This will be the final handcuff report as most leagues will begin their playoffs in the next two weeks. The fantasy football season can be a grind and the research for running back handcuffs has become a big part of my weekly process.

This is my fifth year writing the handcuff article for FantasyPros. If you have followed along since August, I want to offer my sincerest thank you. I will hopefully be back in 2025 with monthly features leading up to the NFL Draft.

Today, I look at all 32 backfields and where things stand. We did have some major injury news Sunday night with Christian McCaffery looking likely to miss the rest of the season with a PCL injury. With Jordan Mason also hitting injured reserve (IR), expect Isaac Guerendo to lead the 49ers in touches down the stretch. I will touch on that and more below.

For now, I hope you have found this article helpful each week. If you are making a playoff run I wish you the best of luck over the next few weeks. Go get those trophies. Here are our fantasy football running back handcuff rankings ahead of Week 14.

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Running Back Handcuff Rankings

Arizona Cardinals

• Starter: James Conner
• Handcuff: Trey Benson, Emari Demercado

James Conner has been consistently in the 65% snap range (or higher), so an injury here opens up a lot of opportunities for Trey Benson and Emari Demercado. If the Cardinals stay in contention, the more veteran Demercado may be the preferred option.

Atlanta Falcons

• Starter: Bijan Robinson
• Handcuff: Tyler Allgeier

Tyler Allgeier has been, and will continue to be, one of the best handcuffs in football. If he is somehow available in your league, he shouldn’t be.

Baltimore Ravens

• Starter: Derrick Henry
• Handcuff: Justice Hill

Justice Hill is the handcuff to Derrick Henry but there is a major difference between the two in terms of style. I might consider Hill in a PPR format. Outside of that, he isn’t on my radar.

Buffalo Bills

• Starter: James Cook
• Handcuff: Ray Davis

I think Ray Davis would be the early-down back ahead of Ty Johnson if James Cook were to miss time. He’s on the fringe of being someone I would roster.

Carolina Panthers

• Starter: Chuba Hubbard
• Handcuff: Jonathon Brooks

Jonathon Brooks saw a 21% snap share Sunday. He is the direct backup to Chuba Hubbard, who routinely sees a 75% snap share himself. Brooks is a Hubbard injury away from being a league-winner.

Chicago Bears

• Starter: D’Andre Swift
• Handcuffs: Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer

I don’t love either Chicago handcuff but I prefer Roschon Johnson. He at least has the short-yardage role and theoretical touchdown equity.

Cincinnati Bengals

• Starter: Chris Brown
• Handcuff: Khalil Herbert

Chase Brown has the look of a league-winner in the high-flying Cincinnati offense. Khalil Herbert is someone I would consider rostering if I had Brown as he would be the last man standing.

Cleveland Browns

• Starter: Nick Chubb
• Handcuff: Jerome Ford

We’ve seen what Jerome Ford can do as the starter. He is solid, if unspectacular. I hope it doesn’t get to this for Nick Chubb’s sake, however.

Dallas Cowboys

• Starter: Rico Dowdle
• Handcuff: Ezekiel Elliott

Keeping this to the point: I wouldn’t roster Ezekiel Elliott even if Rico Dowdle gets injured. Dowdle looked good the last two weeks and has some tasty matchups coming up.

Denver Broncos

• Starter: Javonte Williams
• Handcuff: Audric Estime, Jaleel McLaughlin

Denver hasn’t produced a 100-yard game from a running back this season. I’m not even sure if Javonte Williams is the starter at this point. I’d avoid this spot altogether.

Detroit Lions

• Committee: Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery

Detroit’s run game is the envy of most of the league. I don’t think a handcuff situation exists, however, an injury to one opens up more carries for the other.

Green Bay Packers

• Starter: Josh Jacobs
• Handcuff: Emanuel Wilson, Chris Brooks

This would be a committee situation if Josh Jacobs misses time. Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks have both looked good. I’d lean toward Brooks, considering the last two games’ worth of usage, however (40 snaps for Brooks to 25 for Wilson).

Houston Texans

• Starter: Joe Mixon
• Handcuff: Dare Ogunbowale

An injury to Joe Mixon would be a disaster for the Houston offense. My bet here is they would go pass-heavy and put the ball in C.J. Stroud‘s hands. That makes Dare Ogunbowale my preferred target if going after a Mixon handcuff.

Indianapolis Colts

• Starter: Jonathan Taylor
• Handcuff: Trey Sermon

Trey Sermon is the preferred handcuff here for me, although I would only roster him if I had Jonathan Taylor.

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Committee: Travis Etienne, Tank Bigsby

Tank Bigsby has more value down the stretch than Travis Etienne but it would take an injury for either of them to be fantasy-relevant.

