Hard as it is to believe, we are approaching Week 9 and the calendar is getting ready to flip to November. Most fantasy leagues have hit the midway point of the season with playoff spots within reach for some and desperation setting in for others. It’s a time for reflection on draft day decisions — players have exceeded expectations while others have been disappointments — as well as looking ahead to upcoming bye weeks and how to navigate those.
As we head into the back stretch of the season, running back handcuffs will become increasingly important. This week I will touch on a few spots as well as the top 10 while also giving you some other names to consider. A few handcuff graduations first:
Tyrone Tracy was terrific again last night and looks like a waiver wire hero. He did suffer a concussion, which puts his Week 9 availability in doubt. That places Devin Singletary firmly in the discussion as a short-term play. The Giants looked good running the football in a tough matchup last night, so Singletary might be an option this week.
I am removing Bucky Irving from the list as he is in a timeshare and garnering more touches than Rachaad White. It hasn’t been reported but it makes sense if Tampa Bay considers moving White at the trade deadline. If they think Irving and Sean Tucker can handle the backfield, White could net them a reasonable draft pick from a team like Dallas, who is essentially playing without a running back. That would be a major bump to Irving’s value.
Handcuff Rankings
The only concern with Tyler Allgeier as a handcuff is his lack of a receiving role. He is getting plenty of work even with a healthy Bijan Robinson and he’s shaping up to be a potential league-winner down the stretch.
Seattle was on the opposite end of a blowout Sunday, meaning Zach Charbonnet was used for the entirety of the fourth quarter. He didn’t do much with his opportunities as the entire Seattle offense sputtered but did score a touchdown late in the game. Not much has changed here.
Ray Davis was the only other Buffalo running back to get a touch on Sunday as the Bills routed Seattle. Davis is in a prime position in this backfield as the Bills have one of the league’s best offenses.
The Jets’ loss on Sunday was a shock and put the team in a difficult position. They have made moves to win this year, but at 2-6, the playoffs look unlikely. If the Jets decide to see what their younger players can do late in the season, Braelon Allen might gain additional carries to keep Breece Hall healthy heading into 2025. This might be a bit premature to discuss, but something to think about as it relates to Allen’s value.
Najee Harris has looked tremendous the last three weeks, rushing for over 100 yards each game. The Steelers want to run the ball and seem intent on doing so, but they have also thrown the ball to their running backs. If Harris were to suffer an injury, Jaylen Warren would almost certainly step into a 15-20 touch role depending on the game script.
To that point, when looking at the second half of Pittsburgh’s schedule, Warren could see more work as they might find themselves playing from behind. The TL;DR version: Acquire Jaylen Warren.
Kyren Williams continues to log a snap rate that is near 90%. Blake Corum continues to be the only other running back for the Rams who gets a touch in a game. These two things add up to Corum being in line for a monster role if Williams gets hurt.
Isaac Guerendo stepped in on Sunday night after Jordan Mason exited with a recurring shoulder injury, marking multiple games he’s had to leave due to the same issue. This raises the concern that Mason might need surgery or face an extended absence. There are reports that Christian McCaffrey is on the way back but his status is iffy at best. Scoop Guerenado before Mason’s status is updated later in the week.
The Dolphins are effectively splitting work between De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert right now. Achane is the do-it-all back who gets carries and catches passes. Mostert is the short-yardage back who vultures the touchdowns. Both backs have been injury-prone in their careers, making Jaylen Wright an intriguing handcuff. He’s averaging 5.3 yards per carry and has looked good in limited touches. I would be inclined to add him from the waiver wire if I had room.
Aaron Jones played 92% of the snaps and handled 100% of the running back opportunities for the Vikings last Thursday. I don’t know if he can handle that type of workload over the next nine weeks, keeping Ty Chandler on the list.
I am putting Kendre Miller here because I think there is a chance Alvin Kamara will get traded. In this scenario, Miller should pick up carries because the Saints need to see what they have in him.
Below is a list of speculative handcuffs that might be worth a look.
Speculative Handcuffs (No Particular Order)
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The post Running Back Handcuff Rankings: Week 9 (2024 Fantasy Football) appeared first on FantasyPros.
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