Injuries are inevitable in the NFL, and experienced fantasy football owners know that the right running back handcuffs can singlehandedly save your season. It’s impossible to know which player will end up being this year’s out-of-nowhere league winner, but these five players have the best chance of outplaying their current prices.
Note that, in order to qualify for this list, these players need to be essentially free. For example, everyone knows that Elijah Mitchell will be a must-start player if something happens to Christian McCaffrey, and that upside is baked into his current value. In order to be included on this list, the player needed to have an average draft position outside of the top 150 picks, per FantasyPros ADP.
5 Low-Cost Fantasy Football Running Back Handcuffs to Target
1. Tyjae Spears (RB57, 165th Overall)
It feels weird putting Tyjae Spears on this list, as the rookie running back shouldn’t be a low-cost option. However, for whatever reason, fantasy football owners just don’t seem to be interested in drafting the Tulane product. While injuries are a concern, Spears has Day 2 draft capital and is set to play in one of the most run-obsessed offenses in football. Derrick Henry can’t possibly do this forever, and the 2021 season showed us that Tennessee will continue to pound the football even if Henry is sidelined. Obviously, Tyjae Spears cannot singlehandedly replace Henry’s production, but he will receive a good amount of volume. Considering that you can probably get him with the last pick in your fantasy football draft, this makes him a great running back handcuff.
2. Zamir White (RB59, 173th Overall)
The Josh Jacobs holdout is going strong, and as of this posting, there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight. Jacobs isn’t coming back until he gets a sizable raise, which means that somebody will have to step up in his absence. Right now, that somebody appears to be Zamir White. In fantasy football, you have to chase volume and hope efficiency follows, and Zamir White is in line for plenty of volume. At 6′-0″ and 214 pounds, the fourth-round pick has the build for early-down work and should be able to handle starting duties until Jacobs eventually returns.
3. Gus Edwards (RB61, 171st Overall)
J.K. Dobbins is back on the field, which means he should handle starting duties for the 2023 Baltimore Ravens. However, the former second-round pick hasn’t exactly been the picture of health throughout his young career, and Edwards is easily the best running back handcuff on the roster. While he doesn’t do much in the receiving game, Edwards is a capable runner that should be able to make the most of his touches if Dobbins suffers yet another injury.
2nd-and-goal from the 1: Gus Edwards touchdown pic.twitter.com/iTFetgRvND
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) November 29, 2022
4. Joshua Kelley (RB68, 221st Overall)
Austin Ekeler is a superstar. He’s also 5′-10″, 200 pounds, entering his age-28 campaign, and coming off of a 300-touch season. The human body can only handle so much, and while injuries could strike anyone, there are a lot of red flags surrounding the reigning PPR RB1. The Chargers don’t have a clear heir to Ekeler’s throne, and while they could potentially trade for Michael Carter, Joshua Kelley is the closest thing this team has to a running back handcuff for fantasy football. The Los Angeles Chargers are going to score a lot of touchdowns, so even if he doesn’t inherit the receiving work, Kelley will have standalone value in the event of an Ekeler injury.
5. Deneric Prince (RB73, 271st Overall)
The Kansas City Chiefs running back room is not exactly the most stable unit in the league. Former seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco is set to handle early-down duties while the 31-year-old Jerick McKinnon will take the field on passing downs. Pacheco’s complete inexperience combined with McKinnon’s age means that neither one of these spots is completely secure, and Deneric Prince could easily overtake either role as the season progresses. Prince has a path to the field without injury, but if one or both players gets hurt, then suddenly the undrafted free agent will be seeing significant snaps on the best offense in football.
And don’t worry about Clyde Edwards-Helaire. The former first-round pick wasn’t even good enough to be active in the Super Bowl. Chances are, Prince has already usurped him on the depth chart.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
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