Kansas City Chiefs

• Starter: Isiah Pacheco
• Handcuff: Kareem Hunt

Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt were almost even in terms of snap share Friday. Pacheco will be eased back into action. However, if the Chiefs clinch the No. 1 seed early, Hunt might be a Week 17 hero for fantasy championship purposes.

Las Vegas Raiders

• Committee: Ameer Abdullah, Zamir White, Alexander Mattison

Ameer Abdullah looked reasonable against Kansas City but if Zamir White or Alexander Mattison are active, pick whoever is healthy and go with it.

Los Angeles Chargers

• Starter: J.K. Dobbins (On IR)
• Handcuff: Gus Edwards, Kimani Vidal

With J.K. Dobbins on IR, Gus Edwards outpaced Kimani Vidal on Sunday but he is touchdown-dependent. I think there are far better options to consider but if you need volume, Edwards is worth rostering.

Los Angeles Rams

• Starter: Kyren Williams
• Handcuff: Blake Corum

Blake Corum is the exact type of handcuff you should roster at this point. He would have a huge role if Williams got hurt.

Miami Dolphins

• Starter: De’Von Achane
• Handcuff: Raheem Mostert, Jaylen Wright

Raheem Mostert would get the first crack at things here but don’t discount Jaylen Wright. His profile is similar to De’Von Achane’s. With Miami out of contention, it would make sense for them to get a look at what he can do.

Minnesota Vikings

• Starter: Aaron Jones
• Handcuff: Cam Akers

Cam Akers isn’t the most exciting guy but he won’t sink your roster in the event of an Aaron Jones injury.

New England Patriots

• Starter: Rhamondre Stevenson
• Handcuff: Antonio Gibson

Antonio Gibson has looked decent when given opportunities this year. He falls into the same bucket as Cam Akers.

New Orleans Saints

• Starter: Alvin Kamara
• Handcuff: Jamaal Williams

The wheels are off in New Orleans and Alvin Kamara is about all they have left. They are going to run him into the ground, so if you have him, Jamaal Williams is a decent insurance policy.

New York Giants

• Starter: Tyrone Tracy
• Handcuff: Devin Singletary

Tyrone Tracy looks great and should be given the chance to be New York’s lead back in 2025. Devin Singletary is in the same tier as Akers and Gibson.

New York Jets

• Starter: Breece Hall
• Handcuff: Braelon Allen

Braelon Allen is like Blake Corum except the Jets may rest Breece Hall down the stretch. Allen should be on 100% of rosters.

Philadelphia Eagles

• Starter: Saquon Barkley
• Handcuff: Kenneth Gainwell

This is a strikingly similar situation to Baltimore’s because Kenneth Gainwell is such a different style of runner than Saquon Barkley. Not many people have Gainwell on the radar but if I rostered Barkley, I’d want Gainwell, too.

Pittsburgh Steelers

• Starter: Najee Harris
• Handcuff: Jaylen Warren

Najee Harris has looked good in 2024 while Jaylen Warren has been a bit of a mixed bag of results. I still think Warren is a great handcuff and he would become a 15-touch running back if Harris were to miss any games.

Seattle Seahawks

• Starter: Kenneth Walker
• Handcuff: Zach Charbonnet

Zach Charbonnet is one of the top handcuffs in fantasy. He should be 100% rostered.

San Francisco 49ers

• Starter: Christian McCaffery (On IR)
• Handcuff: Isaac Guerendo

With Christian McCaffery likely lost for the season and Jordan Mason heading to IR, Isaac Guerendo is about to take center stage. The 49ers have been a plug-and-play offense for running backs, so Guerendo is worth whatever FAAB or waiver wire priority you have stored up.

Mason was a borderline RB1 to begin the season while Guerendo came on strong before McCaffery got back in the lineup, so the ceiling is high. If you want to go deep, Patrick Taylor Jr. is the other running back on the roster and he will see some usage. They could also sign someone.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Starter: Bucky Irving
• Handcuff: Rachaad White

With Bucky Irving stepping into the No. 1 RB role, Rachaad White becomes one of the best handcuff options in football. He is over 90% rostered, however.

Tennessee Titans

• Starter: Tony Pollard
• Handcuff: Tyjae Spears

Tony Pollard has been surprisingly good this year. Tyjae Spears has operated as his top backup and he’s got a lot of ability. If the Titans weren’t so bad, I would be higher on this spot.

Washinton Commanders

• Starter: Brian Robinson
• Handcuff: Jeremy McNichols, Chris Rodriguez

Everyone was on Jeremy McNicols but I think Chris Rodriguez might be a sneaky good handcuff bet here. He saw 13 carries yesterday and his profile is closer to what Brian Robinson Jr. brings to the table.

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Jason Kamlowsky is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Jason, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @JasonKamlowsky.