattle backfield. The talent says otherwise, but the usage cannot be ignored any longer.
What is a fantasy football handcuff running back?
Handcuff RBs are extremely valuable in fantasy football leagues. They are backup running backs for real-life NFL teams who would be in line to produce big fantasy stats should the starting RB suffer an injury, be the target of an opposing coach’s decision for playing time, or miss games for any other reason.
Therefore, drafting these handcuff running backs in the middle and late rounds of fantasy drafts — and targeting them on the fantasy waiver wire — is a popular, proactive move that could increase your chances of making your league’s playoffs and winning a fantasy title.
For example, take top-ranked running back Bijan Robinson for the Atlanta Falcons. Should he suffer an injury and miss time his backup is Tyler Allgeier.
Due to his skill set — a big, bruising back who’s also mobile — and his head coach Raheem Morris’ high opinion of his performance, Allgeier would be in line to assume a volumnious workload for every game Robinson misses.
Lucking into situations like this requires preparation, which means drafting and adding (“stashing”) running backs who could explode in value with an increased opportunity.
Paying attention to these RB handcuff rankings provides fantasy players with opportunities to improve their teams with forward-thinking player strategy.
